Something “Higher” than Intelligence?
Moshe Ben-Chaim
Reader: Is Kabbalah really based on rational principles?
Isn’t there a level of reality, which supercedes logic? Isn’t our mind capable
of ascertaining truth from a level higher than logic?
Mesora: You make one error; imagining the
existence of system “higher” than logic, and then a second error; seeking that
imagination using “reason”, which you admit cannot detect it.
True Kabbalah, (matters “received” directly
from Moses) are based on rational principles, as is the case with all areas of
authentic Torah. There is nothing more elevated and capable in man's makeup
than his intelligence, which can perceive only rational concepts, and derive
new principles through rational thought alone. Imagining something “higher”
than logic exists, as many of today’s Kabbalists falsely assume, is a fantasy
like any other, and is a complete fallacy. We don't live in fantasy, but in
reality. And reality is that which we can identify only through reason.
G-d
gave us one, supreme tool called "intelligence", as this is what He
wishes we utilize in our approach to Him, which is His one goal for all mankind,
as witnessed through His Torah system.
Does something exist outside of our
apprehension? This very question can have no answer, as you are using your intelligence
to seek an answer, which you assume is out of the range of intelligence. A
similar futility would be to ‘look’ for something in a pitch-dark room. Using a
faculty in a 100% crippled state, i.e., vision in darkness, or intelligence in
baseless imagination - is the height of foolishness. The Mishna in Talmud Chagiga
11b describes a person who questions matters out of man’s range as better off
as never having been born. The Mishna thereby warns us from attempting to
exceed our limits. The Rabbis too stated, “In matters greater than you, don’t investigate.”
Use your intelligence to answer your own
question: First step; realize with your honesty and intelligence that you see no
evidence of anything but the external reality you perceive, you see no evidence
of anything but the internally apprehended knowledge you contemplate, and you
see no evidence of anything but your rational faculty which uncovers these two
areas of knowledge. Nothing else has ever been perceived except for the
external, physical world, the internal world of ideas, and our faculty of intelligence.
This is an ironclad “proof” (see, we are using reason!) that there are no other
methods of operation available to man.
Realize that your very inquiry is a “search”,
i.e., your question, “Isn’t there a level of reality, which
supercedes logic?” is a search, which by definition, must desire an “answer”.
What would be a satisfying “answer”? Any
answer can only be based on “reason”. So you see, you sought a reasonable response,
admitting yourself, that reason is THE tool for identifying something as real!