THE ROLE OF INQUIRY IN JEWISH THOUGHT
"כבד אלהים הסתר דבר וכבד מלכים חקר דבר"
"It is the honor of G-d to conceal a matter, and it is the honor of kings to investigate a matter"
(Proverbs 25:2 משלי)
Many more learned than we have elucidated at length how inquiry is at the heart of Jewish thought and learning. On this page, therefore, we simply present a few fundamental examples.
Abraham famously inquires of Hashem on several occasions including just prior to the Covenant Between the Parts, which marks the origins of Am Yisrael. He is followed by Moses, Jeremiah, Job, and many others.
The Passover Seder highlights the Four Questions (and the additional questions of the four types of children), placing inquiry at the heart of the holiday and thereby at the heart of our identity as a nation.
The Mishnah begins with a question: "From when may one recite Shema in the evening?"
Perhaps most pertinent to any discussion of the role of inquiry in Jewish thought and learning is the Gemara, which is an extended project in analytical inquiry, attending closely to details, and seeking truth; in recognizing that a prerequisite for arriving at strong and reliable answers is developing strong and clarified questions; and ultimately, in figuring something out.
Inquiry: Israel strives to be a link in this chain, to be worthy of and to continue this tradition.