Human Knowledge

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Divine Craftsmanship

TANAKH

The divine endowment of skill and knowledge for specific tasks, particularly in the context of craftsmanship, underscores the belief that human knowledge and abilities can be divinely inspired. The Torah describes how God specifically chose and endowed Bezalel and Oholiab with exceptional skills to construct the sacred objects of the Tabernacle.

יהוה spoke to Moses: See, I have singled out by name Bezalel son of Uri son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. I have endowed him with a divine spirit of skill, ability, and knowledge in every kind of craft; to make designs for work in gold, silver, and copper, to cut stones for setting and to carve wood—to work in every kind of craft. Moreover, I have assigned to him Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan; and I have also granted skill to all who are skillful, that they may make everything that I have commanded you:…

Exodus 31:1-11

Divine Craftsmanship

MIDRASH

Bezalel's wisdom, understanding, and knowledge were divinely instilled, linking human craftsmanship directly to divine creation. The Midrash Tanchuma highlights the divine attributes given to Bezalel for constructing the Tabernacle, paralleling those used by God in the creation of the world.

See, he hath called by name Bezalel (Exod. 35:30). Observe what He did for Bezalel. The Holy One, blessed be He, instilled wisdom in his heart, as it is said: And he hath filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, and in knowledge (ibid., v. 31). It was with these attributes the Holy One, blessed be He, created His world, as it is said: The Lord by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding He established the heavens; by knowledge the depths were broken up (Prov. 3:19–20). With these same attributes Bezalel erected the Tabernacle.

Midrash Tanchuma, Vayakhel 5:1

Two Types of Intellect

CHASIDUT

Rebbe Nachman distinguishes between intellect gained through study and intellect received directly from God, emphasizing the latter's ability to inspire continuous spiritual fervor. In Likutei Moharan, Rebbe Nachman of Breslov explores the profound difference between human-acquired knowledge and divine inspiration.

It is written (Psalms 139:5): “Back and front TZaRtani (You formed me).” < TZuRah (form) is the intellect>. <In other words,> there is an intellect which a person attains by means of numerous introductory explanations. This intellect is called “back.” And there is an intellect which comes to a person without any introductory explanation, but through a Godly influx. This is called “front,” the face. Now, inspiration of the heart is born out of the motion of the intellect. This is because it is the nature of motion to create heat…

Likutei Moharan 21:1:3-4

The Misuse of Human Knowledge

COMMENTARY

The story of the Tower of Babel illustrates how human intelligence and technological advancement can be misused to defy divine order. Rabbeinu Bahya, a medieval Jewish commentator, offers a profound interpretation of the Tower of Babel narrative, emphasizing the generation's sinful misuse of their advanced knowledge.

Looking at this story from a rational point of view, the words “and let us make a name for ourselves,” must be understood thus. The people of that generation were very advanced in matters of philosophy and even technology. However, they used their intelligence in a sinful manner. They constructed the city and Tower to protect themselves against a deluge of fire (seeing that G’d had promised not to again bring a deluge of water). This is what the word “war” in the Midrash refers to. They prepared to contend with heavenly forces (such as angels) against the will of the Lord…

Rabbeinu Bahya, Bereshit 11:4:4

The Harmony of Science and Spirituality

JEWISH THOUGHT

As scientific understanding of the natural world advances, it reveals deeper spiritual truths and becomes essential for many people, nourishing their spirits. Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook, a prominent early 20th-century Jewish thinker and mystic, explores the harmony between scientific discovery and spiritual understanding.

When scientific research finds precisely calibrated details in all of the modulations of chaos, when all movements that exist and that were brought into existence before the worlds reached their complete, [present] formation fit so well with the purpose of the complete structure [of existence] in its [present,] perfected [state, then] the [Kabbalistic] wisdom of “the Work of Creation” becomes more and more a revealed wisdom that is necessary for many people and that gives sustenance to many spirits.

Shemonah Kevatzim 1:597:1

The Power of Understanding

CHASIDUT

All human pain, suffering, and exile are fundamentally caused by a lack of understanding, and true consolation will come from a tremendous increase in understanding that will spread over the entire world. Rabbi Nathan of Breslov’s Likutei Tefilot emphasizes the importance of understanding and spiritual growth in overcoming life's challenges.

