The story of the dream introduces "The Book of the Kuzari."
An analogy to the Aristotelean philosophical argument that G-d as Prime Cause is coeternal with the Cosmos.
(א) יְסוֹד הַיְסוֹדוֹת וְעַמּוּד הַחָכְמוֹת לֵידַע שֶׁיֵּשׁ שָׁם מָצוּי רִאשׁוֹן. וְהוּא מַמְצִיא כָּל נִמְצָא. וְכָל הַנִּמְצָאִים מִשָּׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ וּמַה שֶּׁבֵּינֵיהֶם לֹא נִמְצְאוּ אֶלָּא מֵאֲמִתַּת הִמָּצְאוֹ:
(ב) וְאִם יַעֲלֶה עַל הַדַּעַת שֶׁהוּא אֵינוֹ מָצוּי אֵין דָּבָר אַחֵר יָכוֹל לְהִמָּצְאוֹת:
(ג) וְאִם יַעֲלֶה עַל הַדַּעַת שֶׁאֵין כָּל הַנִּמְצָאִים מִלְּבַדּוֹ מְצוּיִים הוּא לְבַדּוֹ יִהְיֶה מָצוּי. וְלֹא יִבָּטֵל הוּא לְבִטּוּלָם. שֶׁכָּל הַנִּמְצָאִים צְרִיכִין לוֹ וְהוּא בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ לָהֶם וְלֹא לְאֶחָד מֵהֶם. לְפִיכָךְ אֵין אֲמִתָּתוֹ כַּאֲמִתַּת אֶחָד מֵהֶם:
(1) The foundation of foundations and firmest pillar of all wisdom is, To know that there is a First Being, that He caused all beings to be, and that all beings from heaven and earth, and from between them, could not be save for the truth of His Own Being.
(2) Thus, supposing that He is not, none else could have been called into existence.
(3) Conversely, supposing all other beings, save He alone, non-existent, His Being alone remains; for, He does not cease to be because of their non-existence, as all beings are dependent upon Him, but He, blessed is He! is not dependent upon them nor upon a single one of them; therefore, the truth of His Being is incomparable to the truth of any other individual being.
(א) (א) אָמַר יְהוּדָה בֶן שָׁאוּל ז"ל, אָמַר הַמְחַבֵּר: שָׁאוֹל שָׁאֲלוּ אוֹתִי עַל מַה שֶּׁיֵשׁ אִתִּי מִן הַטְּעָנוֹת וְהַתְּשׁוּבוֹת עַל הַחוֹלְקִים עָלֵינוּ מִן הַפִּילוֹסוֹפִים וְאַנְשֵׁי הַתּוֹרוֹת, וְעַל הַמִּינִים הַחוֹלְקִים עַל הֲמוֹן יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְזָכַרְתִּי מַה שֶּׁשְּׁמַעְתִּיו כְּבַר מִטַּעֲנוֹת הֶחָבֵר אֲשֶׁר הָיָה אֵצֶל מֶלֶךְ כּוּזָר הַנִּכְנַס בְּדַת הַיְּהוּדִים הַיּוֹם כְּאַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת שָׁנָה כַּאֲשֶׁר נִזְכָּר וְנוֹדָע בְּסִפְרֵי דִבְרֵי הַיָּמִים, כִּי נִשְׁנָה עָלָיו חֲלוֹם פְּעָמִים רַבּוֹת כְּאִלּוּ מַלְאָךְ מְדַבֵּר עִמּוֹ וְאוֹמֵר לוֹ: "כַּוָּנָתְךָ רְצוּיָה אֵצֶל הַבּוֹרֶא אֲבָל מַעַשְׂךָ אֵינָנּוּ רָצוּי". וְהוּא הָיָה מִשְׁתַּדֵּל מְאֹד בְּתוֹרַת הַכּוּזָר עַד שֶׁהָיָה מְשַׁמֵּש בַּעֲבוֹדַת הַהֵיכָל וְהַקָּרְבָּנוֹת בְּעַצְמוֹ בְּלֵב שָׁלֵם, וְכָל אֲשֶׁר הָיָה מִשְׁתַּדֵּל בַּמַּעֲשִׂים הָהֵם, הָיָה