"Torah Without Faith"
Week of February 17, 2006

Torah is not a catechism of faith. As a psychotherapist, I have occasionally seen talmidei chachamim, Torah scholars, in therapy who were unable to define their beliefs or articulate reasons for observing the mitzvoth. In times of emotional stress they were incapable of determining a personal reference of faith. This is by no means a new phenomenon. The great sages of the past denounced those who would reduce Torah to empirical forms of knowledge bereft of subjective thought or personal application.

Rabenu Bachai known as one of the major framers of Torah thought and Jewish philosophy, in his classical work “Duties of the Heart” emphasized the importance of a Jew’s inner life. This great sage lived at a time of magnificent halachic writing and learning, often to the neglect of matters of faith and belief.

Not long ago, parents of a young child who died, a victim of a rare infectious disease came to see me. The father is a distinguished Torah scholar, and the mother, the daughter of a well-known Rosh Yeshiva. They expressed hostility and anger. He found difficulty continuing his lifetime of Torah studies and she openly questioned G-d. I turned to the husband and asked, “But you do not question God?” He remained silent for a moment and then shrugged his shoulders saying, “Do we really know there is a G-d?”

Nowadays Torah scholarship has more often been reduced to learning without discerning, and to observing without understanding. Some of the most pious individuals, though they sacrificially commit themselves to the achievement of Torah erudition, attain only limited understanding. There are many more people studying Torah today than ever before, but few who are prepared to make the necessary commitment to think.

“None are a wise as one with the experience.” (Akeida 14) Most unfortunately, my wife and I know the great pain caused by the loss of a child. I have only my late father to thank for having taught me to think and at times even question, but to remain faithful to G-d and to retain an absolute belief in His existence and yes, even mercy. My father was a disciple of one of the greatest men of faith the Jews have ever known, the Chofetz Chaim.

I have reviewed curriculum of many yeshivot and orthodox schools. Rarely, if at all, is the faith of the Jew from a Torah perspective ever taught or discussed. The new realities facing today’s Jew demands qualitative thinking. Today’s Jew is exposed to many forms of higher learning and various disciplines of thought. Even those raised in a self-contained Torah world will have subconscious doubts if denied the tools of thought and opportunities to use them. Torah is truth; and as such will tolerate the scrutiny of any thinking person and will triumph over every doubt.

The tragic parents suffered a mortal wound. May G-d spare us all from this horrific pain but with support and thought, even those who suffer such an unthinkable tragedy can rise from the darkness of their world to find the light of life again.

Who knows the way of God? Those who experience an extraordinary tragedy will find little comfort in the words or even love of others. From both personal and professional experience, I discovered the only source for comfort is the belief that at least G-d knows why.

Survivors of tragic loss are quick to question and blame, only to discover the futility of this exercise. This who have been taught faith and have experienced adequate thought and teaching in the belief of G-d will have the strength of their convictions. Hashem will take them by the hand, leading them down the path of hope and the resumption of life.

Shabbat Shalom