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<DIV><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" color=#000000 size=2
face=Arial>From: Micha Berger via Avodah
<avodah@lists.aishdas.org><BR><BR>>> R' Riskin repeated a brilliant
observation by R Moshe Besdin. (H/T<BR>Mosaic Magazine.) I think it says a lot
about what it means to have<BR>a life of faith despite having periods of
doubt.<BR><BR>Quoting from <http://j.mp/2ekffiv> (on
blogs.timesofisrael.com):<BR><BR> ...<BR> Noah didn't
enter the ark until the water literally pushed him in.<BR> Rashi's
phrase that "he believed and he didn't believe" is really<BR>
another way of describing an agnostic who remains in the state of
his<BR> uncertainty; he believes and doesn't believe. Noah is
therefore<BR> described by Rashi as the first
agnostic.<BR><BR> The second Biblical agnostic appears in the guise
of Haran.....<BR><BR> .... Is it not strange that
the fate of the two agnostics should be so<BR> different? We read
how Noah was a man of little faith, and yet not only<BR> does he
survive the Flood, he turns into one of the central figures of<BR>
human history....<BR><BR> In contrast, Haran, father of Lot, brother
to Abraham, hovers on the<BR> edge of obscurity, and is even
punished with death for his lack of<BR> faith. Why is Haran's
agnosticism considered so much worse than Noah's?<BR><BR> Rabbi
Moshe Besdin, zal, explained that while Noah and Haran shared<BR>
uncertainty about God, there was a vast difference between them. .......
<<<BR><BR>-- <BR>Micha
Berger
<BR>micha@aishdas.org
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<DIV>>>>>></DIV>
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<DIV>The difference between them was that Noach never was an agnostic.
This whole clever vort falls apart right from the beginning. When Rashi
says that Noach did and did not believe, he is OBVIOUSLY talking about the Flood
-- Noach doubted whether Hashem really would carry through on his threat to
destroy the world. Not for a moment did he doubt the existence of the One
who was talking to him and giving him instructions! The premise is
absurd.</DIV>
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<DIV>Let's say a kindly father threatens his young child, "If you play with my
lulav again I am going to potch you!" The little boy doubts that his
father will carry through on his threat. "I wonder if Abba really will potch
me? He's always given me so many chances before." Maybe he takes a
chance and plays with Abba's lulav and maybe he's really scared and leaves it
alone. But in any case he does not doubt the existence of his
father!</DIV>
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<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff></FONT><BR><FONT color=#0000ff><STRONG>--Toby
Katz<BR>t613k@aol.com</STRONG></FONT><FONT lang=0 color=#ffffff size=2
face=Arial FAMILY="SANSSERIF" PTSIZE="10"><BR><STRONG>..</STRONG></FONT><FONT
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PTSIZE="10"><BR><STRONG>=============</STRONG><BR><BR><BR>-------------------------------------------------------------------
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