הַמַּלְאָךְ בָּא אֵלָיו בַּלַּיְלָה וְאוֹמֵר לוֹ: "כַּוָּנָתְךָ רְצוּיָה וּמַעַשְׂךָ אֵינֶנּוּ רָצוּי", וְגָרַם לוֹ זֶה לַחֲקֹר עַל הָאֱמוּנוֹת וְהַדָּתוֹת וְהִתְיַהֵד בַּסּוֹף הוּא וְעַם רָב מֵהַכּוּזָרִים, וְהָיוּ מִטַּעֲנוֹת הֶחָבֵר מַה שֶּׁנִּתְיַשְּׁבָה נַפְשִׁי עֲלֵיהֶם וְהִסְכִּימוּ לְדַעְתִּי. וְרָאִיתִי לִכְתֹּב הַדְּבָרִים הָהֵם כַּאֲשֶׁר נָפְלוּ וְהַמַּשְׂכִּילִים יָבִינוּ. – אָמְרוּ כִּי כַאֲשֶׁר רָאָה מֶלֶךְ כּוּזָר בַּחֲלוֹמוֹ כִּי כַוָּנָתוֹ רְצוּיָה אֵצֶל הַבּוֹרֵא אֲבָל מַעֲשֵׂהוּ אֵינוֹ נִרְצֶה וְצִוָּהוּ בַחֲלוֹם לְבַקֵּשׁ הַמַּעֲשֶׂה הַנִּרְצֶה אֵצֶל הַבּוֹרֵא, שָׁאַל פִּילוֹסוֹף אֶחָד עַל אֱמוּנָתוֹ.
(1) Introduction: I WAS asked to state what arguments and replies I could bring to bear against the attacks of philosophers and followers of other religions, and also against [Jewish] sectarians who attacked the rest of Israel. This reminded me of something I had once heard concerning the arguments of a Rabbi who sojourned with the King of the Khazars. The latter, as we know from historical records, became a convert to Judaism about four hundred years ago. To him came a dream, and it appeared as if an angel addressed him, saying: 'Thy way of thinking is indeed pleasing to the Creator, but not thy way of acting.' Yet he was so zealous in the performance of the Khazar religion, that he devoted himself with a perfect heart to the service of the temple and sacrifices. Notwithstanding this devotion, the angel came again at night and repeated: 'Thy way of thinking is pleasing to God, but not thy way of acting.' This caused him to ponder over the different beliefs and religions, and finally become a convert to Judaism together with many other Khazars. As I found among the arguments of the Rabbi, many which appealed to me, and were in harmony with my own opinions, I resolved to write them down exactly as they had been spoken. When the King of Khazar (as is related) dreamt that his way of thinking was agreeable to God, but not his way of acting, and was commanded in the same dream to seek the God-pleasing work, he inquired of a philosopher concerning his religious persuasion.
(טז) (י) אָמַר הַכּוּזָרִי: אֲנִי רוֹאֶה שֶׁצָּרִיךְ אֲנִי לִשְׁאֹל לַיְּהוּדִים, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהֵם שְׁאֵרִית בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁאֲנִי רוֹאֶה שֶׁהֵם הַטְּעָנָה כִּי יֵשׁ לַבּוֹרֵא תּוֹרָה בָאָרֶץ. אַחַר כֵּן קָרָא חָכָם מֵחַכְמֵי הַיְּהוּדִים וְשָׁאַל אוֹתוֹ עַל אֱמוּנָתוֹ.
