Dealing with doubt...answers to difficult questions

[iitb]

Everyone at some point has stumbled across something that makes them question the validity of their faith. Sometimes you find something that just doesn't make sense in the context of your religious learning, and occasionally those questions will cause you to question the path you've chosen. I figured I'd start a thread for dealing with such doubts

Anyway, here's one to get the ball rolling:

I was looking around over at Karaite-korner.org, and I stumbled across this statement

The Tanach reports that the written Torah was both lost and completely forgotten for over 50 years and only rediscovered by the Temple priests (2Ki 22,8; 2Chr 34,15).

So, if the Torah was lost and forgotten, how do we know it is what it says it is? How do we know that these preists didn't just fabricate the entire thing before claiming to "find" it?

 

[Henaynei]

So, if the Torah was lost and forgotten, how do we know it is what it says it is? How do we know that these preists didn't just fabricate the entire thing before claiming to "find" it?

Well, for one thing it is such a great volume of information (all 5 books) that it would be very unlikely that they had the time to "fabricate" it.

Secondly, Yeshua told us "the softim and p'rushim 'sit on the Seat of Moses', what ever they say do it." This would mean two things: A) 'Seat of Moses" is the Beit Din/Sanhedrin whose foundation is Torah so, by implication, Torah is true; B) Yeshua had ample opportunity to casitgate or negate the Torah as know at that time - since He freely did 'correct' various traditions that had gone astray from Torah certailny He would not have shied from being clear about scriptures and laws ascribed to Him if they were bogus!

 

[KelsayDL]

I'm studying this exact topic right now. Basically the reliability of the scripture.

It can be rather trying at times.


While there are issues with the Tanakh, they pale in comparison with the problems of the NT text.

Though some would argue contrary to that simply because the Tanakh is older, it has more issues.

They would be wrong however.


Good thread. I'll be visiting it often in the next few weeks.

 

[iitb]

Good thread. I'll be visiting it often in the next few weeks.

Great, now I'm under pressure to come up with more difficult questions.

 

[BenTsion]

Great posts, guys... not to mention the fact that, let's be realistic here, since the Torah had been passed around orally as well, who among the levites would be willing to fabricate such an enormous amount of scripture and claim it came from G-d? I think
they would be terrified by mere thought of it, to say the very least.

In Mashiach,
Ben Tsion

 

[Lotuspetal_uk]

Shalom

My query stems from Galatians 3.....?

Initially I'd taken this chapter to mean that the recent Galatian Gentile converts had believed that by exlusively undertaking the Law and doing away with or not considering Messiah's death and resurrection, they were missing out on the spiritual promise given to Abraham. I have read in another thread verses 10-14 being used to justify why some believers are not obliged to follow "Moses' Law".

Can anyone clarify what Paul was trying to say here?

Thank you and G-d bless

 

[Rabbi Cohen]

BS"D

I am certain that Simchat will post the reason for some of this confussion, and I certainly do not wish to steal anyone's thunder, but the Karaite's position that the Torah was lost according to scripture is not entirely correct. It is a fact that the Torah she b'iksav (The written Torah) WAS lost, but only to the northern Tribes, (i.e., the tribes of the House of Israel). The house of Judah (so to speak) had maintained Torah observance and was utilized to instruct the northern tribes on Torah observance. This of course goes much deeper, and like I said, I am certain that there will shortly be an explanatory post regarding it.

All the best,
Rabbi Cohen

 

[simchat_torah]

I am certain that Simchat will post the reason for some of this confussion

me? Do you mean Justin?

Sorry, a bit confused,
Yafet.

 

[iitb]

I hope he means you. I don't have any answers to stuff posted in this thread.