You have also taught us that all our pain and suffering, our exile and the privations each of us experiences are basically caused only by a lack of understanding, as our Rabbis said: “If you lack understanding, what have you gained? If you've gained understanding, what do you lack?” Our sense of what we need and whether our needs are fulfilled depends basically upon our level of understanding. The roots of all anger and cruelty lie only in lack of understanding. True consolation for all the pain and suffering and exile will come from the tremendous increase in understanding that will spread…

Likutei Tefilot, Volume I 21:54

Limits to the Pursuit of Intellectual Happiness

JEWISH THOUGHT

Judah Halevi critiques the philosophers for limiting human happiness to the pursuit of speculative science and intellectual contemplation. The Kuzari, a 12th-century philosophical dialogue, defends Judaism and advocates for a life not exclusively limited to research and reflection.

19. The Rabbi: Nay, what I told thee is the foundation of their belief, viz. that the highest human happiness consists in speculative science and in the conception by reason and thought of all intelligible matters. This is transformed into the active intellect, then, into emanating intellect, which is near the creative intellect without fear of decay. This cannot, however, be obtained except by devoting one's life to research and continual reflection, which is incompatible with worldly occupations…

Kuzari 4:19

The Dual Nature of Da’as

CHASIDUT

The concept of 'da’as' in Jewish mysticism is unique in that it serves as both a means of connection and separation, integrating wisdom and understanding into one's personality to create emotions. In 'Flames of Faith,' a contemporary exploration of Kabbalah and Chassidus, Zev Reichman delves into the dual nature of 'da’as' and its profound impact on spiritual and intellectual growth.

Da’as implies connection and separation. Da’as implies connection, as the attachment between husband and wife is called in the Torah a da’as relationship. It also connotes a separation as evidenced in the statement of the Jerusalem Talmud, “Without da’as how could distinction be drawn?” Da’as means focusing upon and blending together the ideas from intuition (chochmah) and understanding (binah). To focus on a thought, I must separate my mind from other concepts and attach it exclusively to a single topic…

Flames of Faith 20:12

The Boundless Potential of the Human Soul

MUSAR

The human soul has boundless potential that surpasses the physical limitations of the body, encompassing all wisdom and knowledge. The 15th-century ethical work, Orchot Tzadikim, explores the greatness and potential of the human soul, emphasizing character development and moral conduct.

And behold, your eyes see the greatness of man and his glory, whom the Holy One, Blessed be He, has made great and uplifted above all creatures and has caused him to rule over all the lower creatures. And there is no power in the mouth to tell the greatness of the works which man can do in this lower world. And even in the upper world man sends his longings, and he flies and soars on the wings of wisdom. And even though this body goes into the earth like those of the cattle and the creeping things, his soul goes on in the upper world because of the greatness of its wisdom…

Orchot Tzadikim 28:21

The Value of Honoring Knowledge

MISHNAH

Honoring those from whom we learn, even if it is just a small amount of knowledge, is a fundamental value in Judaism. Pirkei Avot, a tractate of the Mishnah, emphasizes ethical and moral teachings, including the importance of respecting one's teachers.

One who learns from his fellow one chapter, or one halakhah, or one verse, or one word, or even one letter, is obligated to treat him with honor; for so we find with David, king of Israel, who learned from Ahitophel no more than two things, yet called him his master, his guide and his beloved friend, as it is said, “But it was you, a man mine equal, my guide and my beloved friend” (Psalms 55:14). Is this not [an instance of the argument] “from the less to the greater” (kal vehomer)? If David, king of Israel who learned from Ahitophel no more than two things, nevertheless called him his master…

Pirkei Avot 6:3

The Nature of Rabbinic Authority

HALAKHAH

Understanding the distinction between imperative and epistemic authority is crucial for navigating the balance between religious authority and personal autonomy. This contemporary analysis explores the conceptual framework of rabbinic authority, focusing on its roles and limits in Jewish law and tradition.

Translating this controversy into the conceptual scheme of authority elucidated by Richard T. De George is quite instructive. George distinguishes between two types of authority – imperative/executive and epistemic. Whereas an imperative authority has the right or power to act and expect compliance to his orders, an epistemic authority is an authority in a field of knowledge, but he does not possess any right to command:

Rabbinic Authority I, Part I; Rabbinic Authority; The Vision, Chapter 1; Towards Defining the Concept of Rabbinic Authority; A Contemporary Analysis 22

Secular Studies in Jewish Education

JEWISH THOUGHT

Secular knowledge, including the natural sciences, can be studied and understood using human senses and intellect without relying on divine assistance or written records. Naphtali Herz Wessely’s Enlightenment-era pamphlet argues for the inclusion of secular studies in Jewish education, aligning with the values of the Haskalah movement.

