Anon asked Staff ago In the beginning G-d created….
First of all, in Hebrew creation is only ex nihilo, and therefore you have erred in saying that we only know creation from something existing. There is no such thing. But let’s for the moment say that was a error in wording and nothing more (in your answer to the question “What is your opinion about evolution”).
The deep significance to the recognition of G-d’s existence is the lack of knowledge and of understanding about the universe, its creation, or even its not being created. In equal measure neither can be understood. This puzzle, this riddle is G-d, and amazingly, Spinoza’s statement that “nature is G-d” suits perfectly.
To bring this closer to logic (I know it’s difficult; I’ve been spitting blood over this topic for the past 20 years) I will say: First of all, even if you say the world was not “created,” it does not contradict the existence of G-d. Would it be too much for him to settle this paradox? Is not all faith a paradox? More than that–the very dialectic is faith. For that same reason, the creation of the world does not serve as proof for this riddle.
Indeed, the mind can believe that creation is infinite; as we see, the raw materials do not ever end and there is no end to the number and division of material.
Did we wish to prove the limits of G-d’s materials (as do some outreach professionals) we would leave place for the apostate to come and ask “But who created G-d?” So we will make an awesome innovation: According to the Jewish worldview, the world was created some 6000 years ago and before the creation there was nothing–not time, not even space. The philosophical significance is that the world is eternal and that there is no meaning to time, as those who know the secret teachings understand.
I am not sure I made myself clear (I fear I have not), but I am sure it will arouse thought from those who seek (and I hope every visitor to this “seeking” site will read it, and may his reward be as great as the reward I received, etc.).
I promise (though I don’t swear)–I’ll even swear that if anyone asks me about this I will answer, even, at a certain stage, orally. I hope they will publish it and react, because it is one of the fundamentals of faith.
Revealer of the Deep
jsadmin Staff answered 22 years ago
Hello.
Man’s understanding and reason cannot and are not capable of dealing with the idea of what was before anything was. The concept of G-d is nothing but a linguistic answer which is meaningless for us. One who says “I believe in the existence of G-d” simply says “I believe in limits to our reason and I know nothing.”
Sincerely,
Daat Emet
jsadmin Staff answered 22 years ago
Hello,
Unlimited possibilities were given to man to say meaningless words and sentences; as the saying goes, “life and death are in the hands of the tongue.” We can say “a four-sided triangle,” or something and its opposite: the subjugation of women is her freedom, war is peace, etc.
The problem which troubles man about his world is that we do not have the ability to think about where we came from and where we are headed. On the one hand we cannot grasp the infinite, and on the other we cannot understand creation ex nihilo.
Sincerely,
Daat Emet
jsadmin Staff answered 22 years ago
Dear Avi,
The emotional experience is the private concern of each and every person and is not part of the rational area which belongs to the entire human race. There is the revelatory experience of Elijah the prophet and the revelatory experience of Jesus or any other mystical personage. Of this was it said, “Each man by his mystical experience shall live.” But we speak of the most appropriate and desired values and the legal system to guide a modern state. The answer is clear; the Torah does not provide an appropriate platform for a state like Israel. The laws of the Torah are based on the belief that the Jewish people are the Chosen Nation; see the results of this faith in the essay we wrote, The Jewish Nation Is The People Chosen To Fulfill The Purpose Of Creation.
Sincerely,
Daat Emet