Does the Torah contain a reference to atheism, or not?

Question

B"H

Do the verses in Tehillim: "the fool says in his heart there is no G-d (אלוקים)" (Tehillim 14:1, 53:2) refer to one who denies the Creator entirely, or only one who denies the "judge" (אלוקים), meaning he agrees that the world was created, but he doesn't agree that Hashem has specific supervision over everything and Judges people etc ?

Is it at all related to the first category of a Min described by Rambam hilchos teshuva 3:7:

Five individuals are described as Minim:

a) one who says there is no God nor ruler of the world;

b) one who accepts the concept of a ruler, but maintains that there are two or more;

c) one who accepts that there is one Master [of the world], but maintains that He has a body or form;

d) one who maintains that He was not the sole First Being and Creator of all existence;

e) one who serves a star, constellation, or other entity so that it will serve as an intermediary between him and the eternal Lord.

Each of these five individuals is a Min.

ז חֲמִשָּׁה הֵן הַנִּקְרָאִים מִינִים. הָאוֹמֵר שֶׁאֵין שָׁם אֱלוֹהַּ וְאֵין לָעוֹלָם מַנְהִיג. וְהָאוֹמֵר שֶׁיֵּשׁ שָׁם מַנְהִיג אֲבָל הֵן שְׁנַיִם אוֹ יוֹתֵר. וְהָאוֹמֵר שֶׁיֵּשׁ שָׁם רִבּוֹן אֶחָד אֲבָל שֶׁהוּא גּוּף וּבַעַל תְּמוּנָה. וְכֵן הָאוֹמֵר שֶׁאֵינוֹ לְבַדּוֹ הָרִאשׁוֹן וְצוּר לַכּל. וְכֵן הָעוֹבֵד כּוֹכָב אוֹ מַזָּל וְזוּלָתוֹ (נ"א העובד אלוה זולתו) כְּדֵי לִהְיוֹת מֵלִיץ בֵּינוֹ וּבֵין רִבּוֹן הָעוֹלָמִים. כָּל אֶחָד מֵחֲמִשָּׁה אֵלּוּ הוּא מִין:

Even there, it's possible a min is one who doesn't believe that there is a "ruler", one who judges the world, but maybe he can still agree that the world was originally created.

This is suggested even more so considering that the Rambam significantly does not give a unique category of:

"One who says that there is a creator, but not one who supervises the actions of man (chos vishalom)",

Implying that that's already what the first clause means.

Although he does say in Ibid:8 that an Epicouris is:

"c) one who maintains that the Creator is not aware of the deeds of men.",

Which is a distinct category from a min, so maybe not.

Maybe there's a difference between the Creator not being "aware of" deeds of man, or being aware but not judging them.

Notice how by the first category of a min he says "one who says there is no god (אלוקי)", while in the third category of Epicursim he says, "one who says that the Creator (בורא) doesn't know the actions of man".

If he wanted to exclude the possibility that a min believes in any Creator concept, maybe he should have used the word "בורא" there

Is there any reference to atheism in Torah sources, or not?

I would assume the fact that the world was created is just so obvious and able to be proven from intellect.

But if even the Torah allows for the possibility of people thinking the world (and all of it's species) as having always existed in their present form, or having evolved on their own to how they are now, then maybe not.

If it does refer to one who completely denies any concept of the Creator, then do any commentators explain how these people would explain where the world, and all of it's species, come from?

Answer 1

Rabbinic scholars throughout history have understood this verse in various ways, including but not limited to the options you provide. For the idea that this refers to atheism, see Steinsaltz:

איש רע, גס ויהיר בְּלִבּוֹ: "אֵין אֱ-לֹהִים". הרשעים שאינם מתחשבים כלל במציאות ה

[This refers to] a mean, arrogant man. He says in his heart: There is no God. [In other words,] he does not acknowledge God’s existence at all.

For the idea that this refers to one who denied God as judge, see the Radak, who links this to one who thinks:

ואין שופט ודין בעולם לשלם לאיש כמעשהו

There is no judge nor justice in the world to account for a man's actions

And there other commentaries who identify the subject of this verse to specific individuals, such as Nebuchadnezzar (Rashi), Nebuzaradan (Metzudat David), Sennacherib (Malbim), and other powerful people who acted without conscience.

As for the second part of your question, the Gemara (Berakhot 12b) explicitly uses this verse to define the term min:

דְּתַנְיָא: ״אַחֲרֵי לְבַבְכֶם״ — זוֹ מִינוּת, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר: ״אָמַר נָבָל בְּלִבּוֹ אֵין אֱלֹהִים״.

As it was taught: “After your hearts” refers to following opinions of heresy [minut] that may arise in one’s heart. The Gemara offers a proof, as it is stated: “The fool said in his heart: ‘There is no God’; they have been corrupt, they have acted abominably; there is none who does good” (Psalms 14:1)