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I have heard multiple Rabbis say, mostly in the name of HaRaMBa"M, that the truth is not dependent on the number of adherents to a particular opinion. I apologize for lack of accuracy.

What is the source for such a statement?

Lee
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    Possible duplicate https://judaism.stackexchange.com/questions/5458/ – Double AA Jul 30 '17 at 01:47
  • Interesting to find this Q just now. I just learned in Pirkei Avot 3 the mishnah that says that "If you are liked by people, you are liked by G-d" (paraphrasing). And, last week, in Matot Moshe tells Gad & Reuven that they if they fight with their brothers, they wil lbe deemed innocent before G-d and Israel. I.e., you have to appear innocent before fellow people. However, note that the priority is G-d first. I.e., first you have to do the right thing before G-d, even if that is unpopular. Only then, can you try to achieve popularity. – DanF Jul 30 '17 at 02:23
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    Similarly, note Rambam's introduction to MN: when I find the road narrow, and can see no other way of teaching a well established truth except by pleasing one intelligent man and displeasing ten thousand fools — I prefer to address myself to the one man, and to take no notice whatever of the condemnation of the multitud – mevaqesh Jul 30 '17 at 02:53
  • Similarly, note his position that non-halakhic are not subject to "rulings", in PHM to Sanhedrin 10:3, Sotah 3:3, and Shevuot 1:4. This is perhaps reflective of the nature of these things as objective truth, which therefore is not the subject of rulings. כבר הזכרנו לך כמה פעמים שכל מחלוקת שתהיה בין החכמים ואינה תלויה במעשה אלא קביעת סברה בלבד אין מקום לפסוק הלכה כאחד מהם – mevaqesh Jul 30 '17 at 03:11
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    Possible duplicate of ישמע את האמת ממי שאמרה – DonielF Jul 30 '17 at 04:57
  • I don't think this is a dupe; because, the Rabbi who most recently told me this said demonstrated the concept with the fact that "most people once thought the Earth was flat and we now know that is untrue. Most people once thought the Sun revolved around the Earth and we now know that is untrue." In other words, the number of believers in an idea does not necessarily make it true. – Lee Jul 30 '17 at 16:01
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    Please see my answer below which makes clear that this question is not a dupe. – Lee Jul 30 '17 at 16:14
  • It is clearly not true for Judaism, where אחרי רבים להטות - the truth is determined by a simple voting. – Al Berko Oct 12 '19 at 18:56
  • It is clearly true for Judaism as HaRaMBa”M states ״כל דבר שהוכח״. After the Sanhedrin ruled on something (which is the context for ״אחרי רבים להטות״), their ruling did not become less or more true based on other Hakhamim agreeing/disagreeing with them (unless a later Sanhedrin of the same stature overturned the previous ruling). – Lee Oct 12 '19 at 19:16
  • @Lee This might help with your question. https://judaism.stackexchange.com/a/108947/19691 – Jonathan Oct 12 '19 at 21:01

1 Answers1

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Thanks to Google, YouTube (please see only the video description - I cannot vouch for the video's actual content) and finally Chabad.org, I found the original statement in Moreh Nevukhim 2:151:

כל דבר שהוכח, לא תוסיף אמתתו ולא יתחזק הנכון שבו בהסכמת כל העולם עליו, ולא תגרע אמתתו ולא יחלש הנכון שבו אם יחלקו כל אנשי הארץ עליו

Anything proven true does not become more true by virtue of the fact that the entire world agrees with it, nor less so even if the whole world disagrees with it.

1. Hebrew taken from R' Yosef Qafih's Moreh Nevukhim translation; English taken from Chabad.org article cited.

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Lee
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  • Great! Truer words have never been spoken. And, trust me ... despite my reputation on this site, I'm quite UNpopular ;-) Though, Ramba"m doesn't need my approval. – DanF Jul 30 '17 at 23:24