Faith-Emuna

Kuzari (2:66): Shlomo spoke with Divine power and his great intellect and natural talents concerning all types of knowledge. From the ends of the earth, people came to him to hear his knowledge and to transmit it to the world - even as far as India. In truth the root of all wisdom and its principles was copied from the Jews - first by the Chaldeans and afterwards the Persians and Medes. Afterwards this knowledge went to the Greeks and Romans. However, because these events are distant in time and the many intermediaries in the process it has not been mentioned in the books of science and wisdom that it was taken originally from the Jews. These books mention only that they originated in Greek and Roman sources. …

Moreh Nevuchim (01:71): You should know that the many sciences which had existed in our community to validate these theological matters have been lost in the passage of time because of our being dominated by foolish nations and because these matters were not permitted to be divulged to all the people. In fact, the only thing that can be divulged to all people is the text of the books…

Maharetz Chajes (Introduction to the Talmud chapter 17): We have no doubt that all the Sages’ words concerning the foundations of religion and the principles of the Torah were received by them by oral tradition from Sinai. Only occasionally did our Sages use the hermeneutic principles to associate these principles with the verses so that they would be remembered well. However, there is absolutely no question that everything was received from G d through Moshe. It is only logical. If we see that concerning the practical observance of the mitzvos - which are only an introduction to the purification of religion - that they had halacha which was transmitted from Sinai as to how to do the mitzvos… then surely this is true concerning principles of faith and religion….

 Michtav M’Eliyahu (3:177): Proper emuna is acquired step after step as a consequence of deep immersion in Torah study and not by abstract intellectual analysis of theological issues. It is a mistake to think that it is possible to acquire genuine emuna by means of intellectual analysis and philosophy. The intellect is biased by many factors that prevent it from being objective. Personal desires twist and distort thought to conform to it. When a person turns to his intellect and wants that it be the final judge on issues of Emuna  -  that is a clear sign that the person doesn’t really want to have emuna and that is why he is turning to the corrupt judge to make decisions according to his desires. Not only is the intellect inherently biased but it is also limited since it is based upon material imagery which itself is finite. In contrast, emuna which originates inside a person is not restricted by these limitations. Rav Nachman of Breslov noted that emuna starts at the limits of intellect. In fact, we are obligated to clarify emuna with our intellects as the Chovas HaLevavos says in his introduction. The attitude is not “whatever I can make sense of I will accept and otherwise I will reject it” - G d forbid! 

Meiri (Avos Introduction): There is a strong emphasis and constant warning in the Torah to stay far away from idol worship since there has always been a strong attachment to it generation after generation. An intelligent person would naturally ask why this error of idol worship has repeated itself generation after generation? The answer is that the average person more readily believes that which he can perceive and comprehend than that which is intangible and abstract. Therefore, a person’s nature draws him to idol worship.

Rav Elchonon Wasserman (Essay on Emuna 2): … It is known that the issues of religious faith are things which are exceedingly obvious and don’t require wisdom and philosophy to ascertain. They are in fact evident first principles as the Chovas HaLevavos (1:6) explained. The creation of a book gives testimony about the existence of the author. Only an insane person would think that the book was created by accident by someone spilling ink on paper… The overall principle is that every activity is done to accomplish some purpose. Thus, it is self evident that when G d created man it was to accomplish some specific purpose. … It is obvious that when G d created man it was in order that he does His will. The obvious problem is how is man supposed to know what G d wants if he wasn’t told….? This question contains its own answer. It is obvious that G d revealed to man what He expects of him. This is Torah from Heaven.

Rav Saadiya Gaon (Introduction 6): Since all matters of religious belief which G d has informed us can also be ascertained by investigation and rational analysis, what is the reason that G d transmitted them to us by means of prophecy and validated them by means of miraculous signs - rather than by intellectual proofs? I would suggest that this was done since G d was fully aware that that establishing truth through intellectual proofs required an extended period of time. Consequently, if He left us to establish the validity through intellectual speculation we would be bereft of proper spiritual guidance until the effort was completed. Obviously many people would never finish the analysis because of errors in their reasoning or lack of patience and they would remain with doubts and confusion. Therefore, G d saved us from these pitfalls by direct revelation supported by proofs which would eliminate all uncertainty and confusion…