Many people are smart and knowledgeable in some areas but complete fools in others.
Like me. I am better than some at understanding a pasuk in Chumash [only b/c I have been honing this skill for close to 50 years - not b/c of any inborn intelligence. And I am still really bad at it compared to loads of people] but completely in the dark when it comes to [להבדיל] organic chemistry or quantum mechanics [or, frankly, almost all areas of knowledge].
Some people are brilliant musicians or poets but can barely add or subtract.
Some are extremely shrewd businessmen but really awful at fixing things around the house.
Some Harvard and MIT grads are really "book smart" but fall short in the "emotional intelligence" category.
There are different types of intelligence and different types of talents. Being talented in one area is no guarantee that one will be talented in another. The only guarantee is that nobody is good at everything and most people are ignorant of almost everything. To wit - what percentage of the knowledge in the books contained in the NYC public library does any person have? Less than a fraction of one percent.
I write this to make the point that people who have no understanding of philosophy, theology, mysticism etc. are constantly writing and commenting about these areas as if they are experts. You could be the Prime Minister of Israel [who most definitely has a very high IQ] or the Chief Of Staff of all of Tzahal [which requires tremendous knowledge and intelligence in the area of battle strategy] but know nothing of religious related matters.
One example of this ignorance is when people say that Israel is a "Jewish and democratic State" [a common refrain]. You can only say that if you don't understand Judaism, democracy or both.
Democracy is where the majority of the members of the group make the rules and run the show. Judaism is where Hashem and the Chachomim make the rules and run the "show". The secular state wants religious people to follow THEIR rules and otherwise they can do as they please. Torah Jews want to follow the Torah without having to follow an amalgam of Turkish, British etc. etc. law with a smattering of Halacha thrown in, invented by a group of avowed secularists.
You can't have both.
Another example. I was once sitting on the LIRR near a group of older couples a few seats away who were having a discussion about Yom Tov Sheni. One woman in particular was expounding on the "true" Halachic status of Yom Tov Sheni. What was clear from her "presentation" was that she had never learned the related gemaras, rishonim and achronim - or even ever taken a peak at the entry in the אינציקלופדיה תלמודית. But that didn't stop her from giving her "shiur".
I am SURE that she is great at a lot of things. Like - running a home, making a DELICIOUS cholent and potato kugel and lots of other things. But, she is no Talmudist.
Mussar Haskel:
1] Know your strengths and weaknesses.
2] When someone expresses an opinion - ask [at least yourself - asking them might be offensive...] what gives them expertise on the topic that entitles them to one.
