In 2020, the Pew Research Center did a study on the beliefs and practices of the Jewish community. One of the Questions that they asked is, "What are the most essential components to Jewish Identity?". Before I share the studies answers with you, I would like you to break into groups and come up with your top five most essential ingredients for Jewish Identity.
What were your answers? Think about the list. How many of your ingredients are important and how many are essential. Yeast is essential to bread. Without yeast, there is no bread. How many of the answers on your list are essential and how many are important?
What do you think is missing from this list? What about belief in G-d? Is belief in G-d essential to Jewish identity? On one side, G-d is an important element of religion. On the other side, is a Jew that does not believe in G-d still a Jew? Perhaps then, belief in G-d is not essential. Let's ask a different question..
Is belief in G-d a Mitzvah?
How would we go about answering this question? First, how many commandments are there?
In Mesechta Makkot, Rav Simla says that there are 613 Mitzvot. Unfortunately, that is all he says. Rav Simla does not give a list. It is up to others to read the Torah closely and see if they can find all of the places in the Torah where a commandment is mentioned.
There are three classical works that give a list of the Mitzvot. There is the B'Hag - an acronym for Baal Halachot Gedolot, literally Master of the Large Laws, written by Shimon Kaira during the Gaonic period 8th century CE. There is Sefer HaMitzvot written by the Rambam - Moshe ben Maiomon (1138-1204) in the 12th century, and Sefer HaChinuch, the book of instruction published anonymously in 13th century Spain.
So the solution is easy. We look at these works and see if they include "Belief in G-d" in the list. There is a problem......
For the most part, these works agree on the mitzvot. There are few cases where they don't. This is one of those cases. Rambam's Sefer HaMitzvot and the Sefer HaChinuch both have "Belief in G-d" as mitzvah. The B'Hag does not.
Who is correct? - What do you think?
Maimonides, the Rambam (1138- 1204) was one of the most influential and prolific writers of his time. The Rambam went through the Talmud and pulled out those references to practical Jewish law. While the Talmud can be more like a stream of consciousness, the Rambam organized works according to subject matter. This work became the Mishneh Torah. The Rambam also listed what he felt were the 613 mitzvot in the "Sefer HaMitzvot" and he wrote a philosophical work called, "Morah Nevuchim" or "The Guide for the Perplexed"
In the Sefer HaMitzvot, the Rambam lists "Belief in G-d" as a mitzvah as the first mitzvah.
The Sefer HaChinukh lists the mitzvot in the order that they are found in the Chumash. The work starts with "Be fruitful and multiply" as mitzvah #1. "Belief in G-d" is Mitzvah 25 - here is the Sefer HaChinukh's explanation. It is a bit long. But it is in agreement with the Rambam.
(א) מִצְוַת הַאֲמָנָה בִּמְצִיאוּת הַשֵּׁם – לְהַאֲמִין שֶׁיֵּשׁ לָעוֹלָם אֱלֹהַּ אֶחָד, שֶׁהִמְצִיא כָּל הַנִּמְצָא וּמִכֹּחוֹ וְחֶפְצוֹ הָיָה כָּל מָה שֶׁהוּא וְשֶׁהָיָה וְשֶׁיִּהְיֶה לַעֲדֵי עַד, וְכִי הוּא הוֹצִיאָנוּ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם וְנָתַן לָנוּ אֶת הַתּוֹרָה. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בִּתְחִלַּת נְתִינַת הַתּוֹרָה (שמות כ ב) אָנֹכִי ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֲשֶׁר הוֹצֵאתִיךָ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם וְגוֹ'. וּפֵרוּשׁוֹ כְּאִלּוּ אָמַר תֵּדְעוּ וְתַאֲמִינוּ שֶׁיֵּשׁ לָעוֹלָם אֱלֹהַּ, כִּי מִלַּת אָנֹכִי תּוֹרָה עַל הַמְּצִיאוּת. וַאֲשֶׁר אָמַר אֲשֶׁר הוֹצֵאתִיךָ וכו' לוֹמַר, שֶׁלֹּא יִפְתֶּה לְבַבְכֶם לָקַחַת עִנְיַן צֵאתְכֶם מֵעַבְדוּת מִצְרַיִם וּמַכּוֹת הַמִּצְרִים דֶּרֶךְ מִקְרֶה, אֶלָּא דְּעוּ שֶׁאָנֹכִי הוּא שֶׁהוֹצֵאתִי אֶתְכֶם בְּחֵפֶץ וּבְהַשְׁגָּחָה, כְּמוֹ שֶׁהִבְטִיחַ לַאֲבוֹתֵינוּ אַבְרָהָם יִצְחָק וְיַעֲקֹב.
