Leaving Room for Doubt (Shemini 4/26/25)

Leaving Room for Doubt

With the passing of Pope Francis, I, like many others, turned to the movie “Conclave” to understand the process of determining a new Pope.

The movie’s lead character, Cardinal Lawrence, played by Ralph Fiennes, is a complex figure: he’s a Cardinal struggling with issues of faith.

He exhorts the conclave to pick a leader who understands the human struggle with belief: “If one has the answers to all the questions—that is the proof that God is not with him. . . . The great leaders of the people of God, like Moses, have always left room for doubt. You must leave room for the Lord, not for our certainties; we must be humble.”

This past Shabbat, our Religious School “Hey” Class (7th graders) led the service. As the Torah reading, Parshat Shemini, dealt with the laws of Kashruth, I thought I’d share an incident in my life dealing with Kashrut and faith.

In January of 1998, our second child was born, and as I was studying in a Kollel (an institute for advanced Talmudic studies) that provided just a small stipend, our finances were tight. In March, a well-paying Mini-Kollel was opening up in Dayton, OH, and I was invited to join the team. Members of a Mini-Kollel learn among themselves in the morning and with the community during the afternoon and evening. I flew to Dayton for an interview and was asked to present a model lesson. My topic was Kashrut and based upon the teachings of the great Biblical commentator, Ramban (Nachmanides). In short, the Ramban says that “we are what we eat.” Therefore, the Torah commands that we eat docile creatures like goats, lamb, and chicken. In doing so, we facilitate ourselves to become God’s flock. Predators are forbidden in order to prevent us from becoming violent and callous. Regarding shellfish, they tend to be the scavengers of the ocean floor, and our Creator wants us to be healthy, both spiritually and physically.

After finishing my presentation, a key member of the Dayton Board asked me, “That all makes sense, but what about Barracudas and Piranhas? They have fins and scales and are predators. Why should they then be kosher?” I was shocked and dumbfounded. Needless to say, I didn’t get the job.

Upon returning to Brooklyn, I discussed the question with my friends, and we concluded that’s the way with fish. The bigger fish eats the smaller one. Nonetheless, the question on the Ramban remained.

I didn’t lose my faith, though. As Cardinal Lawrence profoundly stated:

“Our faith is a living thing precisely because it walks hand-in-hand with doubt. If there was only certainty and no doubt, there would be no mystery. And therefore no need for faith.” So, I kept my faith even if I didn’t understand why carnivorous fish are kosher.

Two weeks later, I learned that the Young Israel of Santa Barbara, CA, needed a rabbi, and my wife and I were quickly scheduled for an interview. We obtained this position, which not only paid better, but was in the most beautiful small city in America (sorry, Plainview). In the end, I was most definitely grateful to the Barracudas and Pirhanas for keeping me available for my new job. Although I didn’t understand how they fit into the kosher equation, keeping my faith enabled me to grow and prosper.

On a regular basis we are bombarded with contradictions from religion, science, or just people. Having faith helps us navigate the roads ahead. Doubts don’t signify weakness, just our humanity. They allow the mystery of life to enthrall us day after day.