Q&A: The View of the Medieval Authorities
The View of the Medieval Authorities
Question
Just out of curiosity: are there any medieval authorities (Rishonim) who hold, like the Rabbi, that God is not involved here in the world?
(And if there are no medieval authorities, then are there later authorities? In short, who is the first in Judaism to hold this view—unless the Rabbi is the first.)
Thank you!
Answer
There are such figures, and they were mentioned in my second book (No Man Has Power over the Wind). But of course this is a minority view. You can also see this in Maimonides in several places, although there are contradictions in his words on this issue.
But that really doesn’t interest me. The question is what is true, not what So-and-so thought.
Discussion on Answer
Following up on Tzadok’s comment, could the Rabbi mention the names of those medieval authorities? I looked in the book, in chapters 10 and 11, and didn’t find it. Thanks very much in advance.
That was already clear—that it doesn’t interest you—but for most Jews who observe the religion, their opinion does matter.