The Rational Irrational Person

Which is more rational? The belief that the Jewish People’s survival through thousands of years of persecution was a coincidence, or that it was due to the fact that they were chosen by G-d to carry out a special mission, and that it was our stubborn adherence to the Torah that gave us our strength to persevere?

The Vaunted Rational Mind

We like to pride ourselves as being rational. The human mind has been revered and extolled as the most powerful force in the world. Nineteenth century scholarship gave rise to the view that there is nothing the mind cannot ultimately fathom.

Religion, with its emphasis on faith, was relegated to the realm of superstition and was regarded as a relic of the past, uncivilized world.

Faith is the Most Rational Thing

Needless to say, the conception of religion as something irrational is off the mark. Which is more rational? To believe that the world – with all of its complexities – came into being by itself or that there was a Designer and Creator Who made it?

Which is more rational: The belief that there is a system of good and evil and that doing good makes life meaningful and worthwhile, or believing that there is no meaningful purpose in existence?

Which is more rational: The belief that the Jewish People’s survival through thousands of years of persecution was a coincidence, or that it was due to the fact that they were chosen by G-d to carry out a special mission, and that it was our stubborn adherence to the Torah that gave us our strength to persevere?

We can go on and on to show how “rational” it is for us to believe in G-d and the Torah, particularly in light of the many incredible prophecies that have come true. However, there is a kernel of truth in the assertion that Judaism is a non-rational religion.

The Three Dimensions of Torah

The basis for this premise is the name and theme of this week’s Torah portion: Chukas. Chukas refers to the commandments of the Torah that are beyond reasoning. Unlike the Mishpatim (civil laws) that are rational and could have been anticipated even if the Torah had not been given, and Eidos (testimonies) commemorative observances such as Holidays that are reasonable and logical observances once given, the Chukim cannot be fathomed.

Yet it is this category of mitzvah that highlights our special relationship with G-d.

The question begs to be asked. Why does G-d ask of us to observe rituals that defy logic? Why couldn’t G-d make all of His demands of us more logical?

The answer lies in the understanding of the parallel nature of the Divine and of our soul.

The Multiple Layers of our Soul

Our soul has many layers of expression. Contrary to the nineteenth century misconception, logic is not the highest and most sublime manifestation of the human condition. Beyond intellectual capabilities is the soul’s capacity to transcend itself, to rise above the parameters of logic.

Similarly, G-d manifests Himself on many levels; the most profound level of G-dly light is not His intellectual faculties, but rather His very essence, which transcends logic.

When one devotes only his/her emotional and intellectual energies to G-d, it represents serving G-d on only a limited level of one’s potential.

In other words, to serve G-d with intellect alone, is to leave one’s most profound potential out of the service of G-d. To paraphrase: “A soul’s essence is a terrible thing to waste.”

Why do we Cover our Heads?

Our tradition highlights this concept by covering our heads. The head covering underscores that the head, or, our intellect, is not the highest expression of humanity.

But while a head covering can alert us to the fact that intellect is not everything, it cannot actualize the highest level of humanity within us and enable us to connect with G-d’s essence. To accomplish that we must observe the commandments known as Chukim.

To observe a Chok, a supra-rational commandment, is to tap into a segment of one’s being that is one’s most potent and important power. To serve G-d strictly on the basis of one’s comprehension of G-d and His commandments is to suppress our most important faculty, the faculty of selftranscendence.

Similarly, when we serve G-d with logic we can only access the aspect of G-d that allows it to be understood. This is a mere glimmer of G-d’s essential nature. That can only be accessed by observing His commandments that transcend logic and which unleashes G-d’s supra-rational and essential existence.

Beyond Knowledge

This is the very objective of all of our Mitzvot to pave the way for the Messianic Age, at which time the entire world will be receptive to the very essence of G-d and not only His more external manifestations.

This also explains why the Talmud states that Moshiach’s coming is when we are distracted from it. The Alter Rebbe explains that thie does not mean we should forget about Moshiach but rather we should acknowledge that Moshiach is a time when we will be able to successfully connect to G-d in ways that transcend our limited intellect.

From the book Light from the Future: Parshas Chukas by Rabbi Heschel Greenberg, published by the Jewish Discovery Center.