(ב) שֹׁרֶשׁ מִצְוָה זוֹ אֵין צָרִיךְ בֵּאוּר. יָדוּעַ הַדָּבָר וְנִגְלֶה לַכֹּל כִּי הָאֱמוּנָה הַזּוֹ יְסוֹד הַדָּת, וַאֲשֶׁר לֹא יַאֲמִין בָּזֶה כּוֹפֵר בָּעִקָּר וְאֵין לוֹ חֵלֶק וּזְכוּת עִם יִשְׂרָאֵל. וְעִנְיַן הַאֲמָנָה הוּא שֶׁיִּקְבַּע בְּנַפְשׁוֹ שֶׁהָאֱמֶת כֵּן וְשֶׁאִי אֶפְשָׁר חִלּוּף (בְּחִלּוּף) זֶה בְּשׁוּם פָּנִים. וְאִם נִשְׁאַל עָלָיו, יָשִׁיב לְכָל שׁוֹאֵל שֶׁזֶּה יַאֲמִין לִבּוֹ וְלֹא יוֹדֶה בְּחִלּוּף זֶה אֲפִלּוּ יֹאמְרוּ לְהָרְגוֹ, שֶׁכָּל זֶה מַחְזִיק וְקוֹבֵעַ הַאֲמָנַת הַלֵּב כְּשֶׁמּוֹצִיא הַדָּבָר מִן הַכֹּחַ אֶל הַפֹּעַל, רְצוֹנִי לוֹמַר כְּשֶׁיָּקִים בְּדִבְרֵי פִּיו מָה שֶׁלִּבּוֹ גּוֹמֵר. וְאִם יִזְכֶּה לַעֲלוֹת בְּמַעֲלוֹת הַחָכְמָה וּלְבָבוֹ (ישעיהו ו י) יָבִין וּבְעֵינָיו יִרְאֶה בְּמוֹפֵת נֶחְתָּךְ, שֶׁהַאֲמָנָה הַזֹּאת שֶׁהֶאֱמִין אֱמֶת וּבָרוּר, אִי אֶפְשָׁר לִהְיוֹת דָּבָר בִּלְתִּי זֶה, אָז יְקַיֵּם מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה זוֹ מִצְוָה מִן הַמֻּבְחָר.
(ג) דִּינֵי מִצְוָה זוֹ, כְּגוֹן מַה שֶׁמְּחֻיָּב עָלֵינוּ לְהַאֲמִין עָלָיו שֶׁכָּל הַיְּכֹלֶת וְכָל הַגְּדֻלָּה וְהַגְּבוּרָה וְהַתִּפְאֶרֶת וְכָל הַהוֹד וְכָל הַבְּרָכָה וְכָל הַקִּיּוּם בּוֹ, וְשֶׁאֵין בָּנוּ כֹּחַ וְשֵׂכֶל לְהַשִּׂיג וּלְהַגִּיד גָּדְלוֹ וְטוּבוֹ, כִּי לְרֹב מַעֲלָתוֹ וְהוֹדוֹ לֹא יֻשַּׂג רַק לְעַצְמוֹ, וְלִשְׁלֹל מִמֶּנּוּ בְּכָל כֹּחֵנוּ כָּל חֶסְרוֹן וְכָל מָה שֶׁהוּא הֵפֶךְ כָּל שְׁלֵמוּת וְכָל מַעֲלָה. וְהָעִנְיָנִים הַיּוֹצְאִים מִזֶּה, כְּגוֹן לָדַעַת שֶׁהוּא נִמְצָא שָׁלֵם, בִּלְתִּי גּוּף וְלֹא כֹּחַ בְּגוּף, כִּי הַגּוּפִים יַשִּׂיגוּם הַחֶסְרוֹנוֹת, וְהוּא בָּרוּךְ הוּא לֹא יַשִּׂיגֵהוּ מִין מִמִּינֵי הַחֶסְרוֹן, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ. וּשְׁאָר דְּבָרִים רַבִּים הַנֶּאֱמָרִים בְּעִנְיָן זֶה, כֻּלָּם מְבֹאָרִים בְּסִפְרֵי יוֹדְעֵי חָכְמַת הָאֱלֹהוּת. אַשְׁרֵי הַזּוֹכִים אֵלֶיהָ, כִּי אָז יְקַיְּמוּ מִצְוָה זוֹ עַל בֻּרְיָהּ (הל' יסודי התורה פ"א).