(יז) (יא) אָמַר לוֹ הֶחָבֵר: אֲנַחְנוּ מַאֳמִינִים בֵּאלֹהֵי אַבְרָהָם יִצְחָק וְיַעֲקֹב הַמּוֹצִיא אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מִמִּצְרַיִם בְּאוֹתוֹת וּבְמוֹפְתִים וּבְמַסּוֹת, וְהַמְכַלְכְּלָם בַּמִּדְבָּר, וְהַמַּנְחִילָם אֶת אֶרֶץ כְּנַעַן, אַחַר אֲשֶׁר הֶעֱבִירָם אֶת הַיָּם וְהַיַּרְדֵּן בְּמוֹפְתִים גְּדוֹלִים, וְשָׁלַח משֶׁה בְתוֹרָתוֹ, וְאַחַר כָּךְ כַּמָּה אַלְפֵי נְבִיאִים אַחֲרָיו מַזְהִירִים עַל תּוֹרָתוֹ, מְיַעֲדִים בִּגְמוּל טוֹב לְשׁוֹמְרָהּ, וְעֹנֶשׁ קָשֶׁה לַמַּמְרֶה אוֹתָהּ. וַאֲנַחְנוּ מַאֲמִינִים בְּכָל מַה שֶּׁכָּתוּב בַּתּוֹרָה, וְהַדְּבָרִים אֲרֻכִּים.
(16) 10. Al Khazari: Indeed, I see myself compelled to ask the Jews, because they are the relic of the Children of Israel. For I see that they constitute in themselves the evidence for the divine law on earth. He then invited a Jewish Rabbi, and asked him about his belief.
(17) 11. The Rabbi replied: I believe in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, who led the children of Israel out of Egypt with signs and miracles; who fed them in the desert and gave them the land, after having made them traverse the sea and the Jordan in a miraculous way; who sent Moses with His law, and subsequently thousands of prophets, who confirmed His law by promises to the observant, and threats to the disobedient. Our belief is comprised in the Torah--a very large domain.
(יח) (יב) אָמַר הַכּוּזָרִי: מַסְכִּים הָיִיתִי שֶׁלֹּא אֶשְׁאַל יְהוּדִי מִפְּנֵי שֶׁיָּדַעְתִּי אִבּוּד זִכְרָם וְחֶסְרוֹן עֲצָתָם, כִּי הַשִּׁפְלוּת וְהַדַּלּוּת לֹא עָזְבוּ לָהֶם מִדָּה טוֹבָה. וַהֲלֹא הָיָה לְךָ לוֹמַר, הַיְּהוּדִי, כִּי אַתָּה מַאֲמִין בְּבוֹרֵא הָעוֹלָם, וּמְסַדְּרוֹ וּמַנְהִיגוֹ, וּבְמִי שֶׁבְּרָאֲךָ וְהִטְרִיפְךָ וְהַדּוֹמֶה לַסִּפּוּרִים הָאֵלֶּה, אֲשֶׁר הֵם טַעֲנַת כָּל מִי שֶׁיֶּשׁ־לוֹ דָת, וּבַעֲבוּרָהּ הוּא רוֹדֵף הָאֱמֶת, לְהִדַּמּוֹת לַבּוֹרֵא בְּצִדְקוֹ וּבְחָכְמָתוֹ:
(יט) (יג) אָמַר הֶחָבֵר: זֶה שֶׁאַתָּה אוֹמֵר הִיא הַדָּת הַהֶקֵּשִׁית הַמִּנְהָגִית, מֵבִיא אֵלֶיהָ הָעִיּוּן, וְנִכְנָסִים בָּהּ סְפֵקוֹת רַבּוֹת. וְאִם תִּשְׁאַל הַפִּילוֹסוֹפִים עָלֶיהָ אֵינְךָ מוֹצֵא אוֹתָם מַסְכִּימִים עַל מַעֲשֶׂה אֶחָד וְלֹא עַל דַּעַת אֶחָת, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהֵם טְעָנוֹת, יֵשׁ מֵהֶם מַה שֶּׁהֵם יְכוֹלִים לְהַעֲמִיד מוֹפֵת, וּמֵהֶם מַה שֶּׁיַּסְפִּיקוּ בָם, וּמֵהֶם מַה שֶּׁלֹּא יַסְפִּיקוּ בָם, כָּל שֶׁכֵּן שֶׁיַעֲמִידוּ בָם מוֹפֵת.
