“The biblical word emuna, usually translated as “faith,” does not mean this at all. It is not a cognitive attribute, meaning something you believe to be true. It belongs to an entirely different sphere of discourse. It is a moral attribute and means faithfulness, as in a marriage. Faith in the Hebrew Bible is the story of a love-the love of God for creation, for humanity, and for a particular family, the children of Abraham, a love full of passion but one that is not always, or even offering it, reciprocated.”

This passage, along with the following source, offer R. Sacks’ definition of emunah as “faithfulness, fidelity, or loyalty.”

Sacks sees the essence of faith not in cognitive agreement to certain assertions. He sees it primarily in an attitude, a stance when facing the world. It is not so much about belief in a particular truth claim, as much as it is about a commitment to a way of living that stems from (a risky and unprovable) sense that what we do with our time on earth matters.

Here's what students will take away from this source:

• According to Rabbi Sacks, emunah - "faith" - is not about "belief," but instead connotes an attitude of commitment and fidelity, even in the face of uncertainty or hardship.

Key questions that will be explored throughout this section:

1. What does the word “faith”/emunah mean?
2. What does it mean for a person to have faith?
3. How does faith influence a person’s experience, actions, commitments in the world?

What things are we loyal to? What does that fidelity consist of? Think of friends, family members, a school, favorite sports team - what makes us loyal to these things? Where does that loyalty come from? What actions stem from loyalty? What would disqualify someone as loyal?