Are "Necessary Beliefs" True?

One of the most difficult ideas for traditional Jews to accept is the idea supposedly attributed to Rambam that there are such things as “necessary beliefs” in Judaism. In other words, there are things that are intrinsically incorrect and untrue but we are told to believe them because they help us in the fulfillment of our goal. It is how MN 3:28 is understood by most traditional commentators such as Shem Tov, Efodi, and Narboni and even more by modern scholars. This idea is used to explain some difficult Rambam statements elsewhere and is almost a credo. This idea goes against the grain of almost everything Rambam teaches which is anchored in the idea that finding Truth is the goal of humanity. I have struggled for years with this supposed Rambam position and, after many repeated readings of the chapter in different contexts, believe that I am finally starting to see the light.

Rambam in MN 3:28 explains that although the purpose and goal of the Torah is to make us into a people that “know” about God as opposed to just believe things about Him, the Torah does not teach us how to arrive at that knowledge. It just sets out God’s uniqueness, omniscience, omnipotence, will and eternity leaving it to us to prove those beliefs to ourselves.

“Thus, Scripture teaches the Existence, the Unity, the Omniscience, the Omnipotence, the Will, and the Eternity of God. All these points are ultimate ends, but they can only be understood fully and accurately after the acquisition of many kinds of knowledge.” (MN3:28)

There are certain Truths that we have to work towards understanding them. These are Truths that we need to know for the sake of Truth itself and their knowledge is what transforms the mind of a person from being just another survival tool into fulfilling its potential for which it was created – to become a man as opposed to another living animal species. The knowledge of these Truths is what Rambam refers to in the above quote as “ultimate ends” and he lists them - the Existence, the Unity, the Omniscience, the Omnipotence, the Will, and the Eternity of God. These Truths are presented by the Torah as facts that we have to work towards proving their truth to ourselves by acquiring many kinds of knowledge that allow us to develop a realistic and true understanding of our environment and existence. That knowledge is too composed of many Truths which are seen as intermediaries necessary to attain the “ultimate ends”. With few exceptions, the Torah does not set these truths out as beliefs; it requires us to find them on our own in the process of getting to the “ultimate ends”.

“There are other truths in reference to the whole of the Universe which form the substance of the various and many kinds of speculative sciences, and afford the means of verifying the above-mentioned principles as their final result. But Scripture does not so distinctly prescribe the belief in them as it does in the first case.” (MN3:28)

Among these intermediary truths is the understanding of how our actions are based on the free will God gave us, and the idea that each act has a consequences. Our actions are ruled by a system of cause and effect. This knowledge is one of the components that help us understand “ultimate end” types of knowledge - God’s will and omniscience. This intermediary knowledge however, is the exception and it is set down as a belief just as the “ultimate end” types of knowledge are. We are asked to accept this as a fact and to develop an understanding of it as we contemplate God’s creation. Rambam explains the reason for this exception -

“Scripture further demands belief in certain truths, the belief in which is indispensable in regulating our social relations: such is the belief that God is angry with those who disobey Him, for it leads us to the fear and dread of disobedience [to the will of God].” (MN3:28)

The idea of cause and effect of our actions is presented as Reward and Punishment by God. It is also presented as a belief rather than knowledge that needs to be acquired as a stepping-stone towards ultimate knowledge. It is so for an expedient reason.

“In some cases, the law contains a truth which is itself the only object of that law, as for example, the truth of the Unity, Eternity, and Incorporeality of God. In other cases, the belief is necessary for the abolition of reciprocal wrongdoing or for the acquisition of a noble moral quality. Such is the belief that God has a violent anger against those who do injustice … or the belief that God hears the crying of the oppressed and vexed, to deliver them out of the hands of the oppressor and tyrant.”

According to this reading of Rambam, there are no “untrue” beliefs that we are required to accept for expediency’s sake. The Torah just demands that we treat this type of intermediary knowledge [truth] as we would an “ultimate end” type.