The Mitzvah of Belief

in G-d
By Rabbi Joshua Flug

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I. Introduction- This shiur outline is the next in our basics of Judaism. It will focus on the
mitzvah to believe in G-d. We will discuss whether there is a mitzvah and what that
mitzvah is.
II. Is there a mitzvah to believe in G-d?
a. The verse "Anochi etc.," does not have any directive in it. It is a statement that G-d
took us out Egypt. {} This may lead one to the conclusion that it was not a
"commandment" and therefore, not a mitzvah.
i. There may be other verses that are the source for the mitzvah. Most notable
the verse "V'yadata hayom." {}
b. The Gemara states that one can derive the number 613 from the verse "‫תורה צוה לנו‬
‫משה‬." The word Torah is 611 in gematria and those represent the mitzvos that were
given to the Jewish People by Moshe Rabbeinu. The first two "commandments" were
given by G-d himself at Har Sinai. Therefore, the sum total of all mitzvos is 613. {}
This implies that that the first two commandments are mitzvos.
c. The Mechilta comments on the second commandment and states that G-d first stated
"Anochi" and then "Lo yihiyeh" for the following reason: It is comparable to a king
who is about to issue decrees. Before he issues the decrees, he demands that he is
accepted as the king. G-d did the same thing by first stating "Anochi" which means
accept me as the King and then "Lo yihiyeh" and all of the other mitzvos follow. {}
The statement of the Mechilta implies that there is no mitzvah of belief in G-d per se.
It is a prerequisite to all other mitzvos.
d. Rambam's opinion
i. Rambam (1138-1204), in Mishneh Torah writes that there is a mitzvah to
know that there is a G-d. {}
1. Rambam writes that the source for this mitzvah is "Anochi." {}
ii. In Rambam's Sefer HaMitzvos he writes that there is a mitzvah to believe in
G-d. {}
1. R. Chaim Heller notes that our version of Rambam's Sefer HaMitzvos
may not be an accurate translation from the Arabic and it is possible
that in Sefer HaMitzvos he tried to convey knowledge and not belief.
{}
2. If one does accept that Rambam in Sefer HaMitzvos intentionally
wrote "to believe," there are resolutions to the apparent contradiction
which will be discussed later.
iii. There are a number of questions that are asked on Rambam's position that
there is a mitzvah to believe/know:
 1. Ramban (1194-1270) notes that R. Yehudai Gaon (8th century)
omitted the mitzvah of believing in G-d from his list of 613 mitzvos.
Ramban posits that there are a number of reasons why he omitted it: {}
a. Categorizing something as a mitzvah generally connotes a
directive to do something or refrain from something. How can
a belief be categorized as a mitzvah?
b. This is not just a mitzvah. It is the backbone of all other
mitzvos. How can one categorize it as an individual mitzvah?
c. If it is a mitzvah, why didn't the Torah state "Believe that I am
G-d who took you out of Egypt etc."?
2. R. Chasdai Kreskas (c. 1340-1410) questions how one can have a
system of rules where one of the rules is to believe that the one who
provided the rules exists? How can you have commandments without
first believing in a commander? {}
III. The Nature of the Mitzvah
a. One can answer the questions asked on those who count the mitzvah of belief in G-d
as a mitzvah by further exploring the nature of the mitzvah.
b. When Rambam presents the mitzvah of knowing that there is a G-d, he presents more
details about G-d, including the fact that nothing can exists without Him and that He
is the source of all creation. {} R. Yitzchak Abarbanel (1437-1508) suggests that
Rambam is not giving a philosophy lesson to open his sefer on Halacha. Rather,
Rambam's position is that basic belief in G-d is a prerequisite to the mitzvah, but
knowledge of certain tenets of faith that deal with G-d's existence are part of the
mitzvah. Therefore, R. Chasdai's question is answered. The mitzvos already
presupposes a creator. The mitzvah of "Anochi" requires more than just a belief in a
creator, but knowledge that He is the source of all creation. {}
i. R Meir Leibush Weiser (Malbim 1809-1879) develops this further. He notes
that all of the details must be acquired through knowledge, not belief. That is
why G-d spoke directly to the Jewish People for the first two commandments.
All other mitzvos were transmitted through Moshe Rabbeinu and we have to
believe that Moshe received the directive from G-d. Regarding the first two
commandments, there had to have been a direct transmission to convey
knowledge. {} [One must add that this suffices as knowledge for later
generations who were not there in that there was a public revelation to
millions of people, something which is impossible to fabricate.]
c. Other Acharonim present a similar approach to R. Abarbanel, but with a different
focus:
i. R. Menachem Mendel Schneersohn (the third Lubavitcher Rebbe 1789-1866)
notes that the mitzvah is action oriented. He addresses R. Yehudai Gaon's
 opinion that one should not count it as a mitzvah and explains that for R.
Yehudai Gaon and others, it is not a mitzvah because it is a belief system. It
is not subject to choice- either you believe or you don't. Rambam agrees that
if the mitzvah just entailed belief, it cannot be counted as a mitzvah.
However, Rambam is of the opinion that the mitzvah is knowledge. The
mitzvah is to delve into understanding G-d as much as the human mind
allows. As such, the Torah already assumes that one has basic faith. The
mitzvah that the Torah is adding is the mitzvah to concretize one's faith and
turn it into knowledge. {}
1. R. Moshe Chaim Luzzatto (1707-1746) writes that knowledge of G-d
is something which requires constant pursuit. {}
ii. R. Menachem Krakovski (1870-1929) presents a similar approach. He notes
that if the mitzvah was just belief, one could not count it as a mitzvah because
belief is a prerequisite to all mitzvos. However, since the mitzvah is
