Reply To: Shmuly Yanklowitz, Novominsker and OO theology

When it comes to the halachic aspect of “Who is an Apikores?”, it’s the same, the problem is that it’s also a chiyuv to believe. I could accept the notion that halacha could dictate that I treat someone a certain way despite a “klapai shmaya galya” to treat him differently. However, in the realm of belief, it is simply impossible for me to accept that Hashem wants me to believe something which is not true.

I understand your point, but disagree with the conclusion.

I don’t see any reason why the RBSO could not expect us to follow the rules as put out by Him, to whatever conclusions that those rules lead us. In fact, that is the core of what “Lo BaShomayim He” requires from us.

Back to Hashem’s non-corporeality; even if it were hypothetically true (and I don’t think so, because Hashem’s essence is what it is and cannot be different), I must believe it’s not possible to be true. Once I accept the possibility, meaning the legitimacy of another opinion, my belief is not “sheleimah”.

I think we are splitting hairs. One can believe (and that requires the exclusion of all other possibilities), while still noting that if not for the belief, the hypothetical possibility of the opposite of such belief does exist. That does not make the opposite belief “legitimate”.