Moses Mendelssohn: A New Jewish Faith

Moses Mendelssohn: A New Jewish Faith

‘Among the precepts and statues of the Mosaic law there is none saying “Thou shalt believe” or “Thou shalt not believe”; all say “Thou shalt do” or not do. Faith accepts no commands; it accepts only what comes to it by way of reasoned conviction. All commandments of the divine law are addressed to the will, to man’s capacity to act.’ (Glatzer 511).

In considering who is a Jew, one must first gather a concrete conception of Judaism. Moses Mendelssohn offers some helpful material in “A Definition of Judaism,” which can be found in The Judaic Tradition. Mendelssohn’s interpretation agrees with the opinions of certain political philosophers, in his discussion of Judaism as a religion based primarily on reason. His belief that “revelation… pertains to precepts of conduct and laws of action…” make Judaism appear as a very different religion from its relatives. Mendelssohn’s characterization of faith as an idea arrived at through reason and understanding reveals a great deal about individual Jews.

“Among the precepts and statues of the Mosaic law there is none saying ‘Thou shalt believe’ or ‘Thou shalt not believe’; all say ‘Thou shalt do’ or not do” (Glatzer 511). Mendelssohn’s first goal with this passage is to develop a definition of Judaism as a religion with a different form than that of Christianity. Christianity, a religion deeply rooted in the traditional notion of faith, asks primarily that its followers believe in Jesus Christ as their savior and reaffirm this belief through custom. Mendelssohn rejects this concept of faith outright, arguing “true faith is based on reason alone and thus is equally accessible to all men” (Glatzer 509). Action and conscious thought in Judaism are held in higher regard than passive belief. Those who question their beliefs and begin to arrive at the reason for divine legislation develop a stronger conception of Judaism and move closer to God.

In saying that “Faith accepts no commands…” Mendelssohn intimates that those who develop their faith as a result of a forceful command (e.g. “Believe!”) lose the meaning of the concept. A Jew’s faith “accepts only what comes to it by way of reasoned conviction.” Mendelssohn highlights an integral part of what it means to be a Jew by discussing the acquisition of faith through reason. Moses delivered the Jews the Lord’s commandments of divine law without specific instruction to believe, but rather law “addressed to the will, to man’s capacity to act.