People often ask me why I am such a firm believer in God and the truth of Judaism when there is so much evidence challenging those notions. I have discussed my reasons before and will not go into that kind of detail now. Suffice it to say that it is a combination of evidence, logic, and faith that leads me to my conclusions.
The Chasid who authored this article declares that he is still a Chasid who practices Judaism no differently now than he did before. But after a brief description of how unfulfilling traditional texts explaining the Torah were to him - and then finding more 'meaningful' and intellectually satisfying explanations by bible critics he now buys into some of their conclusions. This now makes him an Apikores - a heretic. Here is the money quote:
More than merely understanding the Torah on an intellectual level, I discovered a hidden treasure in a text, which before then I barely found meaningful. The more I came to believe that the Torah was written by humans, for humans, from a human perspective…
I say this not to condemn him. Only to define him Jewishly. He is in fact not really all that different than another Orthodox Jew, JayLefkowitz who defines himself as Modern Orthodox. He basically came to the same conclusions for the same reasons. They both adhere strictly to Halacha as they have been taught to observe it and are educating their children accordingly. And yet both of them are Apikorsim. Nebech.
(I know they do not want my pity and might even consider it condescending and insulting. But that is not my intent. I simply feel bad that they have gone astray all in the noble context of seeking truth.)
There is one thing that - in my view - bright people who genuinely seek truth and find it in Apikursus fail to understand. The intellect is not enough. Belief in God and His Torah is exactly that. A belief. Not a proven fact that can be found with scientific inquiry or logic alone.
We are talking about a metaphysical reality that by definition cannot be measured in the physical world. For those who see only rational thinking as the arbiter of truth, they will not be convinced there is a God or in his Torah. They will require logic combined with conclusive scientific evidence to reach that conclusion. That will never work. As has been demonstrated countless times by serious Jews seeking truth and then finding it outside of our belief system.
So what belief in God and His Torah ultimately boils down to is – well – belief. Not observable facts that will prove existence. Without belief, rational explanations of the Torah become far more palatable to rational thinkers than traditional explanations that sometimes beg credulity in strictly logical terms.
This kind of belief is sometimes called Emunah Peshutah simple belief. Unfortunately the connotations of that phrase make it seem that only a ‘simpleton; would resort to it. Sometimes it is called blind belief. Also not a flattering term.
It is true that Emunah Peshuta means pure belief in God and His Torah - not requiring physical evidence. But that does not mean there is none.
There is evidence of God’s existence and reason to believe in the Divine authorship of the Torah. All of which adds to belief. But ultimately it is faith that we rely on. An unshakable faith that has kept us alive as a people throughout history. Despite all attempts to eradicate us.
The bottom line for me is that it is sad that so many bright Jews who sincerely wanted to remain believers have now abandoned those beliefs. All because of too much reliance on thought systems that are more appealing to the rational mind. I truly feel terrible calling people like that Apikursim. But that is what they are. As Rav Chaim Soloveitchik is said to have once commented when asked abou Jews whose intellectual honesty led them astray: Nebech an Apikores is still an Apikores.
Warning. As always this post should not be taken as opening for a debate about our essential beliefs. It will not be tolerated. Belief in God and His Torah is a given here.