Q&A: Understanding Heretical Statements and Part of the Humanities
Understanding Heretical Statements and Part of the Humanities
Question
With God’s help,
Hello Rabbi,
I wanted to ask a question that I think is a bit strange, but there’s something to it.
Why is it that almost every field one studies, like physics, mathematics, and also within the Jewish world, Talmud, Mishnah, and even biblical commentators and so on, requires a great deal of investment, and sometimes many years of study just to understand them thoroughly?
But when reading heretical writings, I can often open an article at some random paragraph, or even a book, continue from there, and understand everything “straight away.” For example, articles that talk about power games and various interests. Or sometimes they quote various midrashim and read them with the most radical interpretation, and from that derive proof, or claim that that midrash symbolizes an ancient tradition, and similarly regarding midrashim that they themselves create.
So while I have almost zero understanding of these subjects, there’s something about this that feels really strange. Does the Rabbi also share this feeling?
Answer
A strange question.
I really do not share your feeling at all. Heresy is not a field. It is a kind of position or a set of arguments. So there is no problem understanding the arguments, especially since what you are reading is aimed at the general public. Understanding rabbis’ homilies also requires no background at all (sometimes even background wouldn’t help). Nor do children’s stories, literary fiction, or anything else that is not a professional discipline. What non-professional field that you see on the internet do you have trouble understanding? Do you not understand polemical writing in any other field?
Discussion on Answer
I already answered that. Should I repeat myself?
I mean in relation to subjects I encounter at the university, like mathematics, etc.
Indeed, it’s like polemical writing or reading positions. Exactly like the term rabbis’ homily that you mean—that’s what I feel is going on there.
The question comes up because it’s a subject people study for many years at the university. For example, even if I read professional materials in economics, I won’t fully understand the meaning of every move there, even if it is phrased in spoken Hebrew.
But here it seems different.