“It ain’t what we don’t know that gets us in trouble, it’s what we know for certain that just ain’t so.”
– Anonymous
In the Talmud, Tractate Sanhedrin, Rabbi Kahana is quoted as saying that if the Sanhedrin, the highest Jewish court, unanimously finds an accused person guilty, he is acquitted. Why? Because we have learned that tradition dictates that a judgment must be postponed awhile in hopes of finding new points in favor of the defense. Talmudic commentary explains that when a Sanhedrin unanimously convicts a defendant, collusion must be suspected. Since a verdict is reached without any dissenting opinion, the judges on the Sanhedrin are not doing their job properly.
In other words, we should be suspicious of, even set aside, any conclusion without an element of doubt or dissent! Certainty is suspect!
I recall visiting Aushwitz-Birkenau some years ago with one of my rabbis, Sheila Peltz Weinberg. Having gazed into the ovens, and as we literally stood upon the ruins of the crematoria, the rabbi remarked, “I pray I am never this certain about anything.” In otherwords, so certain in our cause as to commit genocide.
In my own life, the times I have gotten into the biggest messes have been when I was the least reflective and the most certain. Having no shred of doubt blinds us to other possibilities in an infinite world. We cannot function of paralyzed. But the wisest counsel when we choose a course of action, is to be aware that there may be other worthy paths, and that despite our best reasoning and intentions, we may be wrong.
Where in your life are you overly certain, to your peril?
Versions of the opening quote have been attributed to Will Rogers, Mark Twain, Josh Billings, and Artemis Ward, among others. However, it cannot definitively be ascribed to any of them. It seems to have been collectively developed over many people, times and places. Ironically, the authorship remains uncertain.
Joe Laur is a father, husband, naturalist, executive, consultant, and student of The All. Send him your favorite teaching quote for commentary. He can be reached at joe.laur@joe.laur.com.
AJ said:
Very interesting idea Joe….a lot to contemplate. One of those things that seems short and simple on the surface but has much meat on it and profound depths to plumb.
LikeLike
Tim Laur said:
It seems curious to me that unanimity is proof of error.
“..unanimously finds an accused person guilty, he is acquitted.”
This creates an absolute in order to discard an absolute.
LikeLike
joelaur said:
You can read commentary on this unusual passage here:
https://digitalcommons.pace.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1034&context=pilronline#:~:text=unanimous%20verdict%20discussion.,walks%20away%20a%20free%20man.
And here:
https://www.meaningfullife.com/unanimous-verdict/
It has to do with punishment as expiation for sin, rather than retribution, with the onus on the court to examine a case so thoroughly as to find some merit in the accused, and to forestall collusion within the court.
LikeLike
Tim Laur said:
Thank you for the info. Now it sends me down another rabbit trail, the expiation of sin.
Such holiness is beyond our realm, as proven by the impermanence of animal sacrifice.
“For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for your souls upon the altar; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul. (Lev 17:11 ESV)
“Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins. (Heb 9:22 ESV)
Scripture is clear that the only way to get into God’s perfect heaven is to be perfect as He is perfect.
Yet our Lord did not create us in order to condemn, but to Love us unconditionally.
But justice must be served upon the inherent sin of all mankind.
How is this accomplished? God’s plan is clearly revealed as the Old Testament points forward to the cross and the New Testament points backwards, to the cross. (cf. verses above)
Only the blood of a sinless man could atone for sin of man, or else if there was sin in the man, the sacrifice would account only for his own sin.
Hence, Jesus was not born in sin like David (Psa 51), and all others.
May you enjoy a blessed day today, and every day.
In Him,
Tim Laur
LikeLike