Must a Jew Believe Anything?

Professor Kellner is chair of the Department of Philosophy and Jewish Thought, Shalem College, Jerusalem and Wolfson Professor Emeritus of Jewish Thought, University of Haifa.

• Introduction1 Two Types of FaithFaith, Belief, and Trust • Emunah in the Torah • Theology and the Torah • Classical Judaism and the Absence of Dogma2 Rabbinic ThoughtTesting for ‘Required Beliefs’ • An Objection: Mishnah Sanhedrin x. 1 • A Defence of Dogma • Heretics and Sectarians • A ‘Theology’ of Action3 Why Judaism Acquired a Systematic TheologyBehaviour and Belief • Extrinsic Reasons for the Lack of Systematic Theology in Judaism • Why Systematic Theology Developed among the Jews • The Importation of Theology4 Maimonides: Dogma without DogmatismMaimonides’ Dogmas • Maimonides on Inadvertent Heresy • Maimonides on Conversion and the Nature of Faith • Maimonides on Leaving Judaism • Maimonides’ ‘Non-dogmatic’ Dogmas: Science and Religious Faith • Maimonides on Truth • The Logic of Righteousness: Reason and Faith5 Maimonides: Impact, Implications, ChallengesThe Impact • The Implications • Challenges to Maimonides • Was Maimonides Inconsistent? The Karaites6 Heresy-huntingOrthodoxy and Heresy • Theology and Halakhah: A Category Mistake • Three Contemporary Orthodox Statements: Freedom of Enquiry; The Illegitimacy of the Non-Orthodox; Inclusivism • The Three Statements: A Critique • Why has Maimonides’ Position become Dominant? • The Maimonidean Bind7 How to Live with Other JewsAsking the Right Question • So Who or What is a Jew Anyway? • Non-Orthodox Jews and Judaisms • Maimonides and the Objectivity of TruthAfterwordAppendix 1 Maimonides on Reward and PunishmentAppendix 2 The Thirteen PrinciplesAppendix 3 Yigdal and Ani ma’aminNote on TransliterationNote on Citation of Classical SourcesGlossaryBiographical Notes on Jewish ThinkersBibliographyIndex

'An important work in constructive Jewish philosophy by a leading international scholar of the field. It is also important as a document of the kind of thinking that characterizes modern Orthodoxy. The book is intelligent and academically solid as well as thought-provoking and controversial. It is a must read by anyone concerned with modern Jewish life who wants to understand an approach that affirms both Orthodoxy and a pluralistic sense of k'lal Yisrael without compromising integrity and religious commitment.'Norbert Samuelson, CCAR Journal 'Kellner's book makes an important contribution to the possibility of dialogue between the different trends within Judaism and to the possibility of reducing the hostility and tension between them.'Daniel Statman, Ha'aretz 'Kellner is especially provocative. The challenge in his title almost jumps off the page as a cri de coeur, inviting a re-examination of beliefs taken for granted by Orthodox Jews for almost a millennium ... [he] demonstrates with passion and elegance how Maimonides radically transformed Judaism into an "ecclesiastical community" ... his social critique of the implication of dogma uniquely enhances our understanding of the Maimonidean project ... His thesis is an important one and should be read by all, encouraging urgently needed debate in the academy and the four ells of the yeshiva as well,'James A. Diamond, Jewish History 'A main contribution to a very timely question regarding the proper attitude of orthodox Judaism to non-orthodox and non-observant groups ... written with admirable clarity and touches of a highly relevant topic.' Daniel Statman, Journal of Jewish Studies 'This book has much to recommend it. Both scholarly and accessible, it is marked by a humane vision and a passionate commitment to a vibrant, outward looking Orthodox Judaism.'David Berger, Tradition 'Over the last few years, an increasing number of people have been approaching me with crises of faith. One of the resources to which I direct them is Menachem Kellner's Must a Jew Believe Anything? It is, I believe, an outstanding work.'Natan Slifkin, Rationalist Judaism‘Outstanding'David S. Zinberg, Times of Israel