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If someone has doubts about what many consider foundation principles of Judiasm does that make him a heretic? Or is it only if a person comes to a conclusion that it is false at which point he becomes a heretic?

mevaqesh
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Mark A.
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  • highly related: http://judaism.stackexchange.com/q/35082/8775. – mevaqesh Sep 02 '16 at 20:41
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    @mevaqesh They might be dupes – Double AA Sep 02 '16 at 20:52
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    A typical story is someone who approaches a rav and says that he has decided he is an apokoros. The rave responds "You are not an apikorus, you are an ignoramus". Usually a person who decides that Judaism is false is not a "heretic", he is an idiot who does not know enough to come to a legitimate conclusion. – sabbahillel Sep 02 '16 at 21:20
  • I remember reading a Rashi (cannot remember the gemara!) which said that someone who is disparaging/disrespectful of a Talmid chacham is considered an apikorus. – bondonk Sep 04 '16 at 07:20
  • possible dupe: http://judaism.stackexchange.com/q/67826/8775. – mevaqesh Sep 05 '16 at 05:11
  • doubts are not in one's control. why should you be liable for that? – ray Oct 06 '16 at 18:56

1 Answers1

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The point at which he rejects anyone of the Rambams 13 Ani Mamins you either belive them or not it is binary. It is totally ok to question but only if you are searching for answers. Only you can know truly if you are a kofer. You being the theoretical subject.

HahamG
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  • you either belive them or not it is binary. It is totally ok to question The two halves of this quote seem to contradict each other. Consider editing to clarify. – mevaqesh Sep 04 '16 at 05:22
  • The point at which he rejects anyone of the Rambams 13 Ani Mamins It should be noted that the popular ani maamins were not written by Rambam and sometimes differ with what he actually did write. Also, while popular, many aspects of them have been disputed by countless rabbinic greats since then. – mevaqesh Sep 04 '16 at 05:25
  • Wether or not the Rambam wrote them the torah world exepts these as benchmarks. – HahamG Sep 04 '16 at 09:45
  • My point was one may ask questions about gravity in order to learn with denying gravity's existance – HahamG Sep 04 '16 at 11:16
  • This is the generally accepted standard. However it is important to note that the Sages did not mention such requirements when acepting converts. Maimonides adds this in. – Baby Seal Sep 04 '16 at 13:22
  • @hahamg of you want someone to be informed that you commented, put his our her username in your comment with a @ in f front of it – mevaqesh Sep 04 '16 at 13:27
  • @hahamg according to the ani maamins, one may only pray to God.rambam writes that this excludes even prayer through intermediaries like angels. While "the Torah world" is a subjective term,I think it is safe to say that most of them say barkhuni lshalom. This is one example of apparent divergence from the ani maamins. – mevaqesh Sep 04 '16 at 13:32
  • I hope by Torah world, you don't mean people who accept Rambams principles...and certainly not the ani maamins... – mevaqesh Sep 04 '16 at 13:37
  • @mevaqesh when I said the torah world I meant anyone to the right of open orthodox certainly exepts the 13 ikarim as atleast a baisis for the what is considered to be the basic tenants of the Jewish faith if not canon. Like I pointed out with my analogy one may question somthing with out necessarily reflecting it – HahamG Sep 04 '16 at 16:29
  • I still dont understand your primary point.The op asked how much doubt about the tenets of the faith, whatever they are, one can have without being a heretic.you seem to simultaneously claim that anything short of full belief tenets one a heretic, but then state that questioning is ok.consider editing to clarify, rather than just responding in the comments – mevaqesh Sep 04 '16 at 16:48
  • @HahamG Yes. Rambam is a nice reference work for idea that are popular in Jewish belief, but much of his beliefs on the ikkarim have been challenged continuously. Whether your contradicts your claim that anyone to the right of open orthodox certainly exepts [sic] the 13 ikarim as atleast a baisis [sic] for the what is considered to be the basic tenants [sic] of the Jewish faith if not canon. I cannot know, as that sentence is too vague to be very meaningful. More significantly, you wish-washy position in the comments here seems to contradicts your answer that "The point at which [cont.] – mevaqesh Sep 04 '16 at 16:54
  • he rejects anyone [sic] of the Rambams [sic] 13 Ani Mamins" Is the point where one becomes a heretic, so it does not sound like you are saying that the ikkarim are a mere nice reference tool that often reflect beliefs that are popular among many Jews. Most importantly yet, you still have not edited your post to explain exactly how you answer the question of how sure one must be, let alone provided any evidence for the answer. The issue of accepting either Rambam's ikkarim, or the ani maamins, is just a distraction – mevaqesh Sep 04 '16 at 16:55
  • @HahamG I think it may be worthwhile to source your answer. – TrustMeI'mARabbi Sep 04 '16 at 20:47