How We Get Faith Wrong
When we try to define "faith" we find it is somewhat prone to misapprehension. You know we're off to a bad start when a popular English dictionary gives you eight different meanings¹. How can such a critical concept be so obscured?
A studious friend of mine recently undertook a study of the Hebrew word commonly translated as Faith. His findings shed light on how a seemingly small misconception can have massive implications on one's worldview and how one lives that out on a practical level. Building upon a faulty foundation can have devastating consequences, no matter how beautiful the edifice which stands upon it.
Yet, when we try to define "faith" we find it is somewhat prone to misapprehension. You know we're off to a bad start when a popular English dictionary returns eight different meanings¹. How can such a critical concept be so obscured?
If we group the above eight definitions, they seem to divide into two categories;
- Belief in something despite the lack of evidence
- Belief in doctrines or theological frameworks
Let's explore how these miss the mark and how we might understand this elusive concept.
Emunah and Faithfulness
The Hebrew word translated as faith is the word "Emunah" (אמנה). Emunah shares a root with the word Uman (אוּמָן), which means "Craft", or "Skill"². It also shares a root with the word "Amen", which some understand as a kind of punctuation or declarative statement, as one might say, "Indeed!".
Emunah is action-oriented. This is not uncommon in Hebrew, as we see in the word "Shema", which means to listen and obey. A more functional translation for Emunah might then be "faithfulness", which begins the divergence from the popular understanding of faith.
Conceptualizing faith as mere beliefs [ie: doctrinal ideas] leads one down a very different path. Often, this is observed when one arrives at a certain understanding of an idea and locks it into place.
This is the purpose of what is known as a "Statement of Faith". In this, a core set of unifying beliefs are documented and published, requiring consensus for one to join a community, often a church. Normally, these ideas are rarely re-evaluated, if at all. Needless to say, if one finds they no longer 'believe' one or more of these, they may find themselves on the outside of that community.
On this, 19th-century scholar, Rav Hirsch³ writes:
To define Emunah as "faith" is to empty the term of its true content. Belief is an act of the mind sometimes only an opinion. ... through this, religion has been divorced from life and converted into a catechism of doctrines, and faith slogans, required for admission to the hereafter.
Instead, Emunah is an ongoing developmental process. Not content to sit still, Emunah is something that needs ongoing and continued dedication, like a craftsman continually honing their skills. As we grow, the opportunity for Emunah grows with us.
Emunah as Conviction
In a simple sense, Emunah is also a kind of steadfast conviction of something that is true. It is based on reality. This seems close to the popular view, but there is a difference. Given his heightened spiritual acuity, Abraham had such a conviction that G_D would deliver on His promises, no matter how unlikely they seemed.
This is also evident in the run-up to the events of the Exodus when we're told in Exodus 4:31, "and the people believed ויאמן". They stood firm, recognizing that G_D had "heard their plight" and was working on their behalf as He dismantled the religious institution of Egypt.
Though tradition tells us that only 20% left Egypt, these few modeled that Emunah can also be quite demanding, requiring us to put one foot in front of the other toward our calling.
Emunah as a Flow State
Another dimension you might find in the Sod (secret) teachings indicates that Emunah can also be described as a kind of consciousness. In this understanding, Emunah is an abundant energy or force we can tap into - provided we are in the proper spiritual state.
From this sort of flow state, we can maintain an awareness of the Creator. From here, we can begin to grasp that everything in the world is governed by Divine Providence (Hashgachah Pratit) - for the greater good. This is where we want to be.
As Rav Shalom Arush states;
Without Emunah, a person is doomed to a life of confusion, frustration, and costly mistakes that could have been avoided, had that person heeded Hashem's messages. Emunah is our best tool - if not our only tool - for attaining soul correction and completing our designated mission in life.
This takes time to grasp more fully, but this is the nexus of action and conviction. This is what makes Emunah and "Faith" (belief in doctrines and faith statements) vastly different on a practical level. With Emunah, we can begin to understand our purpose, and can properly carry ourselves in a way that glorifies the Creator. This is what is meant by this passage in Hebrews:
"without Emunuah, it is impossible to please G_D"
- Hebrews 11:6
And, we can thus understand how active work is necessary to uphold Emunah. As James said;
"Emunah without works is dead" - James 2:17
The Cost of Getting it Wrong
Adversely, when we live into the former definition of "faith", we will find that our belief in doctrines will be inevitably challenged and often crushed by life. To avoid this, it is not uncommon for one to develop resistance to anything that might cut too deeply into our doctrines. We begin to avoid questions and even those who don't 'believe' what we believe, moving into a defensive position.
Perhaps worst of all, we may miss Hashem's guideposts and way-finders along the road. With Emunah, we will grow to understand that the Torah's commands are the very methods by which we may tap into and develop true Emunah. This is what Paul meant when he quoted Habbakuk in Galatians;
"... but the righteous will live in Emunah”
- Habakkuk 2:4
Narrow Places
Emunah is a critical component of the retelling of the Passover story, and most importantly, in how we internalize this lesson in our lives. This is why the Sages say we should "leave Egypt in each generation"⁵.
Heeding their words, the Chasidic masters ingeniously call attention to the fact that the word for Egypt, Mitzrayim, can also be translated as a "narrow place" or a "place of constriction"⁶. Additionally, the word for "sea" can be translated as the "end"⁷.
Thus, no longer slaves to limitation and constriction, the Israelites fled, finding themselves at the end of their fortitude. From that place, they stepped out into Emunah, entering into the dynamic and timeless covenant with the Creator.
Notes:
¹ https://www.dictionary.com/browse/faith
² https://www.sefaria.org/Jastrow%2C_אוּמָן.1?lang=bi
³ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samson_Raphael_Hirsch
⁴ Rav. Shalom Arush - The Garden of Emunah, pg 28
⁵ "In each and every generation a person must view himself as though he personally left Egypt" - Mishnah Pesachim 10
⁶ It is taught that Mitzrayim is from the root word 'tzar', meaning "narrow".
⁷ Yam Suf (Red Sea). The word for Sea (Suf) can also be read as the end (Sof).