(כ) (יד) אָמַר הַכּוּזָרִי: רוֹאֶה אֲנִי דְבָרֶיךָ, הַיְּהוּדִי, טוֹב מִפְּתִיחָתוֹ, וַאֲנִי רוֹצֶה עַתָּה שֶׁאוֹסִיף לְדַבֵּר עִמָּךְ.
(18) 12. Al Khazari: I had not intended to ask any Jew, because I am aware of their reduced condition and narrow-minded views, as their misery left them nothing commendable. Now shouldst thou, O Jew, not have said that thou believest in the Creator of the world, its Governor and Guide, and in Him who created and keeps thee, and such attributes which serve as evidence for every believer, and for the sake of which He pursues justice in order to resemble the Creator in His wisdom and justice?
(19) 13. The Rabbi: That which thou dost express is religion based on speculation and system, the research of thought, but open to many doubts. Now ask the philosophers, and thou wilt find that they do not agree on one action or one principle, since some doctrines can be established by arguments, which are only partially satisfactory, and still much less capable of being proved.
(20) 14. Al Khazari: That which thou sayest now, O Jew, seems to be more to the point than the beginning, and I should like to hear more.
(כא) (טו) אָמַר הֶחָבֵר: אֲבָל פְּתִיחַת דְּבָרַי הִיא הַמּוֹפֵת, וְעוֹד כִּי הִיא הָרְאָיָה אֵין צָרִיךְ עִמָּהּ לֹא רְאָיָה וְלֹא מוֹפֵת.
(כב) (טז) אָמַר הַכּוּזָרִי: וְאֵיךְ הוּא זֶה.
(כג) (יז) אָמַר הֶחָבֵר: תֵּן לִי רְשׁוּת לְהַקְדִּים לְךָ הַקְדָּמוֹת, כִּי אֲנִי רוֹאֶה דְבָרַי כְּבֵדִים עָלֶיךָ וְנִקְלִים בְּעֵינֶיךָ:
(כד) (יח) אָמַר הַכּוּזָרִי: הַקְדֵּם הַקְדָּמוֹתֶיךָ וְאֶשְׁמָעֵם.
(כה) (יט) אָמַר הֶחָבֵר: אִלּוּ הָיוּ אוֹמְרִים לְךָ כִּי מֶלֶךְ הֹדּוּ אִישׁ חֶסֶד רָאוּי לְרוֹמְמוֹ וְלָתֵת כָּבוֹד לִשְׁמוֹ וּלְסַפֵּר מַעֲשָׂיו בְּמַה שֶּׁיַּגִּיעַ אֵלֶיךָ מִצֶּדֶק אַנְשֵׁי אַרְצוֹ וּמִדּוֹתָם הַטּוֹבוֹת, וְשֶׁמַּשָּׂאָם וּמַתָּנָם בֶּאֱמוּנָה, הֶהָיִיתָ חַיָּב בָּזֶה.
(כו) (כ) אָמַר הַכּוּזָרִי: וְאֵיךְ הָיִיתִי חַיָּב בּוֹ, וַאֲנִי מְסֻפָּק אִם צֶדֶק אַנְשֵׁי הֹדּוּ מֵעַצְמָם וְאֵין לָהֶם מֶלֶךְ, אוֹ צִדְקָתָם מֵחֲמַת מַלְכָּם, אוֹ אִם מִשְּׁנֵי הַפָּנִים יָחַד.
