This week I hosted over 40 people to my home for a discussion on Belief titled: Can you be Jewish if you don’t believe in G-d? I share with you one of the ideas discussed that I believe can relate to most of us.

Rabbi Chasdai Crescas, 14th Century Jewish scholar and philosopher sought to clarify the following law: How does one fulfil the mitzvah of belief in G-d. He explained that you fulfil this precept through trying to believe in G-d.  Many of us go through different stages in our days and lives. Sometimes belief comes easy, sometimes hard, if at all. But as long as we don’t give up on G-d entirely and stop caring, as long as we are involved in the struggle towards the truth and still searching, we are considered as ‘believers’ and should not feel any less worthy or Jewish because of that struggle.

I heard it said: Challenges are what make life interesting. Overcoming them is what makes life meaningful.

Wishing you all a meaningful Shabbat,

Rabbi Yossi and Chana Raizel Friedman