Since God had no need to create the world, His act of creation is considered to be the ultimate act of selflessness, purely for the benefit of His creatures. We are enjoined to emulate God's constant manifestations of selflessness, and thereby connect to Him, as it were.
On the other hand, the Gemara (Bava Metzia 62a) rules that if you are stranded on a desert island with a companion, and possess only enough water for one person, "your life takes precedence." When it really counts, selfishness seems to be the advised course.
So what is the primary Jewish value - selfishness or selflessness?
Monday, February 28, 2011
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Tolerant or Uncertain?
Does tolerance stem from a recognition that other viewpoints may be correct? Does intolerance stem from a conviction that no other viewpoint is correct?
If so, does the difference between tolerant and intolerant people lie in the degree of certainty in their respective positions? Perhaps tolerant people are uncertain of their positions, while intolerant people are certain of their positions. The tolerant view the intolerant as arrogant in presuming that their position is certain, while the intolerant view the tolerant as equivocal and incapable of staking out firm positions.
Where do you stand? Are you tolerant, and if you are, does your tolerance stem from uncertainty?
If so, does the difference between tolerant and intolerant people lie in the degree of certainty in their respective positions? Perhaps tolerant people are uncertain of their positions, while intolerant people are certain of their positions. The tolerant view the intolerant as arrogant in presuming that their position is certain, while the intolerant view the tolerant as equivocal and incapable of staking out firm positions.
Where do you stand? Are you tolerant, and if you are, does your tolerance stem from uncertainty?
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Interpreting Tragedies
The Torah repeatedly warns us that if we behave inappropriately, we will suffer misfortune, and if we behave appropriately, we will enjoy success. If we suffer the very misfortunes that the Torah identifies as a result of sin, may we attribute those misfortunes to our sins? Or is such attribution an arrogant assumption of prophetic power?
Similarly, if we enjoy success, may we attribute it to our righteousness, or is this too an unwarranted presumption of access to knowledge reserved for the Divine?
Similarly, if we enjoy success, may we attribute it to our righteousness, or is this too an unwarranted presumption of access to knowledge reserved for the Divine?
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Good But Wrong?
Is there a distinction between something that is right and something that is good? Can a right action be bad, or a wrong action be good?
The Gemara (Nazir 23) discusses the concept of aveirah lishmah, of transgressions committed with positive intentions. The Gemara praises those who commit these "good transgressions." If they are real transgressions, without any Halachic justification, they must be wrong. But perhaps it is sometimes good to do the wrong thing.
The Gemara (Nazir 23) discusses the concept of aveirah lishmah, of transgressions committed with positive intentions. The Gemara praises those who commit these "good transgressions." If they are real transgressions, without any Halachic justification, they must be wrong. But perhaps it is sometimes good to do the wrong thing.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Does God Care?
According to most Jewish thinkers, God is completely removed from any human attributes. He is not anthropomorphic; He does not possess any physical characteristics. And He is not anthropopathic; He does not possess any emotions. Yet despite God's ultimate transcendence, we human beings are expected to develop a personal relationship with Him.
Is it possible to develop a personal relationship with a Being Who lacks emotions? If God does not care about me; does not love me; does not feel anything at all about me - how can I personally relate to Him?
Some thinkers respond that even though God does not have emotions, He relates to us as if He has emotions. But does this argument satisfy you? Are you comfortable having a relationship with Someone Who acts as if He cares about you, but does not really care about you?
Is it possible to develop a personal relationship with a Being Who lacks emotions? If God does not care about me; does not love me; does not feel anything at all about me - how can I personally relate to Him?
Some thinkers respond that even though God does not have emotions, He relates to us as if He has emotions. But does this argument satisfy you? Are you comfortable having a relationship with Someone Who acts as if He cares about you, but does not really care about you?
Monday, February 21, 2011
Safe or Effective?
One of the crucial ideological divisions between Chareidi Orthodoxy and Modern Orthodoxy stems from the question of whether it is better to be safe or effective. Modern Orthodoxy maintains that in order to positively influence other Jews, we must associate with them; Chareidi Orthodoxy points to the potential pitfalls of such associations. Modern Orthodoxy maintains that in order to fulfill Yeshayahu's designation as "a light unto the nations," we must interact with the outside world; Chareidi Orthodoxy points out the inherent dangers of such interaction. Modern Orthodoxy claims that secular disciplines enhance our understanding of Torah; Chareidi Orthodoxy points to the corruption that may result from absorbing secular material. The debate is not whether these pursuits are effective, but whether it is worth sacrificing spiritual safety for their effectiveness. Chareidim downplay the value of these pursuits, while Modern Orthodox downplay their danger; but these are merely attempts to avoid the real issue - whether it is better to be safe or effective.
How do we live and how do we train our children to live? Do we attempt to make a positive difference in the world by changing the status quo, or by doing our best within the security of established norms? How do we live, and, more importantly, how ought we live?
How do we live and how do we train our children to live? Do we attempt to make a positive difference in the world by changing the status quo, or by doing our best within the security of established norms? How do we live, and, more importantly, how ought we live?
Sunday, February 20, 2011
The Mystery of Revelation
According to many Jewish thinkers, the rational basis of our belief in the truth of the Torah is the national experience of Divine revelation at Mount Sinai. This is viewed as national testimony to the Divine authorship of the Torah. Here are a few things to consider.
1) How did our ancestors know that it was G-d speaking to them at Mount Sinai? As we all know, G-d has no physical form, so what exactly did they see on Mount Sinai? The Torah describes a cloud, smoke and fire descending upon the mountain; why did our ancestors assume that the cloud, smoke and fire represented G-d? If they experienced prophecy, the Torah does not describe it as such. No other prophecy required such an awesome demonstration to prove its authenticity. What, then, did they see that convinced them of the Divine Source of the revelation?
2) The generation of Jews that received the Torah had many crises of faith throughout their travels in the wilderness. If the people who actually witnessed the revelation of G-d at Mount Sinai could later doubt the fundamentals of religious doctrine, how can we, so many generations later, possibly be expected to be steadfast in our religious convictions?
1) How did our ancestors know that it was G-d speaking to them at Mount Sinai? As we all know, G-d has no physical form, so what exactly did they see on Mount Sinai? The Torah describes a cloud, smoke and fire descending upon the mountain; why did our ancestors assume that the cloud, smoke and fire represented G-d? If they experienced prophecy, the Torah does not describe it as such. No other prophecy required such an awesome demonstration to prove its authenticity. What, then, did they see that convinced them of the Divine Source of the revelation?
2) The generation of Jews that received the Torah had many crises of faith throughout their travels in the wilderness. If the people who actually witnessed the revelation of G-d at Mount Sinai could later doubt the fundamentals of religious doctrine, how can we, so many generations later, possibly be expected to be steadfast in our religious convictions?
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Can We Force Ourselves To Believe?
The Rambam writes (Peirush Hamishnayos to Sanhedrin Perek 10) that anyone who does not believe in his thirteen principles of faith forfeits his share in the World to Come. What if someone is not convinced of the truth of all of the thirteen principles of faith, but does not want to lose his share in the World to Come? Can such a person force himself to believe in them even though he has not been intellectually convinced of them? If he forces himself to believe, does he really believe?
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