knowledge, there is more to the mitzvah than belief and it can be counted as a
mitzvah. {}
d. There are other presentations of the mitzvah that would also answer the question in a
similar manner:
i. R. Schneersohn notes that "Emunah" may not refer to basic faith, but to the
concepts that the mind cannot comprehend. The mitzvah of knowing G-d
relates to His existence and His involvement in the world. His essence is
beyond our comprehension and therefore included in Emunah. {}
ii. R Elazar M.M. Shach (1899-2001) presents a similar idea from R. Chaim
Soloveitchik (1853-1918). R. Chaim suggests that knowledge refers to things
that we can comprehend. Emunah refers to the things that we can't
comprehend. When Rambam writes in Sefer HaMitzvos that we have a
mitzvah of Emunah, it means that we have an obligation to believe the ideas
that we cannot comprehend. Belief is a requirement for the ideas that we can
comprehend. {}
iii. R. Shimshon Refael Hirsch (1808-1888) writes that the mitzvah of "Anochi"
does not just include knowledge that G-d created the world or that he is the
source of creation. It connotes that fact that G-d runs the world on a daily
basis. He is continually involved in our existence. Our mitzvah of "Anochi"
is not just belief or knowledge but an acceptance of G-d's role in each
individual's life. {}
IV. The Prohibition against believing in other deities: Is it the opposite of the mitzvah to
believe in G-d?
a. The Torah states that one may not have another God. {}
b. The Mechilta states that this prohibition is a prohibition against owning idols that one
did not create. {}
c. Rambam seems to understand that the Mechilta's interpretation is an additional level
of interpretation. The main interpretation of the verse is that it is prohibited to think
that there is another God.
i. In Mishneh Torah he writes "‫"כל המעלה על דעתו‬. {}
ii. In Sefer HaMitzvos he writes "‫שהזהרנו מהאמין‬." {}
iii. Either way, the prohibition is thought oriented.
d. R. Moshe ben Ya'akov of Coucy (Semag, 13th century) also writes that the prohibition
is thought oriented and uses the same term as Rambam to describe the prohibition (
‫)להעלות בדעתו‬. He writes that although the Mechilta has an interpretation, the simple
meaning of the text indicates a prohibition against believing/accepting another G-d.
{}
i. R. Shlomo Luria (1510-1574) explains that the words "‫ "לך‬and "‫"על פני‬
indicate that it is something that one can violate even if only G-d knows about
the prohibition (i.e., it can be violated through machshava). {}
e. Ramban writes that the prohibition is to accept another God. {} The question is: Is
this different than Rambam's interpretation? Does Rambam prohibit even
entertaining the idea that there is another God or does one only violate the prohibition
if one accepts it as truth?
i. This question can be analyzed from a different perspective in light of the
discussion about the Mitzvah to believe in G-d. According to Rambam, there
is a basic belief that is a prerequisite to acceptance of mitzvos. The mitzvah is
really to know/acquire knowledge about the existence of G-d. As such, it is
possible that one violates the prohibition by failure to accept the idea that
there is only one G-d- by entertaining the possibility of another God.
Alternatively, it is possible that one only violates the prohibition in the same
manner as one fulfills the mitzvah- By accepting another God as a truth.
ii. R. Abarbanel writes that belief in one G-d is so basic to understanding G-d
that if one does not accept that as a premise, it is as if he denies the whole
concept of knowing G-d. He seems to follow the approach that even
entertaining the possibility of another God is a violation because it is a flaw in
one's belief system. {}
f. The Gemara states that one gets punished for thoughts in the area of Avodah Zarah
and quotes a verse (Yechezkel 14:5) to support this idea. {} The Acharonim ask: If
Rambam is correct that one violates the prohibition of ‫ לא יהיה לך‬by thinking that there
is another God, why does the Gemara quote a source from Yechezkel? Why not
quote the verse of ‫?לא יהיה לך‬
i. R. Yehuda Loew (Maharal c. 1520-1609) writes that one could have
interpreted ‫ לא יהיה לך‬as being thought oriented or action oriented. From the
verse in Yechezkel, we see that it is thought oriented. {}
 ii. R. Chaim Ibn Attar (1696-1743) suggests that the verse in Yechezkel teaches
that there is a punishment for thinking about Avodah Zarah. Every
punishment comes with a warning. The warning is the verse ‫לא יהיה לך‬. {}
V. Are Non-Jews required to believe in G-d?
a. If one accepts the premise that there cannot be mitzvos without first accepting the
existence of the commander, it would stand to reason that non-Jews must have to at
least have a basic belief in G-d.
b. Rambam writes that the a non-Jew is considered one of the chasidei umos ha'olam if
he keeps the seven mitzvos as a function of a commandment from G-d delivered by
Moshe Rabbeinu. {} According to Rambam, although a non-Jew doesn't have a
mitzvah of emunah, he must believe in certain tenets in order for the seven mitzvos to
be relevant.
i. R. Moshe Feinstein (1895-1986) takes this a step further. He writes that a
non-Jew has an obligation to daven in times of crisis because that is part of
having emunah. {}
ii. There is a letter that was rumored to have been written by Rambam that states
that a non-Jew gains his portion in the next world by acquiring knowledge
about G-d and refining his character traits. The letter is recorded by R. Moshe
Alashkar (1466-1542). {}
 ‫‪ .8‬הערות הרב חיים העליר לספר המצוות שם‬ ‫‪ .1‬שמות כ‪:‬א‪-‬ג‬
‫ואמנם בגוף הערבי כתובה מלת אעתקאד שבאמת יש‬
‫לה גם מובן דעת ושפיר נוכל לתרגם שצונו בידיעת‬
‫האלהות והוא שנדע וידידי החכם הפרופיסור מ' יצחק‬
‫מיטוואך )הי"ו( ז"ל העירני מספרו של ר"ס גאון‬
‫שנקרא בערבית כתאב אל אמאנאת ואל‪-‬אעתקאדאת‬
‫ותורגם בשם האמונות והדעות‬ ‫‪ .2‬דברים ד‪:‬לט‬
‫‪ .9‬רמב"ן השגות למ"ע א'‬

