Faith: An Escape from Life's Hardships?

Can we equally argue that a traffic light system is an escape from the need to navigate between speeding cars; that a heater is an escape from the cold; and that shoes are an escape from street stones? We might also say that all education, literature, culture, and science offer an escape from the need to think independently, as they provide ready-made concepts developed by others. Believers often encounter the notion that faith is allegedly a form of refuge from life's hardships. 'It's wonderful to be a believer,' people occasionally assert. 'The world seems less threatening then. There is order amidst the chaos. Someone else decides how things will unfold, and someone is watching over your steps. It's much harder when one must take fate into their own hands.' Usually, the response is that faith is not lived out as a pursuit of easy life or refuge of any sort. The faithful Jew is prepared to sacrifice much for his faith – even his life in certain situations – and this doesn't align with someone seeking comfort and fleeing difficulties. However, it's worth analyzing this question under the presumption inherent in it, that faith is indeed a kind of refuge that helps one cope with life's challenges.

The Pilot and the Ejection Seat We can equally argue that a traffic light is an escape from the necessity to maneuver between speeding cars; that a heater is an escape from the cold; and that shoes are an escape from street stones. We might also say that all education, literature, culture, and science provide an escape from the necessity to think independently, as they provide ready-made concepts developed by others. Indeed, all these things assist and ease life, and there is no shame in that. A human is just human and allowed to acknowledge their weaknesses. Only Hashem needs nothing but Himself, but a man is certainly entitled to use whatever helps him live a better, more correct, and richer life. A pilot who uses the ejection seat when his plane is on fire is not showing weakness, but is acting logically and healthily. A sick person who seeks a doctor’s help and takes medicine is not weak-minded. Conversely, those 'heroes' whose pride does not allow them to surrender to objective challenges and real limitations, even at the risk of their lives, are the ones whose mental stability should be questioned.

A Real Need Yes, it's permissible to admit – faith is a human necessity. Just like one needs food to survive and garments to protect against the cold; just like one needs love, support, encouragement; just like one needs a life partner, children, grandchildren – so does one have an internal and genuine need for faith. A person has a soul that cannot be satisfied with a nice dinner or an elegant car. The soul is a spark from the Creator, and thus it naturally yearns for Him and longs for His infinite light. In its search for its divine source, the soul instigates restlessness and a constant quest within the person. Yes, this soul needs faith! Attempting to build a faithless world is akin to trying to walk on glass shards barefoot. Truly, one cannot live in the world without faith. This might be a weakness, but it’s a real one, which cannot be disguised by hollow courage slogans. We’ve seen indeed where the claim to educate children without faith and to base justice and honesty solely on intellect and logic has led us. It led us to educated studies on the value crisis and 'variable morality' and many more concepts. There’s nothing to be done. The world is indeed more complex than a human can comprehend. Life within it is indeed challenging enough that a person cannot cope successfully and correctly alone. Faith is a positive and legitimate tool given to us to live rightly and fulfill our purpose in the world. It is a real necessity of our soul. There is no reason to be ashamed of this or to deny this truth. Happy is the believer!