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The Goals of TTI that Torah be made great and glorious." (Isaiah 42.21) The above verse conveys our simple aim: To show the greatness of Torah and in so doing have a positive impact on the Jewish people. Throughout Jewish history, prominent figures such as the Rambam have stressed the importance of Torah observance based on knowledge rather than faith alone. Especially nowadays when a thousand cultures, philosophies, television shows, foods, and products are simultaneously competing for our interest, it is crucial that we have the ability to demonstrate the relevance and veracity of the Torah system. People are interested in the bottom line, living life day to day. Naturally we are reluctant to give up something very tangible - like a cheeseburger - for reasons that are not so tangible. Using the cheeseburger example, if someone gives a moral reason and says that the prohibition comes to prevent cruelty (i.e. cooking a goat in its mother's milk), then we will ask what is cruel or "wrong" with eating ham or other non-kosher foods? If someone gives a character-building reason and says it comes to teach us the idea of limits in life, then we will argue that a cheeseburger is arbitrary - why not limit ourselves in other ways? If someone gives a religious reason and says that we were commanded at Sinai, this is too much of a leap of faith for most people. And if someone gives a "mystical" reason and says it is m'tamei the nefesh, as thinking people we will say, "Ok, show me tuma. Show me the nefesh." Point being, as Torah people we should not be annoyed at such responses but rather challenged to investigate our own tradition in greater depth in order to understand the mitzvot more clearly. TTI was developed precisely to address this challenge. Bear in mind that even if we were to demonstrate beyond the shadow of a doubt what is really wrong with a cheeseburger, this is hardly a guarantee that all Jews will stop eating cheeseburgers. We commonly defy knowledge of what is healthy and do what our hearts and bodies tell us to do - we smoke, eat greasy foods, overwork ourselves, etc. So, to the extent that the work of TTI will bring more people to mitzvot observance, this is a great thing, but the primary goal is kavod ha'Torah (giving honor to the Torah). By being able to explain to a thinking, rational person what the reasons are for the mitzvot - reasons that are clear and empirical, ones which sufficiently satisfy the mind - this honors the Torah, the Creator who gave the Torah, and ourselves as people who strive to keep the Torah. About the Term "Torah Technology" "Technology" implies utilizing knowledge of scientific laws (e.g. chemistry or physics) to develop a system that provides practical benefit to people. The assumption we have (which is certainly born out in the Torah tradition) is that the teachings and mitzvot of the Torah are technological in that they are built on universal laws and meant for our practical benefit. Hence, there is actual technology within all the mitzvot - from tefilin to tefila (prayer), kashrut to korbanot (Temple offerings), from the perplexing laws of tuma & tahara to the more intuitive civil law. The goal of TTI is to bring such Torah technologies to light - i.e. reveal the underlying principles and provide empirical evidence as to how the mitzvot operate and what specific effects they have on an individual and the Jewish people as a whole. Reasons for the Mitzvot vs. Reasons for Doing the Mitzvot The focus of TTI is to research and articulate the taamei ha'mitzvot, the underlying function and inner workings of the mitzvot. It needs to be stated that this is entirely distinct from the reasons for practical observance of the mitzvot. Strictly speaking, the imperative to keep the mitzvot is based solely on g'zerat ha'katuv, literally "written decree." That is to say, a mitzvah is a set law, derived logically from the Torah via the process of halacha, and any changes in psak din (practical law) in principle must also derive from halacha. In other words, even if we think we have exposed as clear as day the reason behind a given mitzvah, this has zero effect - none whatsoever - on the halachic imperative to observe the mitzvah. Its only role is to enrich and enhance our performance of the mitzvah, and to take part in the greatest of mitzvot - that of delving into the Torah, lishma, for its own sake. So, despite the emphasis on concrete knowledge, emuna (faith) remains a central axiom in Torah. It is the commitment to stay within the Torah system regardless of our level of scientific knowledge at any point in history, regardless of what we do or do not understand in the realm of taamei ha'mitzvot. Just as knowledge supports our continued faith, so does faith support our continued pursuit of knowledge. The people behind TTI The TTI project was developed by David Bar-Cohn and Dr. Joseph D. Levinson. We welcome your feedback.
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