Table of Contents
Foreword xxiii
Preface xxv
Unit 1 Introducing Machshava
Why Learn Machshava? 3
1.1 Reasons to Study Machshava 4
1.2 The Mitzva to Know God: Philosophy vs. Mysticism 24
1.3 Two Paths to Knowing God: Meta-Halacha and Halacha 32
1.4 Torah as an Instantiation of Divine Wisdom 42
1.5 The Debate Concerning the Study of Philosophy: Rambam's View 45
1.6 The Debate Concerning the Study of Philosophy: The Perspective of Rambam's Opponents 52
1.7 How Do Those Who Prohibit Philosophy Justify Rambam's Pursuit? 61
1.8 The Bottom Line 65
Introducing Moreh ha-Nevuchim 67
2.1 What Is Philosophy and When Can One Begin Studying Philosophy? 70
2.2 Our Ability to Understand God 78
2.3 We Do Not Seek to Understand God's Essence 84
2.4 Going Too Far 90
2.5 Rambam's Prohibition Against Reading Idolatrous and Heretical Works 96
2.6 How Could Rambam Write Moreh Ha-Nevuchim? How Should Moreh Ha-Nevuchim Be Read? 103
2.7 Contradictions in Moreh ha-Nevuchim 108
2.8 Methods of Interpreting Rambam 110
2.9 The Need for Extrapolation 116
2.10 R. Kook and R. Soloveitchik on Rambam's Relationship with Greek Philosophy 118
2.11 How Could Ma'aseh Bereishit Refer to Science? Rambam's Spiritual Conception of the Physical World 135
2.12 Appendix A: Rambam's Mystical Side and His Position on Kabbala 141
2.13 Appendix B: How do Kabbalists Understand Rambam? 149
2.14 Appendix C: R. Kook's View on Intellectual Freedom and Tolerance in Modern Times 153
2.15 Appendix D: Exceptions to the Prohibition to Read Idolatrous and Heretical Works 161
Philosophy and the Interpretation of the Torah: When to Interpret Scripture Allegorically? 175
3.1 The Torah, the Prophets, and the Sages All Use Hyperbole 176
3.2 The View of R. Sa'adya Gaon 177
3.3 Rambam on How to Read the Story of Creation 181
3.4 Contemporary and Medieval Debate Concerning Allegorical Interpretations of Scripture 197
Eilu ve-Eilu - Multiple Truths or Multiple Possibilities? 205
4.1 The French Rabbis and Multiple Truths 206
4.2 Other Understandings of Eilu ve-Eilu 210
4.3 Ran and Halachic Autonomy 214
4.4 The Quantum Model 219
4.5 The Nature of Omnipotence: Is God Bound by Logic? 227
4.6 Epistemological Pluralism 240
4.7 The Root of Talmudic Debate 242
4.8 The Positive Side of Having Forgotten Parts of the Torah 249
4.9 Rabbinic Error 253
Unit 2 Aggada
Introducing Aggada 271
5.1 Why Study Aggada? 272
5.2 Is Aggada Authoritative? 273
5.3 Torah Values as Expressed in Aggada 289
5.4 Maharal on Aggada 292
5.5 Why is Aggada so Cryptic? 299
5.6 Other Perspectives on Cryptic Aggadot 301
5.7 Psak in Aggada 304
5.8 Psak in Aggada According to Rambam 310
5.9 Appendix A: The Rabba bar bar Chana Stories 316
5.10 Appendix B: Evolving Attitudes to Aggada 320
Science and Torah, Part 1 325
5.11 Scientific Errors in Chazal 325
5.12 Halachic Issues 326
5.13 Thinkers Who Maintain that Chazal May Have Erred in Scientific Matters 328
5.14 Thinkers Who Maintain that Chazal Did Not Err in Scientific Matters 333
5.15 Maharal on Apparent Contradictions Between Torah and Science 337
5.16 R. Kook's Theological Explanation for Scientific Advancement 343
5.17 Contemporary Approaches 346
Rambam on Aggada 351
6.1 Evidence that Rambam Adopted the Geonic View 352
6.2 Sources that Indicate Rambam Rejected the Geonic View 353
6.3 How to Read Problematic Midrashim According to Rambam 356
6.4 Did Rambam Maintain that One May Disagree with Chazal on Aggadic Matters? 360
6.5 Rambam and Maharal 367
The Relationship Between Pshat and Drash 369
7.1 There Are Seventy Faces to Torah 369
7.2 What Actually Happened: Pshat, Drash, Both, or Neither? 371
7.3 Physical Reality Corresponds to Pshat 371
7.4 The Purpose of Drash - the Torah's Inner Message 376
7.5 The Perspective of Ramban 381
7.6 Is It Important to Know What Actually Happened? 390
7.7 The Value of Studying History 395
7.8 Relating to Pshat in Halachic Topics 402
7.9 Thematic and Philosophical Contradictions Between Pshat and Drash 414
7.10 Appendix: Ramban's Understanding of Midrash 417