(כז) (כא) אָמַר הֶחָבֵר: וְאִם הָיוּ בָאִים אֵלֶיךָ שְׁלוּחָיו בִּתְשׁוּרוֹת הֻדִּיּוֹת, אֵינְךָ מִסְתַּפֵּק שֶׁאֵינָם נִמְצָאִים אֶלָּא בְאֶרֶץ הֹדּוּ בְּאַרְמְנוֹת הַמְּלָכִים, בִּכְתָב מְפֻרְסָם שֶׁהוּא מֵאִתּוֹ, וְעִמּוֹ רְפוּאוֹת שֶׁהֵן רוֹפְאוֹת אוֹתְךָ מֵחָלְיְךָ, וְשׁוֹמְרוֹת עָלֶיךָ בְּרִיאוּתְךָ, וְסַמֵּי הַמָּוֶת לְשׂוֹנְאֶיךָ וְהַנִּלְחָמִים בְּךָ, שֶׁאַתָּה יוֹצֵא לָהֶם בָּהֶם וּמֵמִית אוֹתָם מִבְּלִי כְלֵי מִלְחָמָה, הֶהָיִיתָ חַיָּב לִהְיוֹת סָר אֶל מִשְׁמַעְתּוֹ וְאֶל עֲבוֹדָתוֹ.
(כח) (כב) אָמַר הַכּוּזָרִי: כֶּן־הוּא, וְהָיָה הַסָּפֵק הָרִאשׁוֹן סָר מִמֶּנִּי אִם יֵשׁ לְאַנְשֵׁי הֹדּוּ מֶלֶךְ אִם לֹא, וְהָיִיתִי אָז מַאֲמִין שֶׁמַּלְכוּתוֹ וּדְבָרוֹ נוֹגְעִים אֵלָי.
(כט) (כג) אָמַר הֶחָבֵר: וְאִם יִשְׁאָלְךָ הַשּׁוֹאֵל עָלָיו בְּמַה תְּתָאֵר אוֹתוֹ.
(ל) (כד) אָמַר הַכּוּזָרִי: בִּתְאָרִים אֲשֶׁר הִתְבָּרְרוּ אֶצְלִי לָעָיִן, וַאֲחַבֵּר אֲלֵיהֶם אֲשֶׁר הָיוּ סָפֵק אֶצְלִי וְהִתְבָּרְרוּ בְאֵלֶּה הָאַחֲרוֹנִים.
(לא) (כה) אָמַר הֶחָבֵר: עַל הַדֶּרֶךְ הַזֶּה הֲשִׁיבוֹתִיךָ כַאֲשֶׁר שְׁאִלְתַּנִי. וְכֵן פָּתַח משֶׁה לְדַבֵּר עִם פַּרְעֹה כְּשֶׁאָמַר לוֹ: אֱלֹהֵי הָעִבְרִים שְׁלָחַנִי אֵלֶיךָ, רְצוֹנוֹ לוֹמַר: אֱלֹהֵי אַבְרָהָם יִצְחָק וְיַעֲקֹב מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהָיָה אַבְרָהָם מְפֻרְסָם אֵצֶל הָאֻמּוֹת, וְכִי הִתְחַבֵּר אֲלֵיהֶם דְּבַר הָאֱלֹהִים וְהִנְהִיג אוֹתָם וְעָשָׂה לָהֶם נִפְלָאוֹת, וְלֹא אָמַר: אֱלֹהֵי הַשָּׁמַיִם וְהָאָרֶץ שְׁלָחַנִי אֵלֶיךָ. וְלֹא: בּוֹרְאִי וּבוֹרַאֲךָ, וְכֵן פָּתַח אֱלֹהִים דְּבָרָיו אֶל הֲמוֹן יִשְׂרָאֵל: "אָנֹכִי יְיָ אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֲשֶׁר הוֹצֵאתִיךָ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם", וְלֹא אָמַר: "אֲנִי בּוֹרֵא הָעוֹלָם וּבוֹרַאֲכֶם". וְכֵן פָּתַחְתִּי לְךָ מֶלֶךְ הַכּוּזָר כַּאֲשֶׁר שְׁאִלְתַּנִי עַל אֱמוּנָתִי, הֲשִׁיבוֹתִיךָ מַה שֶּׁאֲנִי חַיָּב בּוֹ וְחַיָּבִין בּוֹ כָל קְהַל יִשְׂרָאֵל, אֲשֶׁר הִתְבָּרֵר אֶצְלָם הַמַּעֲמָד הַהוֹא בִּרְאוּת עֵינֵיהֶם וְאַחַר כֵּן הַקַּבָּלָה הַנִּמְשֶׁכֶת שֶׁהִיא כְמַרְאֵה הָעָיִן:
(21) 15. The Rabbi: Surely the beginning of my speech was just the proof, and so evident that it requires no other argument.
