Moreover, when one studies the Torah, one comes face–to-face with a thought process so magnificent in its depth, so challenging in its difficulty and so fulfilling in its total mental and emotional absorption, that the individual and the Torah begin to form a bond. This bond lifts the individual not only above his normal mental capacities, but also above the natural tendency to doubt that which is beyond the ordinary three dimensions and reaches the spiritual dimension. His faith becomes a factor of an entire human experience in which he is so amazed by all the greatness of what he is studying that he senses the Mind that is running everything. Once he tastes this realization, he does not doubt that the Torah is from God, and he believes in God and His constant activity in the world.

Beyond his own understanding that confirms belief, is the recognition that ultimately he cannot understand everything, a reality that gives true meaning to his belief. In learning something far greater than himself, the Jew is humbled to appreciate his true position in existence. Already he knows that he did not cause his own creation, nor can he prevent his physical end. Now, he sees that his mind - the most crucial element in his being - is overwhelmed by the breadth and complexity of Torah. His reaction is to admit his subservience and obeisance to the far higher Source, comprehending thereby that he, his mind and emotions are dependent functions of that higher Source.

He builds his faith because he senses the cord that ties him beyond the realm of the physical to the realm of the spiritual. The Jew experiences this super-reality just as a man senses cold or happiness. It is real and it is truth. His faith is strengthened as a logical deduction from the greatness of what he is learning. The Mind that speaks to his mind through Torah is an Intellect that he can communicate with to the best of his ability.

His own intellect brings him a positive awareness that God exists, for he has labored with his brain to understand a higher level of thought and reality. He knows this dimension as well as he knows his own existence. Just as he knows the axioms of arithmetic, so also his mind comes to know the Oneness of God's thought to the degree that man can appreciate it.

Moreover, this phenomenon occurs not only on an intellectual plane. Ever so gradually, he experiences an emotional involvement with the Torah which he is learning. His tasting of the intellectual pleasure affects his more subconscious system of feelings and character traits. The more he learns, the more he finds that his whole personality actually seeks complete identification with the Creator Himself.

Because the words of Torah are from God, the sincere student can re-create his unformed and imperfect self into the highest model possible for him - a servant of God: someone who transcends his egocentricity and weaknesses to give himself completely back to the Source of his existence. In this dynamic process, he increases his belief because he becomes identified more and more with the object of his belief - God. What was difficult to comprehend and accept now becomes more and more certain.

And this is no illusion, because the only way the next step in development can be made is if the last has become an integral part of his personality and behavior. (This process provides one explanation of why there are so many mitzvahs: Each mitzvah has the potential to move the individual up in ever-increasing levels of human perfection, with the variety of mitzvahs matching the variety of human personalities and levels.) Thus, if a person has do consistent acts of human kindness, increasingly more demanding ones will be within his capacity. For example, originally he gave only a small percentage of his income to Torah causes, but as he keeps learning Torah and giving, he senses the need to give more and so he does. And if he tends to become angry easily, through the same process he can gradually control himself and not be provoked even where apparent justification exists.

As he sees himself changing, he begins to realize the power and effectiveness of his faith. And this faith, in turn, grows both intellectually and emotionally. His faith is not a rocking chair passivity or a mere simple-minded, blind acceptance. Rrather it is a dynamic maturing awareness of the greatness of the Creator and the interaction between Him and the individual, demanding active response and growth.

This process of authentic Jewish faith is not the only one for the Jew. Many Jews believe in God and His Torah with a simple faith unclouded by questions or doubts. Actually, this is the higher form of faith which the process described above is geared to develop in the individual eventually. The Jew is supposed to act on his faith the way a millionaire writes a check.

But many intellectual Jews and those estranged from Torah Jewish patterns of living would reject the power of faith in their lives or would lack the confidence to use the kernel of faith which they do possess. Consequently they should realize that, contrary to general assumption, faith and belief are dynamic potentials of the Jewish personality, which can be diligently learned and realistically integrated into practical living. Just as no one would say that education about engineering or computers or medicine has no practical purpose, so too, learning Torah has a practical result - the continual growth of trust in and reliance on God.

With this potent process of character improvement, a person can keep growing until he reaches the fullest closeness to the Creator that is possible for a human being. He will feel it, he will know it, he will be eager for more of it. Every day will be a fresh experience. Every day he will be able climb higher.

Climbing this mountain of closeness to God is a gift to the Jews from God for His own purposes. And no greater challenge exists in the world. Whereas others may tempt the climb on an individual basis, adopting variations or imitations, Torah Judaism is a total system, integrating belief and practice in order to achieve for a whole society a successful journey to the top. God in His kindness wants it this way, creating Torah and mitzvahs, and commanding the Jews to do the job of spirituality permeating the physical universe.

To complete this work he must use belief and faith, which grow in him as he grows. The more that he learns and lives Torah, the more he understands the spiritual force that is actually running life; the more he sees behind the veil of material existence. And he experiences for himself the Power that cannot be described, cannot be identified, and cannot even be imagined but, nevertheless, is. He senses it, he knows it, he lives it, and through the whole process his life becomes completely transformed and uplifted by it.

Every Jew can do it if he is interested…