David Fischbein
Dear Rabbi Moshe Ben Chaim:
Gil needs to take a closer look at
the Rishonim. For those who say that proofs of ideas in Judaism are a waste of
time, I would ask, why does Rav Saadia Gaon constantly use proofs in his
arguments in Emunot V' Deot? What is the purpose of all the proofs that the
Rambam formulates in the second book of the Moreh Nevuchim? Why does the Rashba
talk about hearing, understanding, and accepting the fundamental precepts of
Judaism in Teshuvah 51 of his Shailos U'Teshuvos (by “accepting”, he means
making them first hand knowledge, as opposed to the second hand knowledge of
tradition which the individual already has)? If the rabbi in the Kuzari
accepts Judaism on faith, then what leverage can he claim over the Christian
and the Muslim (the rabbi in fact disproves them on the very basis that their
religions are not based on any solid proof)?