Q&A: The Correctness of Orthodoxy
The Correctness of Orthodoxy
Question
Hello, honored Rabbi,
I saw in your new book that you wrote to prove the truth of Judaism among the religions. However, regarding the correctness of Orthodoxy, in my humble opinion you were brief where one should have elaborated, and you did not complete the task.
I would be very glad if we could merit a column or more on this important topic, so that the task can be completed, for the benefit of the many.
With the blessing due to all who bring merit to the public, etc.
Answer
First one has to define Orthodoxy. I did something in that direction in my article on enlightened idolatry and in another article that has not been published.
But in general I do not deal with sweeping questions: who is right, Group A or Group B. I ask specific questions and try to formulate a position on them. With that kind of approach, you come out undefined, because on questions 1, 2, 5, 11, 22, 33338 you answer in accordance with what is accepted in Group A, and on questions 3, 4, 6, 7, 8… you are in Group B. The commitment to answer the entire basket of questions according to ideological affiliation is the mother of all sins.
Discussion on Answer
Just don't divide the groups too much until you're left with nothing (because any individual can be mistaken, and all groups are finite since the number of people in the world is finite, so there is a limit to how much one can divide into groups). On the other hand, the empty group is always right, since it makes no mistakes (like all claims that hold vacuously).
Just as regarding religions one can say that Group A (Judaism) is correct and the other groups are mistaken, so too within Judaism one can do the same.
And as for defining Orthodoxy—who is more of an expert in definitions than your honor?