As I do every year, I was planning on posting something on the occasion of Emunah’s birthday over the long weekend, but I just could not get this out. Yes, I have been sick. And yes, I have been excited and anxious about our son Yishama’s going off to Israel for the year. But I have to admit that the recent discovery of six dead hostages murdered in Gaza has really gotten me down. Like many of us, I am feeing despondent. For many of us we came to know Hersh through the heroic work of his parents. In many ways he became the icon of the hostages and a symbol of hope. With the death of these 6 hostages and the promise of a peace deal so close at hand; there is a pall over everything.

But listening to the powerful eulogy delivered by Hersh’s mother Rachel inspired me. She tenderly spoke to his holy foibles. I cry even thinking about her pain. And in the end she said:

And Hersh, I need you to do one last thing for us…. Now I need YOU to help us to stay strong. And I need YOU to help us to survive

If she has the inner fortitude to look forward, what excuse does any of us have to not do our part?

As I mentioned, for the last 15 years I have been writing this blog. It all started with my the birth of our child Emunah. For most of her life she has been wanted to be called “Emi”, but this year she declared that she wanted to be called “Emunah”. This change of heart on top of this last year of tragic events has given me pause to mature in my own thinking about the meaning of her name.

Emunah is a faith is backed up with action consistent with that assertion. In light of a world with such dire needs, prayers and best wishes are woefully insufficient. In short Emunah is faith in action. Having values is not enough. Withing a traditional frame of Jewish living, that means a life committed to the practice of mitzvot.

In the Talmud in Makkot there is fascinating discussion as to the origin of the 613 mitzvot. What is the foundation for these practices? There we learn:

Isaiah then established the 613 mitzvot upon two, as it is stated: “So says the Lord: Observe justice and perform righteous-ness” (Isaiah 56:1). Amos came and established the 613 mitzvot upon one, as it is stated: “So says the Lord to the house of Israel: Seek Me and live” (Amos 5:4). Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak objects to this: There is no proof that the verse in Amos is establishing all the mitzvot upon one; say that Amos is saying: Seek Me throughout the entire Torah, as the verse does not specify the manner in which one should seek the Lord. Rather, say: Habakkuk came and established the 613 mitzvot upon one, as it is stated: “But the righteous person shall live by his emunah” (Habakkuk 2:4). (Makkot 24a)

According to Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak the foundation for our acting in the world is this quotes from Habakkuk. There we read:

Lo, their spirit within them is puffed up, not upright,
But the righteous are rewarded with life
By his emunah. (Habakkuk 2:4)

In this context Emunah does not mean faith in thought, but rather fidelity in action. We are ultimately judged on our action and not on our thoughts.

We have failed Hersh. But if we are to survive, we must move forward from here. What can we do differently to show up with Emunah? We need to act in a way that makes the world a better place. For me this is a question of Emunah.

Happy Birthday Emunah.

*Other posts I have written about Emunah over the years:

1. Dear Child to Me: On Emunah and this Blog
2. Little Birdy: Emunah and Protecting Our Children
3. 7 Years of Emunah: Reflections on Faith and Fidelity
4. Emunah Second Birthday
5. Our Type of Emunah
6. Our Blessing for Emunah
7. Fearless: On Emunah’s Bat Mitvah and being a Nazir
8. Blessing of Emunah: Reflections of Faith, Fidelity, & Trust for Emunah’s Bat Mitzvah
9. The Speed of Trust: Emunah at 14