- The Right to Investigate Philosophy
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- Avraham B. Shimon
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- Philosophical questions are bound to arise in the minds of all
people. They might be in regard to the existence of G-d; the purpose
of life or why do people suffer. A Jewish person will have additional
questions. These might be in regard to the authenticity of the Torah
or the need to do mitzvoth. Naturally the one with the question will
ask someone whom they believe has knowledge to answer their inquiry. A
person might attend a lecture and ask of the lecturer, or a young
student in yeshiva might ask his rebbe or parent. Unfortunately, many
times the questioner is answered with "you're not allowed to ask
such a question" or they might be called an ignoramus or a
heretic. Why are they answered in this way? Is it prohibited to ask
certain questions? If they ask, are they now heretics? Indeed, there
is a popular opinion in today's religious world, which states that the
study of philosophy leads to heresy. It is apparent that these
responses stem from this opinion. We must understand where this
opinion comes from. Is it in line with our mesora? Did our sages
throughout the generations hold of this opinion?
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- Let us first analyze this opinion from a logical standpoint. This
notion maintains that the study of a subject leads to disbelief in
that subject. In other words, the study of the philosophy of the Torah
will lead a person to deny the Torah. This is a very strange idea. If
a person studies physics will he now deny physics? On the contrary,
the more he studies the greater the knowledge he will have. He
recognizes physics as a reality and he's simply trying to understand
the concepts and proofs. The same is the case with philosophy. If one
studies the philosophy of the Torah properly, using our mesora as a
guide, he can never become a heretic. He can only have a greater
recognition of the truth of the Torah. Sadia Gaon deals with this
problem head on. He writes in The Book of Beliefs and Opinions
(Introductory Treatise, Chapter VI), "Now someone might, of
course, ask: 'But how can we take it upon ourselves to indulge in
speculation about the objects of knowledge and their investigation to
the point where these would be established as convictions and become
firmly fixed in the mind, when there are people who disapprove of such
an occupation, being of the opinion that speculation leads to unbelief
and is conducive to heresy?' Our reply thereto, however, is that such
an opinion is held only by the uneducated among them." He then
states that some people think that the sages of the Mishna forbade
investigation. To this he writes, "we would reply that it is
inconceivable that they should have prohibited us from [engaging in
genuine speculation]." G-d gave man a mind that has the ability
to perceive His infinite wisdom. It would be crazy to prohibit its
use. Of course, there is a method of investigation which Sadia then
discusses. He states that our investigation must be based on the Torah
and the Prophets and "not on any private notion that might occur
to an individual". The mesora contains the facts. A person cannot
put aside the facts and draw his own conclusions. This is the case in
any area, which demands investigation. An astronomer does not draw
conclusions about the universe without first looking through his
telescope. A doctor must know the patient's symptoms before he can
give a diagnosis.
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- There is, however, a particular subject matter within philosophy,
which our sages forbade the average person to investigate. The Mishna
in Chagiga (11b) warns against teaching the Ma'aseh Mercabah to more
than one and the Ma'aseh Bereishis to more than two. Very few people,
if any, are on the level to perceive these deep concepts. The Rambam
in the Moreh Nevuchim (Part 1, Chapter 34) gives five reasons as to
why this is. After he discusses these reasons he concludes, "For
these reasons it was proper that the study of Metaphysics should have
been exclusively cultivated by privileged persons, and not entrusted
to the common people. It is not for the beginner, and he should
abstain from it, as the little child has to abstain from taking solid
food and from carrying heavy weights." It is clear from the
Mishna and Rambam that we have no right to investigate this area of
knowledge before we are ready. If we made the attempt, it would cause
great confusion and harm as these areas contain deep ideas that cannot
be grasped by the average person. Just as the little child would
become harmed if he were fed solid food before he was ready. However,
once a person has reached the high intellectual level and perfection
of character that is required to study these areas, he has every right
to investigate them. Chazal actually restricted even a perfected
individual from studying these areas until the age of forty (Avos 5,
21; Chagiga 13a; Sota 12a). He must first shed his youthful emotions
before engaging in speculation of these areas.
