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Wellsprings
hashkafahfeatured in 40 works

Emunah (Faith / Belief)

The foundational Jewish commitment to trust in God's existence, oneness, and care — developed across philosophy, law, and ethical tradition.

Emunah is faith or trust in God — less an intellectual proof than a lived relationship of reliance and loyalty. Jewish thinkers across the centuries have explored its nature: whether it begins in reasoned conviction or in inherited trust, how it differs from mere belief, and how it expresses itself in steadiness through hardship. It stands as one of the foundations of Jewish religious life.

How it traveled

  1. Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael
    Eretz Yisrael (travels) · 250
    explains
  2. Midrash Tanchuma
    Tiberias · 600
    explains
  3. Midrash Tanchuma Buber
    Tiberias · 600
    explains
  4. Bereshit Rabbah
    Tiberias · 600
    explains
  5. Shemot Rabbah
    Tiberias · 600
    explains
  6. Midrash Tehillim
    Eretz Yisrael (travels) · 1050
    explains
  7. Duties of the Heart
    Zaragoza (Saragossa) · 1080
    redefines
  8. Kuzari
    Jerusalem · 1120
    explains
  9. Bekhor Shor
    Orléans · 1145
    explains
  10. Radak on Psalms
    Narbonne (Provence) · 1185
    explains
  11. Radak on Isaiah
    Narbonne (Provence) · 1185
    explains
  12. Guide for the Perplexed
    Cairo · 1190
    redefines
  13. Yalkut Shimoni on Nach
    Tiberias · 1250
    explains
  14. Yalkut Shimoni on Torah
    Tiberias · 1250
    explains
  15. Meiri on Psalms
    Perpignan · 1300
    explains
  16. Sefer HaChinukh
    Barcelona · 1300
    explains
  17. Sefer HaYashar
    Eretz Yisrael (travels) · 1300
    explains
  18. Ralbag on Torah
    Perpignan · 1325
    explains
  19. Menorat HaMaor
    Toledo (Castile) · 1391
    explains
  20. Ohr Hashem
    Barcelona · 1399
    explains
  21. Sefer HaIkkarim
    Soria · 1425
    explains
  22. Akeidat Yitzchak
    Tarragona · 1490
    explains
  23. Abarbanel on Torah
    Naples · 1505
    explains
  24. Kli Yakar on Exodus
    Prague · 1610
    explains
  25. Or HaChaim on Exodus
    Jerusalem · 1740
    explains
  26. Or HaChaim on Deuteronomy
    Jerusalem · 1740
    explains
  27. Pele Yoetz
    Silistra · 1815
    explains
  28. Malbim on Psalms
    Bucharest · 1860
    explains
  29. Malbim on Isaiah
    Bucharest · 1860
    explains
  30. Malbim on Proverbs
    Bucharest · 1860
    explains
  31. Malbim on Genesis
    Bucharest · 1860
    explains
  32. Malbim on Exodus
    Bucharest · 1860
    explains
  33. Malbim on Job
    Bucharest · 1860
    explains
  34. Haamek Davar on Exodus
    Volozhin · 1875
    explains
  35. Haamek Davar on Deuteronomy
    Volozhin · 1875
    explains
  36. Arukh HaShulchan
    Novardok (Novogrudok) · 1884
    explains
  37. Torah Temimah on Torah
    Pinsk · 1904
    explains
  38. Orot
    Jerusalem · 1910
    explains
  39. Olat Reiyah
    Jerusalem · 1915
    explains
  40. Orot HaKodesh
    Jerusalem · 1930
    explains

Key passages(20)

REF ref-abraham-joshua-heschel-god-in-search-of-man

God in Search of Man · Abraham Joshua Heschel (20c.)

Citation only · not on Sefaria
Very high
REF ref-aharon-roth-shomer-emunim

Shomer Emunim · R. Aharon Roth (Toldot Aharon founder)

Citation only · not on Sefaria
Very high
REF ref-avigdor-miller-rejoice-o-youth

Rejoice O Youth! · R. Avigdor Miller

Citation only · not on Sefaria
Very high
REF ref-bentzion-halberstam-kedushat-tzion

Kedushat Tzion · R. Bentzion Halberstam (Bobov II)

Citation only · not on Sefaria
Very high
REF ref-chazon-ish-chazon-ish

Chazon Ish · Avraham Yeshayahu Karelitz

Citation only · not on Sefaria
Very high
REF ref-david-hartman-a-living-covenant

A Living Covenant · David Hartman

Citation only · not on Sefaria
Very high
REF ref-elchonon-wasserman-kovetz-shiurim

Kovetz Shiurim · Elchonon Bunim Wasserman

Citation only · not on Sefaria
Very high
REF ref-eliezer-berkovits-faith-after-the-holocaust

Faith After the Holocaust · Eliezer Berkovits

Citation only · not on Sefaria
Very high
REF ref-ephraim-urbach-the-sages-their-concepts-and-beliefs-chazal

The Sages: Their Concepts and Beliefs (Chazal) · Ephraim Urbach

Citation only · not on Sefaria
Very high
REF ref-esther-jungreis-the-committed-life

The Committed Life · Esther Jungreis

Citation only · not on Sefaria
Very high
REF ref-franz-rosenzweig-the-star-of-redemption

The Star of Redemption · Franz Rosenzweig

Citation only · not on Sefaria
Very high
REF ref-jonathan-sacks-covenant-and-conversation

Covenant and Conversation · Jonathan Henry Sacks (UK Chief Rabbi)

Citation only · not on Sefaria
Very high
REF ref-joseph-hertz-the-pentateuch-and-haftorahs

The Pentateuch and Haftorahs · Joseph Herman Hertz

Citation only · not on Sefaria
Very high
REF ref-kalonymus-kalman-shapira-aish-kodesh

Aish Kodesh · Kalonymus Kalman Shapira

Citation only · not on Sefaria
Very high
REF ref-rabbi-avraham-mordechai-alter-imrei-emes

Imrei Emes · Rabbi Avraham Mordechai Alter

Citation only · not on Sefaria
Very high
REF ref-rabbi-shimon-schwab-selected-writings

Selected Writings · Rabbi Shimon Schwab

Citation only · not on Sefaria
Very high
REF ref-rabbi-yaakov-moshe-charlap-mei-marom

Mei Marom · Rabbi Yaakov Moshe Charlap

Citation only · not on Sefaria
Very high
REF ref-rabbi-yechezkel-levenstein-ohr-yechezkel

Ohr Yechezkel · Rabbi Yechezkel Levenstein

Citation only · not on Sefaria
Very high
REF ref-rav-yeruchom-levovitz-daas-chochmah-u-mussar

Daas Chochmah U'Mussar · Yeruchom Levovitz (Mir mashgiach)

Citation only · not on Sefaria
Very high
REF ref-rav-yitzchak-hutner-pachad-yitzchak

Pachad Yitzchak · Yitzchak Hutner (Pachad Yitzchak)

Citation only · not on Sefaria
Very high

Modern teachers who discuss this idea

Modern and living teachers whose books take up Emunah (Faith / Belief). These works are still in copyright, so we can’t show the text here — each links out to the book.