(22) 16. Al Khazari: How so?
(23) 17. The Rabbi: Allow me to make a few preliminary remarks, for I see thee disregarding and depreciating my words.
(24) 18. Al Khazari: Let me hear thy remarks.
(25) 19. The Rabbi: If thou wert told that the King of India was an excellent man, commanding admiration, and deserving his high reputation, one whose actions were reflected in the justice which rules his country and the virtuous ways of his subjects, would this bind thee to revere him?
(26) 20. Al Khazari: How could this bind me, whilst I am not sure if the justice of the Indian people is natural, and not dependent on their king, or due to the king or both?
(27) 21. The Rabbi: But if his messenger came to thee bringing presents which thou knowest to be only procurable in India, and in the royal palace, accompanied by a letter in which it is distinctly stated from whom it comes, and to which are added drugs to cure thy diseases, to preserve thy health, poisons for thy enemies, and other means to fight and kill them without battle, would this make thee beholden to him?
(28) 22. Al Khazari: Certainly. For this would remove my former doubt that the Indians have a king. I should also acknowledge that a proof of his power and dominion has reached me.
(29) 23. The Rabbi: How wouldst thou, then, if asked, describe him?
(30) 24. Al Khazari: In terms about which I am quite clear, and to these I could add others which were at first rather doubtful, but are no longer so.
(31) 25. The Rabbi: In this way I answered thy first question. In the same strain spoke Moses to Pharaoh, when he told him: 'The God of the Hebrews sent me to thee,' viz. the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. For Abraham was well known to the nations, who also knew that the divine spirit was in contact with the patriarchs, cared for them, and performed miracles for them. He did not say: 'The God of heaven and earth,' nor 'my Creator and thine sent me.' In the same way God commenced His speech to the assembled people of Israel: 'I am the God whom you worship, who has led you out of the land of Egypt,' but He did not say: 'I am the Creator of the world and your Creator.' Now in the same style I spoke to thee, a Prince of the Khazars, when thou didst ask me about my creed. I answered thee as was fitting, and is fitting for the whole of Israel who knew these things, first from personal experience, and afterwards through uninterrupted tradition, which is equal to the former.
From Rabbi Eliezer Berkovitz' "God, Man, and History: A Jewish Interpretation."
God is proven by experience, not by intellectual proofs. "A care which is not experienced is a contradiction of terms."
"Science deals with events as they occur in the external world of "objects"; the encounter, on the other hand, is an event that occurs on the most intimate level between one subject and another. Science, in order to succeed, must eliminate all personal and conscious elements from the field of observation, for the personal and conscious are threats to the validity of the scientific method. Thus, the scientist is an observer; he must never be a participant in the event he investigates. If he does not remove himself from the field of observation, he interferes with and upsets the data. In the encounter, however, the opposite is true: the more intense the personal presence and the richer the conscious element, the more valid the experience..." (p23)
“It is indeed one of the surprising features of the Bible that nowhere does it attempt to prove rationally that there is a God…it is of the essence of biblical religion that God is sufficiently concerned about man to address him…in the Bible, God and man face each other, as it were. God wants something of man, and man may entreat God…How do we know of this relationship? How do I ever know that another person cares for me? Surely not by logical deduction, but by actually experiencing his care and concern.” (p13-15)