Faith & Logic

A Heretical Rabbi? Bridging Two Worlds

I am a rabbi by career who promotes and provides Judaism to Jews of religious and unaffiliated backgrounds. For those who know me, this may seem paradoxical. I don’t necessarily...

10 Pros and 10 Cons of Religion and Judaism

Overview: Providing 10 pros for adherence to religion, 10 cons of it, and the compromising path to reap the positives and rectify the negatives. A crucial factor in decision-making is...

Can Judaism be Proven?

Overview: Our decisions do not need 100% certainty to convince us to do them. Comparing the consequences of performing Mitzvos versus not doing them. Why doesn’t God make the truth...

“But Gedolim Smarter than You Believed!”: The Appeal to Authority

Overview: The fallacies of basing belief on someone who is allegedly smarter and yet believes. By Meir Gold The argument is put forth to our wanna-be heretic that he should...

What Does God Expect from Those Who Don’t Know of Him?

If someone doesn’t know of God’s existence or for intellectual reasons doesn’t believe in God, what does God expect from that person? Do they have a mission in this world?...

Can Logic Prove the Supernatural?

Overview: Our brains and all its reasoning are confined to the limits of nature; so how can it go out of its own box to prove the supernatural, such as...

Is Logic a Mere Fantasy?

Overview: The theme of The Rational Believer is rationality and the premises for all its reasonings is—logic. How can we trust logic that might just be a mere fantasy of...

Weighing the Incentives to Serving God

Overview: Evaluating the variable motives in serving God after granting that Torah is divinely-inspired. Motives of love, fear, a sacred mission, and the win-win gamble. Each for their own...

Traditional Judaism and Rationalist Judaism

Overview: The general perspective of The Rational Believer and its focus on rationality, the target audience of this work, and who this work is not recommended for. In contrast to...

“It’s Kefirah!” An Orthodox Response to Legitimate Issues

Overview: The popular shield from questions that threaten Orthodox belief, the absurdity of blindly following religious dogma, the great rabbis who weren’t afraid to address the issues, and the 13...