Emunah Crib Sheet

This is the First Principle Section from http://rygb.blogspot.com/2006/06/my-machashavah-syllabus.html


First Principle (Emunah):

I. Ramchal:
A. Honor and Glory
B. L'Heitiv
C. Unity in Multiplicity

II. Reb Elchonon:
A. Heresy and Emotion
B. The Book in the Desert
C. Yellow and Pink
D. Yetzer HaTov, Yetzer HoRa – Intellect vs. Emotion
E. Mussar b'Hispa'alus
F. When we don't follow the Majority

III. The Kuzari
A. Mesorah
B. Yetzias Mitzrayim and Mattan Torah
C. Kaffah Aleihem Har K'Giggis

IV. Emunah Peshutah
A. Chassidus vs. Misnagdus
B. Dveykus vs. Shleymus
C. Emunah Peshutah vs. Emunas Nashim


Now I would like to expand on the "evidence" component:

1. Introduction
A. Faith, Belief, Sensory "Fact"
B. Be a Judge, Not a Lawyer

2. Categories of Evidence (Based on Otzaros HaMussar):
A. Complexity of Creation
1. The pattern
(the cloth testifies to the weaver).
2. Natural wonders
(water expands when freezing, climate, percent of oxygen in atmosphere).
3. The human body
(the eye and vision;
the nose, breathing and and olfactory senses;
the mouth, swallowing, teeth; the vocal cords and speech;
the lungs, respiration;
the heart, the circulatory system;
blood;
the digestive system;
the skeleton and bones;
shoulders, arms, elbows, hands, fingers, thighs, legs, knees, feet;
the spinal column and nervous system, reflexes;
muscles;
skin;
antibodies;
sneezing (!);
reproduction and birth).

B . Jewish History , Survival and the World's Focus on Us

C. The Kuzari (see details above)

D. Philosphy: First Cause and Cause and Effect

E. The Divinity of the Torah
1. Kosher Animals, The Calendar; Shemittah and Yovel; Sotah.
2. The Expositions of Chazal
3. Gematriyos and Codes
4. The Greatness of Chazal

F. Inherent Morality and Ethics