[Avodah] The Knowledge Conundrum

[Harry Maryles]

This was part of a thread on Areivim. But the following comment generated a few of my own thoughts which I think belong on Avodah. - HM
 
--- On Fri, 4/24/09, Micha Berger <micha at aishdas.org> wrote:



My grandfather was born in Suvalke (a city, not a shtetl) to a family
that owned a plant for dying textiles. Not life in Anatevka. And yet
the O community was much more like Tevya, with a simpler faith than
we have but more more deep.
 
Some random thoughts come to mind.
 
What does this say about Emunah Peshuta versus Emunah through rational thought?
 
What we experience today weakens the depth of our faith - and that is based on the give and take between Torah knowledge and worldly knowledge through the medium of rational thought.  
 
We have greater access to both disciplines than our European ancestors. And that makes Emunah Peshuta almost impossible to rely upon.  Questions arise and must be dealt with. Sometimes there are no satisfying answers and we remain with questions and contradictions. That weakens deep faith. 
 
For those who have less exposure to worldly knowledge and know only Torah as is the case in Charedi Israel - simple faith is easier to have. Without worldly knowledge there are no questions.
 
This fact is in part responsible for the increasing numbers of Frum Jews who have a crisis of faith when they encounter these contradictions.
 
I think faith is strengthened to a certain degree when such questions are answered properly. But at the same time I think the depth of such faith cannot be compared to the pure and unquestioning faith of Emunah Peshuta.
 
Does that mean worldly knowledge should be avoided? That is what the Torah Only Hashkafa advocates. And perhaps they have a point. But how can you ask people to remain ignorant?
 
And in the current climate of instant information – it is becoming increasingly difficult if not impossible to avoid getting enough general knowledge to start having questions of faith.
 
And once a question enters your mind it is impossible to deny or negate it. If that thought contains a kernel of doubt without satisfactory answers - how is it even possible to have the deep faith of our ancesters?   Fun A Kashe Shtarbt Min Nisht. But one’s Emunah does get tested if one remains with a Kashe.

HM
 
 
Want Emes and Emunah in your life? 

Try this: http://haemtza.blogspot.com/




      
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