Lesson 6: The Authenticity of the Torah and Revelation at Sinai

Introduction

• Lesson is fundamental to the course's premise:
  • The Torah was given by God at Mount Sinai to the Jewish people.
  • A problematic assumption could undermine the entire course.

Key Differences in Judaism Denominations

• Orthodoxy: Believes the Torah is the word of God, given word-for-word at Sinai.
• Other Denominations (Conservative, Reform, Reconstructionist): Do not believe it was given word-for-word from God; may see it as divinely inspired.
• Importance of understanding these differences for clarity, not judgment.

The Importance of Belief vs. Evidence

• Tonight's focus: Is there logical evidence that the Torah was given by God at Sinai?
• Discussion moves away from belief (fluid and personal) to historical evidence.
• Oral Law:
  • Received Oral Law: God telling Moses the meaning of the Torah.
  • Derived Oral Law: Principles derived from the Torah's content.

Importance of Logical Proof

• Students are asked about their perspectives on logically proving Sinai's revelation.
  • Responses range from very important to completely unimportant.
• Consideration of different types of attendees:
  • Non-believers: May not find value in the class.
  • Believers: Should aim to understand more deeply.
  • Beauty seekers: Look for meaning in messages rather than deep understanding.

Maimonides' Letter and Historical Context

• Maimonides wrote to Jews in Yemen facing persecution and crises during the 12th century.
• He addressed issues like anti-Semitism, false messiahs, and the claims of Christianity and Islam.
• Maimonides asserts that the Sinai revelation was attested to by the best evidence.

Evaluating Truth

• Discussion on how to evaluate historical reports for credibility.
  • Different standards:
    • Beyond a reasonable doubt, more likely true than false, absolute certainty, etc.
• Most facts in life are believed based on reasonable evidence rather than empirical proof.
• Examples of how people live their lives based on assumptions and trust rather than verified evidence.

Unique Claim of Sinai

• Historical Event:
  • Claim of Sinai is unique because it purports to have happened in front of a whole nation (3 million Jews).
  • No other religion has a mass revelation witnessed by an entire people.
• Maimonides’ argument is built on the notion that the entire Jewish nation believed in the Sinai event.

Present vs. Past Theories of Revelation

• Present Theory:
  • Convincing people that they witnessed an event (unlikely).
• Past Theory:
  • Claiming it happened in the distant past and relying on someone else’s testimony (also unlikely).
• Neither theory applies to the Jewish claim of Sinai because it is rooted in collective experience.

The Snowball Theory

• Suggests that beliefs can grow over time within a group, but this is rare.
• Historical context shows no other instance of such a mass belief growth without factual basis.

Conclusion: Validating the Experience

• The argument concludes that the only reasonable explanation for the Jewish belief in the Sinai revelation is that it actually happened.
• The entire Jewish identity is founded on the collective experience of revelation at Sinai, not merely belief or tradition.
• The importance of understanding this foundational belief for living a Jewish life with purpose and direction.