Jewish Faith and the King's Four Sons

The purpose of the chapter is to elucidate the grammar of ‘faith’ in Judaism. The author of the chapter argues that it functions as a ‘family resemblance’ concept, with diverse manifestations and no shared essence. Focusing on the presumed importance of faith as belief in some core principles and on the presumed significance of faith as trust, the author argues for the limited role of the so-called Principles of Judaism and emphasizes the key role of subversive narratives of protest and doubt in Jewish liturgy. Relying on a brief passage from tractate semachot, in which Rabbi Akiva describes the King’s four sons’ different manners of responding to affliction, and reflecting on the mishnaic concept of ‘controversy for the sake of heaven’, the author of this chapter proceeds to argue that the diverse visions of faith have a normative significance. ‘Faith’ in Judaism is a ‘family resemblance’ concept both descriptively and, for some, normatively too.