(ד) וְנוֹהֶגֶת בְּכָל מָקוֹם וּבְכָל זְמַן בִּזְכָרִים וּנְקֵבוֹת. וְעוֹבֵר עָלֶיהָ, אֵין לוֹ חֵלֶק וּזְכוּת עִם יִשְׂרָאֵל, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַרְנוּ. וְזֹאת מִן הַמִּצְוֹת שֶׁאֵין לָהֶם זְמַן יָדוּעַ, שֶׁכָּל יְמֵי הָאָדָם חַיָּב לִחְיוֹת בְּמַחְשָׁבָה זוֹ.
(1) The commandment of belief in God: To believe that the world has one God that caused all that exists, and that all that is, and was, and will be forever and ever, is from His power and His will; and that He took us out of Egypt and gave us the Torah — as it is stated (Exodus 20:2), “I am the Lord, your God, Who took you out of the land of Egypt, etc.” And its understanding is as if it said, “Know and believe that there is one God” — since the word, “I,” indicates existence. And that which it stated, “Who took you out, etc.,” is to say that your hearts not seduce you to take the matter of your leaving the slavery of Egypt and the plagues of Egypt as the way of happenstance; but rather you should know that I am the One Who took you out with will and providence — as He promised our forefathers, Avraham, Yitschak and Yaakov.
(2) The root of this commandment does not need elucidation. The matter is known and revealed to all that this belief is the foundation of the religion, and that one who does not believe in it denies a fundamental principle and has no share and merit with Israel. And the content of the belief is that he fix in his soul that such is the truth and that a change of (about a change of) this in any way be impossible. And if he be asked about it, he will respond to any enquirer that his heart believes this and he will not assent to a change in it, even if they say they will kill him [as a result]. As all of this — when he takes the thing from the potential to actuality, by which I mean to say when he puts into the words of his mouth what his heart decides — strengthens and fixes the belief of the heart. And if one merits to rise in the levels of wisdom, “his heart will understand and his eyes will see” with a sealed proof that this belief that he believed is true and clear — it is impossible that there be something besides this — then he will fulfill this positive commandment [in the best way].
(3) The laws of this commandment — for example, that which it obligates us to believe about Him that all power and all greatness and strength and glory and all majesty and all blessing and all existence are in Him, and that we do not have the power or the intellect to grasp and to speak out His greatness and goodness, since His great virtue and majesty is only grasped by Himself; to deny about Him with all of our strength any lacking and anything that is the opposite of all perfections and all virtues, and the matters that come out from this, for example, to know that He is a perfect Being, without a body and not a power of a body, since deficiencies affect bodies, whereas He, may He be blessed, is not affected by any type of deficiency, as we have said; and all the many things about this matter — are all elucidated in the books of those that know the wisdom of theology. Happy are those that merit it, as they can then fulfill this commandment with clarity (Mishneh Torah, Laws of Foundations of the Torah 1).
(4) And [it] is practiced in every place and at all times by males and females. And one who transgresses it has no portion and merit with Israel, as we have said. And this is from the commandments that do not have a specific time, since a man must live with this thought all the days of his life.