‫‪ .3‬מכות כג‪-:‬כד‪.‬‬

‫‪ .10‬אור ה'‪-‬הצעה‬
‫‪ .4‬מכילתא פרשת יתרו פרשה ו‬

‫‪ .5‬רמב"ם הל' יסודי התורה א‪:‬א‬

‫‪ .11‬רמב"ם הל' יסודי התורה א‪:‬ב‪-‬ה‬ ‫‪ .6‬רמב"ם הל' יסודי התורה א‪:‬ו‬

‫‪ .7‬רמב"ם ספר המצוות מצות עשה א'‬

‫‪ .14‬דרך מצותיך מצות האמנת אלקות פרק ב‬ ‫‪ .12‬ראש אמנה פרק ז‬

‫‪ .13‬מלבי"ם יתרו כ‪:‬א‬

‫‪ .15‬דעת תבונות א‪:‬א‬

‫‪ .16‬עבודת המלך יסודי התורה א‪:‬א‬

‫‪ .17‬דרך מצותיך מצות האמנת אלקות פרק ב‬

‫‪ .20‬מכילתא פרשת יתרו פרשה ו‬ ‫‪ .18‬אבי עזרי הל' תשובה ט‪:‬א‬

‫‪ .21‬רמב"ם ספר המצוות ל"ת א'‬

‫‪ .22‬סמ"ג לא תעשה א'‬

‫‪ .19‬פירוש רש"ר הירש שמות כ‪:‬ב‬

‫‪ .23‬עמודי שלמה מצוה א'‬
 ‫‪ .27‬תפארת ישראל פרק לח‬ ‫‪ .24‬השגות הרמב"ן לל"ת א'‬

