The issue is actually much worse than that: "tabular" is broken in LaTeX! :(

Minimal example:

--8<---------------cut here---------------start------------->8---
\documentclass[11pt]{article}
\begin{document}

\begin{tabular}{l}
  foo
\end{tabular}

\end{document}
--8<---------------cut here---------------end--------------->8---

Error message:

--8<---------------cut here---------------start------------->8---
ERROR: Math formula deleted: Insufficient symbol fonts.

--- TeX said ---
\endtabular ->\crcr \egroup \egroup $
                                     \egroup 
l.10 \end{tabular}
                  
--- HELP ---
From the .log file...

Sorry, but I can't typeset math unless \textfont 2
and \scriptfont 2 and \scriptscriptfont 2 have all
the \fontdimen values needed in math symbol fonts.
--8<---------------cut here---------------end--------------->8---

-- 
Pierre Neidhardt
https://ambrevar.xyz/