Was faith required to please God in the Old Testament as well as today?
Yes. Without faith it is impossible to please God, and that was just as true in the Old Testament economy as it is today. Israel's feast days, sacrifices, and law-keeping counted for nothing without faith, because Christ was the object of faith they were expected to embrace.
Les teaches that Israel was no different from many people today: they kept the Feast Days, followed the sacrifices, and followed the Law to the letter, but with no faith. They were trying to establish their own righteousness and leaving faith out of the picture. Without faith, it is impossible to please God, and that was just as true in the Old Testament economy as it is today. Christ was that object of faith Israel was expected to embrace. He came proving who He was, the fulfillment of over 360 distinct Old Testament prophecies. If they knew their Bible like they thought they did, they should have recognized Him the minute He began His ministry, but they did not know their Bible. Les also says most people today do this and that, or whatever a denomination prescribes, according to rote and ritual, but without faith it counts for nothing.