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- The prohibition of the Mishna is only limited to a particular body
of knowledge, not the whole realm of philosophy. The Mishna does not
prohibit other areas of philosophy. In fact, there are many areas that
MUST be taught to all people. The Rambam continues in the Moreh (Part
1, Chapter 35) to explain which ideas should be taught to the various
types of people based on their intellectual ability. He writes,
"That G-d is incorporeal (not physical), that He cannot be
compared with his creatures, that he is not subject to external
influence; these are things which must be explained to every one
according to his capacity, and they must be taught by way of tradition
to children and women, to the stupid and ignorant, as they are taught
that G-d is One, that He is eternal, and that He alone is to be
worshiped." Many gaonim and rishonim including the Ramban and
Ralbag discussed at length various philosophical concepts that every
Jew must know. Obviously, they had to study philosophy before they
could write about it. Are we to say, then, that some of the greatest
men in Jewish history were heretics? On the contrary, we can learn
from these great men that not only is it permissible, it is obligatory
to investigate according to ones intellectual abilities. Rabbeinu
Yitzhak Abuhab states in his Menoras Ha'meor (Fourth 'Ner', Part 3,
Chapter 1), "They did not warn us about understanding and
investigating into areas of knowledge save for those things which are
detrimental to all people." He quotes the areas discussed in the
Mishna in Chagiga as the knowledge, which is detrimental due to its
difficult nature. He continues to explain that it is good for a person
to involve himself in different types of knowledge according to his
intellectual capabilities. He then shows that many members of our
Chazal were well educated in different areas of science and
philosophy. Certainly, they were not heretics.
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- People who feel that we are prohibited from studying philosophy
often cite the famous responsa of the Rashba. In it, he forbade the
study of philosophy until the age of twenty-five. The nature of the
knowledge that he forbade was the Greek philosophy and science, not
Torah philosophy. We must note that he did not forbid it after
twenty-five. Of course, this age is not some magical number where any
person who reaches it can now begin to delve into these concepts. The
Rashba was referring to a person who had been spending his youth
involved in the study of Talmud. Thereby his mind would now be trained
to think logically and rationally and would be able to comprehend
these concepts.
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- Interestingly, the Mishna states, "Whoever speculates about the
following four matters would have been better off had he not been
born; namely, What is below and what is above, what was before and
what is behind." It does not say "whoever asks". There
is no source that prohibits one from asking his teacher a question of
any kind if he is seeking truth. One merely is not allowed to
investigate based on his preconceived notions. Chazal in Bereishis
Rabba, however, state, "Into that which is greater than you, do
not seek; into that which is more powerful than you, do not inquire;
about that which is concealed from you, do not desire to know; about
that which is hidden from you, do not ask." Is this not a
prohibition against asking in general? No. Chazal are not prohibiting
asking per se. They are merely prohibiting the various methods a
person will use in personal investigation. When a person seeks
knowledge of a particular area, he must first pose questions to
himself. They are telling us not to investigate areas of knowledge
which we are not ready for. The proof is the conclusion of their
statement, "Contemplate that which is permitted to you, and do
not engage yourself in hidden things." They prohibited the
various methods of personal contemplation.
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- Unfortunately, many people in prominent teaching roles do not know
the answers to many questions posed to them. They do not know how to
prove the existence of G-d or explain an idea properly. This ignorance
is what leads to the harsh responses they give to the questioner. They
cannot admit that they don't know so they lay the ignorance on the
inquisitor. This is dishonest and could very well turn a person away
from studying the Torah. Many times a young student, after receiving a
harsh response, will simply reject the Torah as being nonsensical. He
might think there is no rational reason to keep the mitzvoth, "so
why should I bother". He will come to despise his teacher and
despise learning. On the other hand, he might decide to accept what
his teacher said regardless of whether it made sense for fear of being
humiliated if he dared ask. He will keep the technical mitzvoth but he
will never gain understanding and will live a life of confusion and
ignorance.
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- Most philosophical questions that arise in the minds of people are
of the permissible realm of knowledge not of the prohibited. If
someone asks within the prohibited realm, 'what is below and what is
above etc.', we respond, 'We do not know, perhaps as we get older and
gain more knowledge we will be able to comprehend these areas. First
let us study areas, which we are able to comprehend'. We do not call
him a heretic for asking. If a person is honestly searching for truth,
approaches the study of Torah properly and finds a competent teacher
he will find the answers to his problems. The Torah is the greatest
source for knowledge and understanding. He can never become a heretic
by studying it.
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