mathematical proofs

"One neither could nor should expect religious texts to be rational. When Spinoza denounced the folly of trying to demonstrate the authority of scriptures with mathematical proofs, he might have been thinking of Maimonides, the twelfth-century Jewish philosopher, or perhaps Descartes, or perhaps also his friend, Dr. Lodewijk Meijer, whose rationalist interpretation of the Bible had gotten him into hot water with Calvinist authorities. For the authority of the scriptures depended on the authority of the prophets. And that authority was impervious to rational discourse."

~~ from Spinoza: Freedom's Messiah by Ian Buruma 

a gap in the table

"When he was only ten, Spinoza was sent by his father to pick up some money owed by an old lady. Michael had taught his son to be vigilant and never to be fooled by false piety. The errand was to be a test of Spinoza's wits. The old woman asked the boy to wait while she finished her prayers. After praising Spinoza's father for his religious devotion, she quickly tried to fumble some cash into the child's bag. Sensing that there was something not quite right, Spinoza insisted on counting the money despite the lady's protests. She had indeed shortchanged him by slipping a few ducats through a gap in the table."

~~ from Spinoza: Freedom's Messiah by Ian Buruma