(25)Anonymous, 5/8/2008 Narrow the gap (heard from R. Kirzner) On Passover, in the haggadah, we read about great rabbis who were sitting around speaking about the exodus of Egypt all night long. Until their disciples had came and told them that it's time to pray "shema". Why couldn't they say it's time to pray...why did they specifically emphasize shema? Rabbi Kirzner answers remarkably, because Shema symbolizes a Jew's leap of faith in Hashem. Eventhough, these huge rabbis reached great heights through speaking about the awesome miracles G-d performed all night long, in the end of the day, they still had to say "shema"...they still had to take that leap of faith. We live in a world where G-d is hidden. Everyone has to take that leap, but for these rabbis they had to probably leap over a gap that's a foot wide. Others have to leap a yard. And, yet, others have to leap a mile. We have to work on narrowing that gap of our leap of faith.
(24) Yerme, 12/7/2008 We Leap A decision to act may require FAITH. There is much in judaism that is unknown, yet speculated and postulated by our beloved Rabbis. We step out in faiht on a daily basis in doing what we deem, or hope, to be righteous mitvot.
(23) dr boz, 9/7/2008 harrison ford The implicit irony is that Harrison Foed is Jewish ! Bo he needs to do teshuvah shelaimah !
(22) Adam, 26/6/2008 Living Up To The Truth Knowledge vs. belief is an old philosophical topic. For an informed and convincing discussion of this, specifically with regard to Judaism, google Living Up To The Truth and read it. (I don't know if Aish will let me post a link, so I have not.) It's fascinating.
(21) Dvirah, 26/6/2008 Premise, not Belief I would say, myself, that Judasim requires adopting a premise - the existance and involvement of the Creator - rather than believing a faith. From that premise a certain way of life, or patterns of behavior, is/are only the logical result. (Shades of Mr. Spock!) No "faith" is required - only a decision.
(20) Max Rambow, 26/6/2008 It's what's required Jews have learned to survive without a state of their own and that mentality has persisted into a time when G-d has returned the land to His people. Egotism is not required, but a return to a belief based existence as a nation. That is your leap of faith. To stand on your own two feet as a nation and speak with a torah backbone.
(19) Jonathan, 25/6/2008 pleasing god... hmmm * as a quick note It is impossible to create a change within/to g-d, this includes making him "happy".
all principles, whether spiritual, intellectual, scientific work on an asummed first point of logic.
We can never know G-d, since he is by definition beyond human thought, by we can know of him through observation of his creation and his Torah.
The leap is an intellectual one.
(18) Jane, 25/6/2008 Complex Too We/I take a leap of faith every day. But, it is not easy. How can one have faith where there is fear? Having faced so many trials and tribulations, prejudice, discrimination, one cannot have faith that all will be well. One can have faith that God loves us, is with us, is of us. That is the best I can do. There have been many moments when I have known God, like I have known no other, no(thing). I just wish I was allowed to have the peace that would allow me to know God almost every moment of every day.............what a luxury!!!!
(17) Simcha, 25/6/2008 To Yehoshua - leap of faith a christian term? think of this: 1/ Shemot 12, 22: Did everyone from Jews in Egypt do this? Surely not! Only those who believed! 2/ Parashat Beshallach: do you thing that to go on dry ground through the midst of the sea does not require any faith? Those in front much more than those arear! 3/ B'reshit 4, 1: knowing is not just about having an information! Thus having relationship with G-d is more than just having an information from Torah!
(16) CR, 24/6/2008 No fear required? In response to what Menachem the scientist said: "By the way I do not like the expression "G-D fearing Because I do not think that G-d wants to be feared."
I'm not sure what you mean by that because i think it says straight out in the Torah things like "Ve'yareisa me'elokecha..." "And fear your G-d..." So do u care to elaborate?
(15) Yehoshua, 24/6/2008 YOU SHALL KNOW , NOT BELIEVE! We as Jews are commanded to KNOW GOD. Which means to use all of this worlds' disciplines, sciences and information to come close to God. The God of the Universe and the immanent God, He is one and the same. He left us enough information in Nature as well as in the Torah to KNOW that He exists, is with us and is ever guiding our steps. All we have to do is make the logical choices to escape sin and our estrangement from Him. A LEAP OF FAITH is an entirely CHRISTIAN TERM used traditionally by Xians to deny that denies logic and Scriptural information and just leap into a faith which is un Biblical and defies common sense, ie a belief in a man-god (you know who) despite the Bible's aversion to the physicality of Hashem. We don't leap into a faith in God, we KNOW HIM!
(14) Don, 24/6/2008 Pleasing God... Faith is an action of what we believe. It starts from within and is why, without faith, it is impossible to please God.
(13) Mark, 24/6/2008 Yes Like Jones you are given all the information. Then you have to step out with all the fear in the world but after that first step you know you are alright and the peace and joy you feel can't be described to those haven't made that step.
