Q&A: Faith Without Knowledge
Originally published:
This is an English translation (via GPT-5.4). Read the original Hebrew version.
Faith Without Knowledge
Question
Hello, I wanted to ask the Rabbi: how does the Rabbi think one should relate to the simple fact that we can never receive certain feedback about our most basic beliefs—religious, epistemological, political, personal, etc.? So that with regard to most of the “important” beliefs and decisions, we can never know that they are indeed correct.
Answer
You mean that we cannot know with certainty, not that we cannot know. That is probably true, unless the Holy One, blessed be He, does something about it.
Discussion on Answer
- You can also doubt the law of gravity. The fact is that nobody doubts it (including you, I assume—unless you were asking your question about the laws of science too, and not only about faith).
- Doubt is a result of our mode of thinking and our limitations, which were implanted in us by the Holy One, blessed be He. The One who forbade can also permit.
Is there anything He can do about it? Because seemingly, even if He appeared before us, we could still doubt it.