Conclusions

In this chapter, the author seeks to distinguish his own commitments, developed throughout this book, from what he takes to be the minimal possible axiomatization of Orthodox Judaism. The chapter goes on to distinguish between faith and belief, and between three different sorts of religiosity. These distinctions help us to explore the sorts of attitudes that Orthodoxy requires its adherents to have toward its core principles. It also discusses the ways in which faith and belief alike fail to give rise to the highest form of religiosity, which requires, it is argued, imagination. The chapter closes with a discussion of the character traits and values that any attempt to axiomatize Judaism has to respect. The chapter argues that the author’s list of principles meets the constraints imposed by these traits and values.

Redeeming the Past

This chapter sketches the general shape of Jewish eschatology. After laying out the minimal description that the Messiah is expected to fulfill, this chapter argues that the philosophy of time, properly understood, allows us to hope for a much more radical end of days; one that doesn’t just redeem our future, but one that also redeems our past.

Ongoing Revelation and the External Problems with the Revelation

This chapter seeks to resolve the riddle of the previous chapter with a theory of progressive or cumulative revelation. This theory of revelation will explain why an Orthodox Jew cannot accept the legal innovations of non-Orthodox Judaisms, nor the messianic claim of Jesus, nor the authority of Mohammed (even though all of them claim some connection to Sinai). This approach also proves surprisingly robust in the face of perceived threats to Orthodox theology arising from contemporary biblical scholarship and secular ethics.

What Is the Torah?

This chapter develops a traditional riddle concerning the relationship between the “Heavenly Torah” and the “Earthly Torah.” First it is established that the Jewish tradition is heavily committed to the existence of a Heavenly Torah, and that contemporary philosophy of literature provides us with no reason to demur. How are the Heavenly and Earthly Torah related? This chapter sketches all the possibilities, and shows how each answer comes at a cost. This is the internal problem with the revelation.

Hassidic Idealism: Some Hidden Benefits

Having responded to various problems with Hassidic Idealism in chapter 4, this chapter charts some hidden benefits. The view helps to make sense of two central Jewish traditions that would otherwise collapse into heresy or nonsense, or both: the tradition that I call Jewish Nothing-Elsism; and the tradition of the sefirot (or mystical emanations or attributes of God). Hassidic idealism also recasts a central debate in the philosophy of religious language. Most importantly, this chapter ends by sketching some of the religious significance that can be found upon adopting Hassidic Idealism.

Idealism ex Nihilo

This chapter makes a radical claim: theism entails a robust form of idealism. The chapter then goes on to use that claim to make sense of a central tradition of Jewish mysticism—tzimtzum, or divine contraction. The tradition in question is an idealistic solution to a problem concerning belief in creation; a problem that, this chapter ends with claiming, Gersonides may have been sensitive to.

Creatio ex Nihilo

This chapter explores the medieval debate about the nature of creation. It compares and contrasts arguments of three major schools. The first school suggests that the universe had no start, and that God’s work of creation is, accordingly, continuous and with no beginning. The second two schools suggest that the creation had a beginning but differ as to whether God created the universe out of nothing, or out of some primordial matter. Bringing these arguments into conversation with contemporary philosophy and cosmology, this chapter finds in favor of an original creation from nothing.

Introduction

After introducing the three principles of Judaism, and the structure of the rest of the book, this chapter addresses a paradox. This book seeks to lay out the fundamental principles of Judaism, and yet (allegedly) Judaism thinks that some of its fundamental principles are unsayable. Can this paradox be escaped? This chapter explores three routes out, and endorses the third.

Hassidic Idealism: Responding to Problems

The previous chapter suggests that a radical idealism follows from the most basic tenets of Judaism. This chapter responds to various problems that arise from that idealism: does it allow for free will; does it rob us of ontological significance; does it exacerbate the problem of evil; and does it allow for true contradictions? All of these questions are answered with the use of various philosophical tools developed in the philosophy of fiction.