Why do I believe the Torah is Divine and uniquely so?

I was avoiding the issue of Torah Min Hashamayim, Ma’amad Har Sinai and generally the divinity of Torah and Mitzvot until I tackled prophecy and providence. However an intelligent and erudite debate has been going on at Divrei Chaim http://divreichaim.blogspot.com/2006/07/limits-of-rational-inquiry-as-basis.html on that and related subjects and I could not resist jumping in and just discuss some Rashei Perakim.

I already posted that at Ma’amad Har Sinai the important aspect from a revelatory point was the fact that all bystanders were somehow convinced that Moshe Rabbeinu was transmitting God’s word. Exactly what the experience was will never be known but there are certain clues that help us get a feel of what happened. I will address it in depth but first I need to explain prophecy for it to make sense. I will do that as I get around to it.

Be it as it may, from a religious point the most important happening was the acceptance by the Jews of the Torah and its system. They committed themselves and their future generations, to keep, cherish, nurture and develop the system within the parameters set out by the Torah. They made a covenant to that effect.

ז וַיִּקַּח סֵפֶר הַבְּרִית, וַיִּקְרָא בְּאָזְנֵי הָעָם; וַיֹּאמְרוּ, כֹּל אֲשֶׁר-דִּבֶּר יְהוָה נַעֲשֶׂה וְנִשְׁמָע. 7
And he took the book of the covenant, and read in the hearing of the people; and they said: 'All that the LORD hath spoken will we do, and obey.'

ח וַיִּקַּח מֹשֶׁה אֶת-הַדָּם, וַיִּזְרֹק עַל-הָעָם; וַיֹּאמֶר, הִנֵּה דַם-הַבְּרִית אֲשֶׁר כָּרַת יְהוָה עִמָּכֶם, עַל כָּל-הַדְּבָרִים, הָאֵלֶּה.
8 And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said: 'Behold the blood of the covenant, which the LORD hath made with you in agreement with all these words.'

Having created a covenantal society, using a RYBS term, those who renege break the bond. They have the choice to do so, but the consequence is severance.

That is why at the end of the 40 years Moshe in his farewell speech says:

ב יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ, כָּרַת עִמָּנוּ בְּרִית--בְּחֹרֵב. 2

The LORD our God made a covenant with us in Horeb.

ג לֹא אֶת-אֲבֹתֵינוּ, כָּרַת יְהוָה אֶת-הַבְּרִית הַזֹּאת: כִּי אִתָּנוּ, אֲנַחְנוּ אֵלֶּה פֹה הַיּוֹם כֻּלָּנוּ חַיִּים. 3

The LORD made not this covenant with our fathers, but with us, even us, who are all of us here alive this day.

ד פָּנִים בְּפָנִים, דִּבֶּר יְהוָה עִמָּכֶם בָּהָר--מִתּוֹךְ הָאֵשׁ. 4

The LORD spoke with you face to face in the mount out of the midst of the fire--

In other words remember that at Sinai you were convinced about the divinity of my prophetic revelation and accepted that the laws I will give you are divine and the result of my unique attainment in prophecy.

For the system to work, the Torah has to be immutable. The Torah tells us:

י וְלֹא-קָם נָבִיא עוֹד בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, כְּמֹשֶׁה, אֲשֶׁר יְדָעוֹ יְהוָה, פָּנִים אֶל-פָּנִים. 10

And there hath not arisen a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face;

In other words his prophecy is unique both past and future. He is the only prophet who had a face-to-face experience when he got to know God which is why he was the only prophet that ever legislated. The prophecy he attained allowed for a verbatim transmission of the laws that he apprehended in his revelatory experience. That is why Rambam legislates:

שלושה הן הכופרים בתורה: האומר שאין התורה מעם ה', אפילו פסוק אחד, אפילו תיבה אחת--אם אמר משה אמרו מפי עצמו, הרי זה כופר בתורה; וכן הכופר בפירושה, והיא תורה שבעל פה, והכחיש מגידיה, כגון צדוק ובייתוס; והאומר שהבורא החליף מצוה זו במצוה אחרת, וכבר בטלה תורה זו, אף על פי שהיא הייתה מעם ה', כגון הנוצריים וההגריים. כל אחד משלושה אלו כופר בתורה.

