החסרון היותר גדול שיש בתכונתה של יראת שמים שאינה מחוברת יפה באורה של תורה הוא מה שבמקום יראת חטא היא מתחלפת על יראת המחשבה וכיון שהאדם מתחיל להיות מתירא לחשוב הרי הוא הולך וטובע בבוץ הבערות הנוטלת את אור נשמתו מכשלת את כוחו ומעיבה את רוחו
(Free Translation) (Shemona Kevatzim – 267 – page 86)
The greatest downside of Yra’at Shamayim (Fear of Heaven) which is not properly rooted in the light of torah, is that fear of sin is replaced with intellectual fear. Once a person becomes afraid to think, he slowly becomes mired in ignorance that takes away the light of his soul, weakens him and thickens his spirit.
לעולם אין רשות להתיבה האמורה או הנכתבת להיות סותמת בפני השכל הישר וזה כלל גדול בתורה בין בדיעות היותר נשגבות בין בפרטים היותר קלים
(Idem 278 – page 88)
One may never let the oral or written word override straight logic. This is a great Torah rule, whether on the weightiest theological issues or in the lighter details.
The popular understanding of Yra’at Shamayim is meticulousness with the performance of rituals, especially ritualistic Mitzvot. It is at the root of the Chumra phenomenon we observe nowadays. It extends into the areas of thought. One may not think for himself, must accept on belief all that he was told is supposedly “Mesora” without questioning its veracity even when it goes against logic. The “consensus” of the opinion of, according to some “Klal Ysroel” and others “Gedolei Hatorah”, whatever the definition of these terms may be, is binding. This closed-mindedness is a false fear that is not rooted in Torah. It throws the person back into the dark ages. Torah on the other hand teaches us to seek out the truth and not to shy away from it. The “light” of Torah illuminates our minds, admonishes us to always think, observe things with open eyes and an open mind. Fear of sin is not the same as intellectual fear. Suppressing thought takes away from a person that which makes him human: his soul, creativity and spirit.
Reliance on one’s logic, the ability to think freely, applies in all matters even when confronted with oral or written words, no matter who the author is. This does not mean that an authoritative text that one does not understand should be dismissed. It means that if it is authentic and authoritative and does not make sense, it must have been misunderstood and needs further investigation. The Torah is truth and is not afraid of it. When honestly and thoroughly investigated, it stands up to all scrutiny. Such fear of thinking is an insult to Torah as if it has to hide from truth and has to be accepted on faith.
Shabbat Shalom.
The greatest downside of Yra’at Shamayim (Fear of Heaven) which is not properly rooted in the light of torah, is that fear of sin is replaced with intellectual fear. Once a person becomes afraid to think, he slowly becomes mired in ignorance that takes away the light of his soul, weakens him and thickens his spirit.
לעולם אין רשות להתיבה האמורה או הנכתבת להיות סותמת בפני השכל הישר וזה כלל גדול בתורה בין בדיעות היותר נשגבות בין בפרטים היותר קלים
(Idem 278 – page 88)
One may never let the oral or written word override straight logic. This is a great Torah rule, whether on the weightiest theological issues or in the lighter details.
The popular understanding of Yra’at Shamayim is meticulousness with the performance of rituals, especially ritualistic Mitzvot. It is at the root of the Chumra phenomenon we observe nowadays. It extends into the areas of thought. One may not think for himself, must accept on belief all that he was told is supposedly “Mesora” without questioning its veracity even when it goes against logic. The “consensus” of the opinion of, according to some “Klal Ysroel” and others “Gedolei Hatorah”, whatever the definition of these terms may be, is binding. This closed-mindedness is a false fear that is not rooted in Torah. It throws the person back into the dark ages. Torah on the other hand teaches us to seek out the truth and not to shy away from it. The “light” of Torah illuminates our minds, admonishes us to always think, observe things with open eyes and an open mind. Fear of sin is not the same as intellectual fear. Suppressing thought takes away from a person that which makes him human: his soul, creativity and spirit.