The B'Hag does not list "Belief in G-d" as a mitzvah and since he came first, he does not explain why he made this choice. The Ramban, Rabbi Moshe ben Nachman, 1194-1270, explains the B'hag's thinking.
"The B'hag only includes in his count of the mitzvot things that can either be done, or, not be done. Belief is something that we do not have control of. We either believe or we don't. Belief, for the generation of Jews that left Egypt, was automatic. They experienced miracles and wonders. The divine presences was revealed to them at Sinai. That experience became the foundation of the Judaism. It is the root and source from which all the other mitzvot flow. As it says in the Mekhilta, a Halachic Midrash, that when one accepts G-d's kingship, one accepts the concept of mitzvot.
What do you think? Who makes the best case?
Interestingly, the Ramban himself agrees with the Rambam and feels that "Belief in G-d" is a mitzvah.
Chasdai Crescas, (1340-1410) a Jewish philosopher from Spain strengthens the case of the B'hag. He writes, "Those who include "Belief in G-d" in the count of mitzvot make a big mistake. Their source is the utterance "I am the Lord your G-d who brought you out of the land of Egypt". Does anyone entertain for a moment that this utterance could have been from another being? No, it is from G-d. As soon as one hears this utterance belief in G-d is automatic. In this case the mitzvah, if it is a mitzvah, would have been done before being enumerated and this would ultimately foolish"
Think of it this way. A commandment is a relationship between the commander, the commandment, and the commandee. As soon as person accepts that there is a commander giving the commandment the commandment of belief would occur automatically. Alternatively, without a belief in a commander, there would be no commandments.
What do you think? Anyone still agree with the Rambam? Do we just go with the B'hag?
In the introduction to the Sefer HaMitzvot - the Rambam lays down 14 principles that help him determine whether something is a mitzvah or not.
1) It is inappropriate to count as a mitzvah a rabbinic commandment.
Chanukah Candles, Reciting the Megillah, Reciting Hallel etc. There are many practices which we recite blessings for which are not biblical mitzvot.
2) It is not appropriate to count as a mitzvah a commandment that must be derived by one of the 13 principles of derivation
3) It is not appropriate to count as a mitzvah a commandment that is not incumbent on all generations.
4) It is not appropriate to count as a mitzvah a commandment that includes the whole Torah - for example, "Follow my Laws" Vayikra 19:19
5) It is not appropriate to count as a mitzvah a commandment that includes the reason for a commandment as a thing in and of itself.
6) Those commandments which have both a positive and negative component will be counted in both the list of positive and negative commandments.
7) It is not appropriate to count in the commandments, details of the commandments
8)It is inappropriate to count the negation of a positive commandment as a negative commandment - i.e. Don't miss
9) It is inappropriate to count the the statements of the positive and negative commandments, but rather the items commanded or prohibited by them. - the commandments fall into 4 buckets - Beliefs, Actions, Traits, and speech.
10)It is not appropriate to count preliminaries of mitzvot as mitzvot. for example - You should take fine flour and bake of it....
11) It is not appropriate to count the parts of a mitzvah when the mitzvah combines together to form one unified thing.
12) It is not appropriate to count parts of the work that are necessary by the command on its own.
13) The count of the commandment increases depending on the number of days that the commandment is required.
14) Fences - boundaries instituted to prevent the community from violating commandments are in and of themselves not commandments.
It would seem that including the mitzvah of "Belief in G-d" that Rambam is violating his own directive. There is a qualitative difference between our belief today and the belief of the first generation. Have you ever seen a miracle? Something like the splitting of the sea or fiery hail? For us, in later generations belief is accepting miracles and the possibility of revelation. What about the people that experienced it? Either it happened..... and it is more akin to knowledge than belief or it didn't and that opens up a whole host of problems.
There is another issue, the Rambam was one of the smartest philosophers in Jewish history. How could he have missed this argument. He was familiar with the B'Hag's work. Also, most authorities agree with Rambam. Yet, the B'hags argument as explained by the Ramban and Chasdai Crescas is so strong, How do we come up with a solution?