One, who does not accept that Moshe’s prophecy was unique, repudiates the Torah and breaks down its immutability. By doing that he destroys the system and that cannot be tolerated. We are compelled by the torah itself to accept that it is divine. (Please note that the Oral Torah is included as are the interpreters, a long subject for another time)

I know that some will immediately jump on me and say that I am putting forth an idea that Torah is really not Min Hashamayim but is so just because it works better that way. God forbid. I believe it is Min Hashamayim with all my heart. However the reason I accept it is so is because the Torah tells me it is. And I have accepted Torah as Torat Emet. It is impossible to verify it further than that. If I am true to the covenant my forebears made regarding the Torah, I have to accept it as a whole system and not only those parts I can prove empirically.

Now comes the question every skeptic thinks is a killer. Why is our Torah, both written and oral a better and more reliable Mesora than the Christian New Testament for example? For that matter as GH points out the book of Mormon, Koran et al.?

Rambam addresses it in Moreh 2:40: ( I recommend you read this piece in the other editions Pines, Kafah or Schwartz - the latter available here http://press.tau.ac.il/perplexed/toc.asp as this translation is horrible but the only one available on line)

I will, however, fully explain this to you, so that no doubt be left to you on this question, and that you may have a criterion by which you may distinguish between the guidance of human legislation, of the divine law, and of teachings of those who stole from prophets.

As regards those who declare that the laws proclaimed by them are their own ideas, no further test is required: the confession of the defendant makes the evidence of the witness superfluous. I only wish to instruct you about laws which are proclaimed as prophetic. Some of these are truly prophetic, originating in divine inspiration, some are of non-prophetic character, and some, though prophetic originally, are the result of plagiarism. (DG: NT, Koran, book of Mormons)

You will find that the sole object of certain laws, in accordance with the intention of their author, who well considered their effect, is to establish the good order of the state and its affairs, to free it from all mischief and wrong: (DG: the Constitution of the US) these laws do not deal with philosophic problems, contain no teaching for the perfecting of our logical faculties, and are not concerned about the existence of sound or unsound opinions. Their sole object is to arrange, under all circumstances, the relations of men to each other, and to secure their well-being, in accordance with the view of the author of these laws. These laws are political, and their author belongs, as has been stated above, to the third class, viz., to those who only distinguish themselves by the perfection of their imaginative faculties. You will also find laws which, in all their rules, aim, as the law just mentioned, at the improvement of the material interests of the people: but, besides, tend to improve the state of the faith of man, to create first correct notions of God, and of angels, and to lead then the people, by instruction and education, to an accurate knowledge of the Universe: this education comes from God; these laws are divine.

The question which now remains to be settled is this: Is the person who proclaimed these laws the same perfect man that received them by prophetic inspiration, or a plagiarist, who has stolen these ideas from a true prophet? In order to be able to answer this question, we must examine the merits of the person, obtain an accurate account of his actions, and consider his character. The best test is the rejection, abstention, and contempt of bodily pleasures: for this is the first condition of men, and a fortiori of prophets: they must especially disregard pleasures of the sense of touch, which, according to Aristotle, is a disgrace to us: and, above all, restrain from the pollution of sensual intercourse

Rambam feels this to be so important that he ends the statement a little further with: Note what is meant by these words.

He is addressing the claims of others about their laws and theological books. The new testament does claim to give moral teachings, it does address theological issues, (I have never read it in its entirety myself – never had the patience – but from excerpts it seems to do that) – it however declared the Laws of the Torah to which it appended itself, to be null and void. Koran did the same. Furthermore Mohammed certainly did not stand the test of a prophet as Rambam explains.

I do not think I need to go further; the statement speaks for itself.

Have a good Shabbos.

Edit: As I reread this longer than usual post I realized I did not summarize so here goes:

It is futile to look for external empirical proofs for TMS. It is purely a matter of choice. If one wants to remain part of Klal Israel, the covenant that our forebears made has to be accepted as valid. Part of that covenant was to follow the Torah both oral and written. The Torah tells us it is divine and immutable. The strongest argument for its divinity is internal. it is a way of life that covers all aspects, social, societal and theological.