Reliance on one’s logic, the ability to think freely, applies in all matters even when confronted with oral or written words, no matter who the author is. This does not mean that an authoritative text that one does not understand should be dismissed. It means that if it is authentic and authoritative and does not make sense, it must have been misunderstood and needs further investigation. The Torah is truth and is not afraid of it. When honestly and thoroughly investigated, it stands up to all scrutiny. Such fear of thinking is an insult to Torah as if it has to hide from truth and has to be accepted on faith.
Shabbat Shalom.
Very nicely put. It is too bad that more recent Gedolim, other than Rav Kook, have not openly said this. However, for me, this is the true Judaism, not some religion where thinking is looked down upon. However, everything must be within the context of Torah values and some type of Mesorah. We see that this mesorah of thinking Judaism has always existed.
ReplyDeletevery true, that's the whole point of learning; to delve deep into diff topics and look at it on diff sides inorder to learn more and more. There's no holes to hide. The Torah has the truth because it's Divine -
ReplyDeleteAnd if we don't understand something, then we dig deeper until we find the answer. Of course, with some people, you can give them all the answers and they still need to choose whether or not to accept it.
You are, as Rav Kook was, idealistic (that may have been his favorite word). But if reality is not ready for those ideals then vessels will break. Apparently the Rambam understood this as well: http://vesomsechel.blogspot.com/2007/06/perils-of-skepticism.html
ReplyDeleteYona,
ReplyDeleteI do not disagree with Rabbi Maroof's understanding nor does Rav Kook. Of course we have to be mekabel ol malchut shamayim even if we do not undertsand all the why's and wherefores. We however then have to spend the rest of our lives trying to make sense and understand what we are taught in the context of reality. That is the tachlit of religion not just the doing alone and using "emunah Peshutah" as the excuse as accepted in some circles. I believe that this anti-thought stems from a complex of inferiority where deep down they believe the Torah cannot stand up to scrutiny notwithstanding the vociferous claim to the contrary. That is also the basis of trying to separate machshava from reality claiming that torah is "lema'alah min hazman" etc... Maharal who started this indeed was in a quandary as he lived in an era of transition when new scientific thinking was taking root and things were very confusing. Not that we have all the answers but I believe that Judaism has proven itself to stand up to scrutiny in light of the scientific developments in the last few centuries.
Thank you for your comment as it is the germ for a post if I get around to it.
Gmar Chatima Tova.
Correction on above comment:
ReplyDeleteMaharal did not start but was a proponent.
David,
ReplyDeleteI have often thought along the lines of R. Kook (also see his articles "Ma'amar ha'Dor" and "Pachad") that we are afraid of knowledge, and have sometimes identified with it as well! But as I have seen in my experience in Charedi and Modern Orthodox institutions, many, if not most, people are just simple and pure people. And for them (and maybe even for us!) doing the "right and the good," both bein adam l'makom and l'chaveiro, is not only good enough but wonderful.
But for those that want to live the life of a theologian I agree with you - Pachad is the worst midda!
www.bmeihadaga.blogspot.com
Yona I agree that thology is not for everyone and therefore there are mitzvot and the laws that establish them, where learning and doing them is the process by which those people acknowledge HKBH. Here is how Rambam describes them and their teachers in MN1:51 in the famous palace of the king parable.
ReplyDelete"Those who desire to arrive at the palace, and to enter it, but have never yet seen it, are the mass of religious people; the multitude that observe the divine commandments, but are ignorant. Those who arrive at the palace, but go round about it, are those who devote themselves exclusively to the study of the practical law; they believe traditionally in true principles of faith, and learn the practical worship of God, but are not trained in philosophical treatment of the principles of the Law, and do not endeavour to establish the truth of their faith by proof."
I read this not as a criticism but a description of a fact.