(12) Frank, 23/6/2008 Yes, it's necessary... Without a Leap of Faith towards Hashem we would never learn and grow outside of the narrow limitations imposed by our human mind.
(11) Margaret Goldman, 23/6/2008 Honour the faith given God takes a leap of faith with us and watches to see what we do with it.We have to homour his beleive in us.
(10) Menachem, 23/6/2008 I don't try to explain or ratinalise I believe. I am A Scientist I love all the Sciences From all quarters But I never cese to amazed by the awesome wonders of hashem surounding us. G-D almighty has a purpose I am to small to understand it. G-D promised us a Messiah and will keep its promise just patiently believe and we all will see... By the way I do not like the expression "G-D fearing Because I do not think that G-d wants to be feared.
In his grand design Hashem allowed us the right to decide for ourselves. The facts are before our eyes at all time what else do we need?
Dogma? I do not think so. all creation is G-d's achievement. Our attitude towards G-d's creation will be the determeaning factor to our survival as a specie. We are not an experiment G-d wants us to do well.
(9) Marlene, 23/6/2008 G-d took faith in us! It is G-d who chose Terah and Abraham to go with Him, and Terah died, but Abraham kept on the path. Why do we have to have faith in G-d? It is G-d who knows we deny Him, and hurt Him. It is amazing He still honors his covenant, and has faith in us.
(8) anonymous, 23/6/2008 of course When one says a leap of faith it does not only refer to believing in G-d. When a G-d fearing person makes an important decision in their life i.e. choosing a suitable marriage partner, that also requires a leap of faith. Im not sure about anyone else but I know G-d does not appear to me in my dream and assure me that i have chosen correctly, no, we have to be as certain as we poossibly can, and then take that leap of faith and believe that G-d will help us.
(7) Marlene, 23/6/2008 Leap of Faith When one takes the leap of faith, and ask G-d into their heart and life, G-d is always there helping. Never failing.
The problem is, We want it our way! We want our time! THAT IS NOT OF G-D! He does his things HIS WAY! ON HIS TIME!
When we realize this, and accept everything as his blessing, because it is of G-d. We will, Know Him, and Learn Him and Undestand Him. We find out, He is always there. Those who understand Him know Him, Those who follow this are people who are happy with life. They are not in themselves they are in G-d.
However most do not have that faith. We are not Zoroasters, who believe in good and evil power are seperate. We are Jews who are supposed to believe that our G-d is over EVERYTHING! Good and evil, and he takes all evil to use it for good. It is us, who do evil and turn towards G-d, and say there is no G-d, when he does everything to help us.
One thing we have to do is remeber G-d is Just. Where do you think we got the term the Judicial System? G-d is not going to put up with turning away from Him.
Life does not always go the way we want. However if you have faith, stay with G-d, and Love and Worship Him, just by giving Him our heart, and staying with belief and faith, the final words for any situation over the hardship is and never fails, Thank-You G-d, with a joy. One can not believe the good feeling that always comes out with G-d's miracles for us. We just have to stick with G-d to know it, understand it, and when we have it, we know it!
(6) Deborah, 23/6/2008 Not an accident I never thought much about G-d until I took a microbiology class. As I looked at a one cell living thing under a microscope, I thought if I took all the chemicals that made up this one cell living thing and put them together it still would not be alive. Life is not an accident. The world has meaning, look around, how could there not be Hashem?
(5) S. Lindsey, 23/6/2008 THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH I don't know what Indiana Jones was basing his "faith" on, but unless it was God our Creator, it was baseless.
"... righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith." Romans 1:17, Habakkuk 2:4
(4) CR, 22/6/2008 Sorta... We are told by the Rambam that we have to know that there is a G-d and he gave us the Torah. But how can one know?? From my understanding-one really cant KNOW anything!! i can deny anythign you tell me, just like the philosopher known for his famous "last words" i think therefore i am. We dont KNOW anyhting, but to the extent that we can know something we can know that there is a G-d just by looking at our hands or our eyes, or a tree or a fruit, and we can know that Hashem gave us the Torah from the many proofs provided by on aish.com or in aish's discovery seminar in the old city whcih i was very priviledged to experience. But again that knowing is only up till the 99.9%, b/c you can deny anything, so that last one percent is your free choice to believe it, and that is beautiful, cuz if it were 100% clear then where would our free choice be? we would HAVE to believe! We wont really know 100% until mashiach comes and Hashem reveals Himslef straight up to us. But until then, ill take my chances with the 99.9% and live a Torah life...
(3) Akiva Crown, 22/6/2008 Nope Nope
(2) s, 22/6/2008
We have a lot of information to help us believe in Hashem and the torah - however, we still have to make the choice to accept that information
(1) Yitzi, 22/6/2008 Suffering Can one perhaps say that the the maxim that "all suffering is for our benefit", requires a leap of faith?
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