[Avodah] Humanoids Talmud Torah

[Lisa Liel]

With all due respect, Rabbi, while the words, rulings and ideas of the 
Torah may be absolute truth, there remains a question of how to 
understand them.  If simple pshat seems to contradict the evidence of 
our senses or minds, it behooves us to address that conflict and not 
ignore it.  There was a Christian theologian named Tertullian who 
famously said, "It is absurd; therefore I believe," positing that having 
blind faith in the irrational is a virtue.  Judaism, to the best of my 
understanding, stands in absolute negation to that idea.

You say that you don't understand how speculation about non-Adam 
humanoids contributes to a deeper or more profound understanding of 
Hashem.  I can't argue with that.  Since it does not contribute in that 
way *for you*, it is only sensible that you would find it difficult to 
understand.  Maybe you can "take it on faith" that it does contribute 
(or can contribute) in that way for others.

Hashem created us all with different qualities.  Different mindsets.  
Different ways of understanding the world.  What works for one person 
may not work for another.  In kiruv, there are those who require a soft 
voice to attract them to Judaism.  There are others who require a 
spiritual Shabbat experience.  There are still others who require a 
rigorous stance like that of the late Rabbi Meir Kahane.  None of those 
approaches is better or worse in an absolute sense.  They can only be 
right or wrong for the individual.

There are those to whom this sort of speculation is a massive waste of 
time.  But for others, it may be the only way to remain frum.  Labeling 
it as a waste of time across the board is liable to result in Jews going 
off the derekh.  Is this what we want?

Lisa

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