Q&A: The Status of People Who Do Not Believe in God
The Status of People Who Do Not Believe in God
Question
Various academics / religious people who, according to my best understanding of their worldview, even though they observe Jewish law, do not really believe in the Holy One, blessed be He, or that He truly commanded the commandments: can they be counted toward a prayer quorum? How should one act if such a person is appointed as the prayer leader? May one answer Amen to their Kaddish / Kedushah, etc.? Are there any other laws that are important to know regarding such people?
As for a person whose worldview I do not know well, but I have doubts whether he in fact believes in the Holy One, blessed be He, or not—can one follow the presumption / majority and assume that he does believe?
Answer
I think there is a presumption. If you know that they do not believe, then of course they do not join a prayer quorum—like any secular person who does not believe. By the way, in my opinion, someone who believes in God but does not believe in the giving of the Torah or in the commandments does count toward a prayer quorum, because he knows to whom one prays and what prayer is. However, the commandments performed by such a person are not commandments, as Maimonides wrote at the end of chapter 8 of Laws of Kings.