‫‪ .25‬ראש אמנה פרק כ'‬

‫‪ .28‬אור החיים שמות כ‪:‬ב‬

‫לא יהיה לך וגו'‪ .‬פירוש לצד שקדם לצוות על אמונתו‬
‫יתברך והוא דבר שעיקרו בלב לזה אמר כי כמו כן‬
‫יצטרך להרחיק מלבו אלהות הזולת הגם שלא יוציאנו‬
‫בשפתיו‪ ,‬והוא שדקדק לומר בתיבת לך פירוש אפילו‬
‫במחשבתך‪ ,‬וכפי זה מצינו אזהרה למחשבת עבודה זרה‬
‫שאמרו ז"ל )קידושין ל"ט ב( בפסוק )יחזקאל י"ד(‬
‫למען תפוש וגו' שה' מעניש על מחשבת עבודה זרה‬
‫ואמרו ז"ל )זבחים קו ב( אין עונש בלא אזהרה‪ ,‬הרי‬
‫לך אזהרתו‪.‬‬
‫‪ .26‬קדושין לט‪:‬‬
‫‪ .29‬רמב"ם הל' מלכים ח‪:‬יא‬
‫‪ .31‬שו"ת מהר"ם אלשקר ס' קיז‬ ‫‪ .30‬אגרות משה או"ח ב‪:‬כה‬
 1. Shemot 20:1-3 (JPS Translation)
1 And God spoke all these
words, saying: 2 I am the
LORD thy God, who brought
thee out of the land of
Egypt, out of the house of
bondage. Thou shalt have
no other gods before Me.

2. Makkot 23b-24a (Soncino Translation)

What is the [authentic] text
for this? It is, Moses
commanded us torah, an
inheritance of the
congregation of Jacob, 'torah' being in letter-value, equal to six hundred and
eleven, 'I am' and 'Thou shalt have no [other Gods]' [not being reckoned,
because] we heard from the mouth of the Might [Divine].

3. Rambam, Hilchot Yesodei HaTorah 1:1 (O'Levy Translation)

It is the most basic of basic
principles and a support for
wisdom to know that there
is something [namely God]
that existed before
anything else did and that He created everything that there is. Everything in
the skies, on the ground and in between exists only because of the fact that
He created them.

4. Rambam, Hilchot Yesodei HaTorah 1:6 (O'Levy Translation)

It is a positive
commandment to know
these matters, for it is
written, "I am the Lord your
God". Anyone who even
speculates that there might
be a god other than the Lord is transgressing a negative commandment, for
it is written, "You shall have no other gods besides Me". Anyone who denies
this principle is [in effect] denying everything, for it is on this important
principle that everything depends.

5. Ramban, Hasagot to Mitzvat Aseh no. 1

It would seem from the
opinion of Ba'al HaHalachot
that one only includes in the
list of 613 mitzvot
commandments that G-d
commanded us to perform
or activities that He commanded to refrain from. However, belief in His
existence -that He appeared to use with signs, wonders and the presence of
the Shechina- is the principle and root with which the mitzvot exist and
should not be counted …

6. Rosh Amanah Chapter 7

The intent of the rabbi [Rambam] in
all of his words and all of his books
is that the first principle and the first
mitzvah is that we believe that G-d,
who we already know exists, has an
existence that is more primary and
more complete than anything else
that exists … If one would imagine
that He did not exist, nothing else
would have existence. If one would
imagine that nothing else existed,
He would still exist …

7. Avodat HaMelech, Hilchot Yesodei HaTorah 1:1

Behold, R. Chasdai, in his
book entitled Ohr HaShem
wrote in the introduction
"Since the root of the
beginning of the Divine
Torah is belief in the
existence of G-d, it is self
explanatory that the
Torah's organization and
commandments come from
an Organizer and
Commander … For this
reason those who counted
belief in G-d as a positive
commandment made a
famous mistake" His words are directed out our rabbi [Rambam] and his
count … According to what we said, his question is not warranted because
our rabbi will certainly agree that basic belief in the existence of G-d is
primary and one cannot have a commandment without first knowing who
provided the commandment. However, there is also a positive
commandment to know G-d. For this commandment, we already have
accepted a Commander as part of our basic belief.

8. Rambam, Hilchot Melachim 8:11

Everyone who
accepts the
seven laws and is careful to perform them, this person is one of the pious of
the nations of the world, and he has a portion in the world to come. This
applies to one who accepts them and will do them because G-d commanded
them in the Torah, and informed us by means of Moshe Rabbenu, that
Noachides were previously commanded concerning these laws. But if he
does them because of an intellectual decision, then he is not an official
resident [of Israel] and is not of the pious of the nations of the world or its
wise men.