Why are the theological ideas of the Medieval Rabbis relevant? Getting things off my chest!

I have chosen not to get too involved in the discussions on various Blogs about proofs for the existence of a First Cause. I have been watching from the sideline and my reluctance to enter the fray has proven prescient – people are talking at and not to each other. Terms are bandied around, Cause, Effect, Contingent, Space/time, creation etc… and each person has a different definition for these words. It is as cacophony of individual languages who do not understand each other, a veritable Tower of Babel. (Maybe that was what the story was referring to as a metaphor.)

I am however deeply pained by what I originally perceived, as irreverent comments thrown out in the heat of the argument, which I subsequently realized were heartfelt. I refer to the irreverence shown by most of our skeptic brethrens to the great thinkers in our heritage – the Rishonim and great Acharonim up to our times. It shows a level of ignorance coupled with arrogance that is beyond my comprehension. The most common argument is that they were wrong as they based their thinking on flawed science that has since been shown to be erroneous. I cannot sit and let this pass without putting in my protest. Let me explain.

The Torah, which is our reason for existence as a people without which Judaism has no meaning, has two components to it – the Legal and the theological. The Legal part which includes societal and ritual laws, the Mitzvot, is meant to help us in our daily existence and bring discipline into our lives. Living an orderly and satisfying life allows one to dedicate himself to the existential quest which is the second component of Torah. Without that component the Torah and keeping the Mitzvot lacks meaning. The theological component has one goal; understanding our existence through finding God and emulating Him. It is a personal quest undertaken within the broader auspices of a community and a people.

It is clear that the Torah was given at the dawn of the Bronze Age. Its divinity is evident because of its relevance then and through the ages up to our times. The way it works is that its followers in each era are obligated to understand its theology in context of the knowledge extant at each period. It is exactly this effort at interpretation and adaptation that focuses us on the important quest for meaning in our existence. Our Rabbis over the generations have shown us the way. We learn from them by understanding how they did it with the knowledge of their time. We therefore can take advantage of their experience and apply tried and true methods for our own needs.

Dismissing the Rabbis, claiming Rambam, Ramban, Rashba, Ralbag, Meiri et al are irrelevant because the science they based their conclusions on no longer is accepted, is the height of arrogance and stupidity. It shows a lack of brains. On the contrary, they took a document given during the times of idolatry and shamanism and showed us that it has exactly the same relevance in dealing with Aristotelian and Platonic cosmology. It is our task to emulate them and do the same in the scientific era of Darwin and Einstein. It will be the task of our descendants to apply the same thinking in a future world where the current science may turn out to be obsolete.

Exploring how they went about it, how they struggled and successfully addressed the issue during their times will give us the tools to succeed in our time. Great thinkers like R. Meir Simcha Hacohen and the Rogatchover, both of Dvinsk, Rav Kook and RYBS A’H are the closest contemporary greats who have begun the process. It is our task to continue this work and develop an understanding of the Torah in context of our times.

As to the specifics of the First Cause debate, a short comment. The argument I hear the most is that the Entity (God) that FC proposes is just that an unintelligible entity. Even if we were to accept the existence of such an entity, it would be meaningless. That is exactly so. All FC gives us is the deductive conclusion that a non-contingent Being exists. It is our task throughout our lives to figure out what He is not. If we apply ourselves, we believe we will find each to his level of accomplishment, this elusive but all-important Being. This is already a matter of choice and we as Jews have obligated ourselves to pursue in this quest.

כט וּבִקַּשְׁתֶּם מִשָּׁם אֶת-יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ, וּמָצָאתָ: כִּי תִדְרְשֶׁנּוּ, בְּכָל-לְבָבְךָ וּבְכָל-נַפְשֶׁךָ.
29 But from thence, ye will seek the LORD thy God; and thou shall find Him, if thou search after Him with all thy heart and with all thy soul. (Devarim 4:29)


יט הַעִדֹתִי בָכֶם הַיּוֹם, אֶת-הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֶת-הָאָרֶץ--הַחַיִּים וְהַמָּוֶת נָתַתִּי לְפָנֶיךָ, הַבְּרָכָה וְהַקְּלָלָה; וּבָחַרְתָּ, בַּחַיִּים--לְמַעַן תִּחְיֶה, אַתָּה וְזַרְעֶךָ.
19 I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that I have set before thee life and death, the blessing and the curse; therefore choose life, that thou mayest live, thou and thy seed; (Devarim 30:19)


Of course, it is a matter of choice. Talking about it and arguing over whether every belief is empirically provable has no meaning. All we have empirically is that there is an Entity out there that is singularly non - contingent; no other Entity can be similar or even conceivable within this Entity’s category. The rest we accept as the ontological explanation of our existence based on this information. We trust that if we work at it we will acquire an understanding of this Entity to a certain extent. Our ancestors have told us that those among them who chose to go on this quest were successful each to his particular level.

So lets move on with the task at hand - understand our Theology in the context of our times.