Pure faith bypasses the mind; it’s rooted in the soul
With Rav Moshe Wolfson
A century ago, Einstein transformed the world of physics with the discovery E=mc2. He was eminently up to the task of explaining exactly how and why matter converts into energy. I have no understanding of physics and I therefore have no choice but to simply believe Einstein’s theory of relativity.
This is what Shlomo Hamelech means when he says “Pesi yaamin l’chol davar, v’arum yavin la’ashuro — the simpleton believes everything, but the clever one understands properly” (Mishlei 14:15). The smarter a person is, the less he needs to believe those around him, because he can investigate matters with his rational mind. Only the simple, uneducated, naive person has to believe what he’s told without question.
When it comes to emunah, however, things are a bit more complicated.
True, if a person insists on only believing in G-d to the extent that his rational mind allows him to, and will then expend exhaustive efforts searching for the true religion, and will do so with sincerity and honesty, he will in all likelihood discover the principles of emunah. The evidence proving the existence of Hashem and truth of the Torah is overwhelmingly obvious to the unbiased mind.
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