[Avodah] Skeptics

[david guttmann]

RRW writes ;

>That is perhaps why the Kafich's "leidah es Hasehm" is supeior over
"lehaamin..."  because knowing/experiencing is superior than either logical
belief or even "blind belief."When one KNOWS that one is a parent or a
spouse there is no need to "believe" taht one has a relatiosnhip! Similarly
when one experiences God
logic is unnecessary, rather one relates to God..  

RMB writes:

>I find it very difficult to believe that that's the distinction R'
el-Qafeh was making in insisting the Arabic should be translated as yedi'ah
rather than emunah.

I have to agree with RMB in this as far as Rambam's position. He clearly
sees experience ONLY after philosophical attainments as he tells us in
Yesodei Hatorah 4:12 Teshuvah 10:6 and other places. It is also more awe at
the mystery and the unknowable rather than a positive feeling of an
existence outside the self. (I wrote several posts under the label
Spirituality and Mysticism on the topic on my blog). 

The problem that I have with RMB approach and also even more RRW is how does
one know that the  experience is not a figment of the imagination? If one
reads some of the skeptics, the more intelligent ones, that seems to be the
core question. By telling them that it is an "experience" it is feeding into
their skepticism. They have gone beyond the Aish touchy feely approach. I
think the only answer is, and I believe it is the true one for myself too,
is that it is a lifelong challenge to learn and question and learn some more
until we find the answer. There are no guarantees but like everything else
in life we have to work for us to get something. Adam Le'amal Yulad - and we
Jews were mekabel the Ol, Ol Malchut Shamayim to work towards that goal. As
far as guarantees don't we all say every morning (PM on Shabbat) " Hu yftach
libeinu betorato ... Lema'an lo Nigah Larik velo Neileid Labehala"? 

Leydah and Leha'amin are challenges for us to attain through hard work and
effort. I find this to be the most inspiring about Torah as a tool to get
there. Its purpose is to help us find HKBH and not fall prey to an
experience in an imagined deity. This is what attracts me to Derech
Harambam, it elevates the person by challenging him - Slobodka's Gadlut
Ha'adam (though I am not sure the Alter had exactly this in mind).


David Guttmann
 
If you agree that Believing is Knowing, join me in the search for Knowledge
at http://yediah.blogspot.com/ 
 
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