7.11 Appendix B: Did Ramban Think One Can Disagree with Chazal? 420
7.12 Appendix C: Ramban's Statement Concerning Aggada in the Disputation of Barcelona 424
7.13 Appendix D: Instances Where the Drash Informs Us of the Physical Reality 430
7.14 Appendix E: Red Lines and Limits to Pshat 431
7.15 Appendix F: History in the Post-Biblical Period 437
Unit 3 Belief in god
The Mitzva of Knowing and Believing in God According to Rambam 447
8.1 The Basics of Belief 447
8.2 "To Believe" or "To Know" 451
8.3 Yedi'a and Emuna 454
8.4 The Importance of Proof 458
8.5 The Propositions of Rambam's Proofs and His Position on Creation 466
8.6 Correct Understanding and Certainty, Even Without Proof 472
8.7 Does Everyone Agree that Belief Is a Mitzva? 474
8.8 The Dangers of Seeking "Proof" 479
8.9 Appendix A: Rambam's Conception of What Actually Happened at Matan Torah and His Understanding of How We Know the Torah Is True 480
8.10 Appendix B: Do Doubts Automatically Classify a Person as a Heretic? 487
Science and Torah, Part 2 497
8.11 Evidence for God's Existence in Light of Contemporary Science and Contradictions Between Scripture and Science 497
8.12 The First School of Thought - Proof No Longer Is Possible 499
8.13 The Second School of Thought - Science Still Can Serve as the Basis for Belief in God 500
8.14 Contradictions Between Science and Religion: The First School of Thought - Denying the Problem 512
8.15 The Second School of Thought - Challenging the Validity of Scientific Conclusions 523
8.16 The Third School of Thought - Offering Resolutions 528
The Mitzva of Emuna According to R. Yehuda ha-Levi 539
9.1 Emuna Rooted in Prophecy, a Relationship, and Experience 539
9.2 Experiential Knowledge of God's Existence and Applying Kuzari in the Modern World 553
9.3 Responding to the Problem of Evil 561
9.4 R. Kook on Emuna 565
9.5 Emuna Pshuta and R. Shneur Zalman of Liadi 567
9.6 R. Soloveitchik's Approach to Emuna 569
9.7 Appendix: Additional Approaches to Faith 573
Unit 4 Knowing god
Rambam's Ultimate Goal 583
10.1 Rambam's Palace Analogy 583
10.2 Rambam's Surprising Understanding of the Ultimate Perfection 595
10.3 A (Reasonable) Path to Perfection 602
10.4 Negative Theology and the Problem with Divine Attributes 604
10.5 If We Cannot Understand Why Even Try? 617
10.6 The Implications of a Mistaken Conception of God - Is Someone Who Believes that God is Merciful a Heretic? 621
10.7 The Difference Between Halachic Heresy and Philosophical Heresy 625
10.8 Misleading Statements that Promote Political Welfare 628
10.9 Rambam's Conception of Idolatry 631
10.10 Rambam's View on Praying to Angels 637
10.11 Appendix A: Rambam's Perspective on Expunging Innocent Heretics and the Purpose of Punishing Wrongdoers 641
10.12 Appendix B: Rambam's Fiery Passion and His Understanding of the Mitzva of Loving God 648
Rambam's Perspective on Disbelief Resulting from Faulty Reasoning 653
11.1 Rambam's Definition of a Heretic 656
11.2 First Approach: The "Nebech Aplkores" Is both Excluded and Denied Olam ha-Ba 659
11.3 Second Approach: Dividing the Ikkarim 667
11.4 Additional Problems for the First Two Approaches 672
11.5 Third Approach: Distinguishing Between Loss of Olam ha-Ba and Exclusion from the Jewish People 677
11.6 Fourth Approach: It Is His Fault 681
11.7 R. Elchanan Wasserman's Variation 695
11.8 Chazon Ish 703
11.9 Appendix A: Thinkers Who Excuse Disbelief Based on Faulty Reasoning 704
11.10 Appendix B: Tinok she-Nishba 714
11.11 Appendix C: Were There Great People Who Believed in a Corporeal God? 719
Knowing God Through Kabbala 723
12.1 Relating to the Torah's Stories 726
12.2 The Godliness in the Human Form 731
12.3 The Purpose of Anthropomorphisms 736
12.4 The Innovation of Chasidut 738
12.5 The Kabbalistic Approach to the Physical World 741
12.6 Kabbalistic Interpretations of Scripture 747
12.7 The Dangers of Kabbala 757
12.8 Appendix A: Are There Age Restrictions on Kabbala? 759
12.9 Appendix B: Ramban on Intimacy 763