Secular knowledge also includes the natural sciences, such as zoology, botany, geology, meteorology, anatomy, medicine, chemistry, etc. We can study all of these subjects using our senses and our intellect without relying on divine assistance to understand them, and without any written records to prevent them being forgotten.

Words of Peace and Truth 1:1:11

Awakening Dormant Potential

SECOND TEMPLE

Philo argues that every individual has the potential for wisdom and excellence, which can be realized through effort and attention. Philo of Alexandria, a 1st-century Jewish philosopher, integrates Jewish theology with Greek philosophy to explore the concept of human potential.

XI. [71] Having then in us such potentialities, should we not blush to denounce the human race as lacking in wisdom, wisdom which the bellows could kindle into a blaze like the spark which smoulders in the firewood? And yet these things for which we should strive eagerly, things so closely akin to ourselves, so truly our own, we treat with great slackness and constant indifference and thus destroy the germs of excellence, while those things in which deficiency were a merit we desire with an insatiable yearning.

Every Good Man is Free 11:1

The Supremacy of Divine Wisdom

LITURGY

Human wisdom is folly compared to the infinite wisdom of God. The medieval liturgical poem 'Keter Malkhut' by Rabbi Solomon ibn Gabirol reflects on divine wisdom and human humility.

Thou art wise. And wisdom is the fount of life and from Thee it welleth, And by the side of Thy wisdom all human knowledge turneth to folly.

Keter Malkhut 9:1

The Power of Human Knowledge

JEWISH THOUGHT

Human intellectual power, especially the theoretical aspect, is the key to human perfection. In his 15th-century philosophical work, Sefer HaIkkarim, Rabbi Joseph Albo explores the unique capacity of humans to apprehend concepts and discover sciences.

Now we see that man has a potentiality and capacity of apprehending concepts, discovering sciences and bringing them from potentiality to actuality, more than all the other animals. Therefore human perfection must depend upon this intellectual power. And this power being divided into theoretical and practical, human perfection must depend upon the theoretical part rather than upon the practical, for the former bears closer relation to man’s nature.

Sefer HaIkkarim, Maamar 3 2:2

Solomon's Wisdom and Prophecy

TARGUM

King Solomon's unparalleled wisdom and prophetic spirit allowed him to compile profound wisdom literature independently. The Aramaic Targum to Ecclesiastes offers an ancient translation and commentary on Solomon's teachings, emphasizing his unique role in Israel's wisdom tradition.

9. And more than all people, Solomon, who was called Kohelet, was wise and also he taught the people of Israel knowledge, and he listened to the voice of the wise and explored the books of wisdom,and by the spirit of prophecy from 'ה , he prepared wisdom books and independently very many clever proverbs.

Aramaic Targum to Ecclesiastes 12:9

The Transmission of Divine Knowledge

KABBALAH

The oral tradition is often referred to as kabbalah, meaning what was received, since it is believed to be transmitted from divine revelation at Sinai. Moses Cordovero, a 16th-century Kabbalist, explains the historical process of how the oral Torah was eventually committed to writing through works like the Mishnah and other rabbinic traditions.

The Hebrew term kabbalah refers to a body of knowledge “received” through a chain of transmission believed by rabbinic Jews to extend all the way back to the divine revelation at Sinai. Rabbinic Judaism, the dominant interpretation of Judaism in the medieval and early modern era, assumed as an essential belief that this body of knowledge, called torah (“teaching”), encompassed two divisions—one written, the other oral. The written Torah consisted of the Pentateuch, while the oral Torah contained an authoritative interpretation of the laws and the narrative in the written Torah…

Ohr Ne'erav, Introduction 6

Exclusive Knowledge

COMMENTARY

Rabbi Sacks explores the societal implications of knowledge being accessible only to an elite group. In his commentary on Deuteronomy, Rabbi Jonathan Sacks delves into the renewal of the Sinai Covenant and its relevance to contemporary issues of knowledge and power.

Almost every culture has placed a premium on forms of knowledge available only to an elite.

Covenant and Conversation; Deuteronomy; Renewal of the Sinai Covenant, Nitzavim, Not in Heaven 6

Wisdom Begets Wisdom

TALMUD

The Holy One, Blessed be He, grants wisdom specifically to those who already possess wisdom. Rabbi Yoḥanan's teaching, supported by scriptural references from Daniel and Exodus, is discussed in the Talmudic tractate Berakhot.

Berakhot 55a:14

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