המאמין שבתוכך: למה בעצם אי אפשר להיות אתאיסט

The Nature of the Soul

The Rebbe repeatedly stated a fundamental principle: every Jew is "a believer and a descendant of believers." Emunah — faith — is not knowledge acquired through study or philosophical reflection. It is the essence of the soul itself, permeating all its "organs" and manifestations. Just as the heart beats without conscious effort, the soul believes without the need for proof. Even if a person proclaims themselves an atheist, their soul remains faithful to G-d. It cannot stop believing, just as the lungs cannot stop breathing. Faith is woven into the very fabric of the Jewish soul — it is transmitted from Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob through all generations and cannot be destroyed by any intellectual arguments, any life experience, or any disappointments.

External Shells

If faith is the essence of the soul, then where does atheism come from? The Rebbe explained: atheism is an external shell that has grown over the soul as a result of poor upbringing, negative environment, or traumatic experience. It is like dirt on a diamond: the diamond does not cease to be a diamond because it is covered with a layer of dirt. Freedom of choice, given to man by G-d, allows him to act against his nature — but it cannot change the nature itself. A person can behave as though G-d does not exist, but they cannot make their soul believe this. In the depths, beneath all the layers of cynicism, disappointment, and intellectual pride, an inextinguishable fire of faith burns — and the task is simply to remove those shells.

Advice

The Rebbe gave paradoxical advice to those struggling with doubt: do not try to "understand" G-d before you begin to act. Faith begins where logic ends. If you wait until your mind "proves" the existence of G-d, you will wait forever — because the infinite cannot be contained within a finite mind. Instead, let your natural faith manifest through practical good deeds: light Shabbat candles on Friday evening, put on tefillin, place a coin in the tzedakah box. Each such action is like a hammer blow, shattering the external shell and liberating the light of the soul. Action is primary — understanding will follow, just as dawn follows the night.