DEUT880 How can the Torah's apparent stress upon conformity remain congruent with sources stressing Jewish individuality? Is it possible for the Jew to conform and yet remain an individualist? One possible solution lay in distinguishing between Jewish action and Jewish thought. While traditional Jews did conform to basic Jewish practice, individual opinion was never stifled. The Shulchan Aruch codified Jewish practice for all Jews, but the Talmud and its varied opinions continues to be studied and debated. This distinction between thought and action can readily be seen in the procedures of the Sanhedrin, the body of rabbis who decided in Temple times new questions of Jewish law that arose. The seventy-one Sanhedrin members debated at length any particular law in question. In the debate, individuality of thought was not only tolerated but was encouraged as part of procedure. The Mishnah (Sanhedrin 36b) tells us that the Sanhedrin was organized in a semicircle (as is the Knesset today), and any debate involving life and death issues started from the side (Sanhedrin 32a). This meant that the youngest and most inexperienced Sanhedrin members would have to express their opinions first. This was mandated by law, so that the more respected elders could not stifle individual and different opinion by speaking earlier in the debate and causing the younger members to be intimidated from disagreeing. Thus, individuality in thought was certainly encouraged. However, once the Sanhedrin voted and the law was decided by a majority of members, the law was adopted and applied equally to all of Israel and to all Sanhedrin members. Everyone had to conform. If a member of the Sanhedrin did not conform after the law was decided, but, rather, insisted on putting his original opinion into practice, he was known as Zaken Mamre (this and following verses), a rebellious elder, and would be put to death (Maimonides, Hilchot Mamrim 1:1-2). Therefore, while individual thought was tolerated and certainly encouraged, conformity of action was also demanded. Within this framework, it can be shown that traditional Judaism even "tolerates" a total questioning of God, mitzvot, and religion, as long as the person continues to conform and perform the commandments while questioning. This unique religious concept, that is, the primacy of the individual's right to think and question as long as conformity to general practice continues, can be seen in a unique passage (Jerusalem Talmud, Chagigah 6b) that says God prefers that Jews totally abandon him as long as they do not abandon observance of the Torah. The implication is that Jewish belief and Jewish thought is secondary to Jewish practice and that what one thinks and questions is tolerated as long as practice continues. (Of course, the ideal is that both thought and action should coincide. For a fuller development of this idea, see the chapter "Mitzvot-Commandments.")