Q&A: God Without Change
God Without Change
Question
Hello Rabbi,
If God has no change, as the accepted claim goes, then how can God change His will? For example, to accept prayers? If there is no foreknowledge where there is human choice, then to know our actions, etc.
Answer
Ask whoever makes that accepted claim. In general, metaphysical speculations of this kind do not inspire much confidence in me, and I do not find much point in discussing them.
Still, I will raise two points for thought:
Some explain that there is no change in His will; rather, prayer activates forces that were originally built into creation and they ensure an appropriate Zionist response to every request.
Beyond that, the question is whether responding to a request is in fact a change that should not apply to God. Why?
Discussion on Answer
I didn’t understand what it means to say it’s a question you yourself don’t really know. Isn’t every question like that? (If you know, there is no need to ask.)
As for your question, I already wrote to you that it is worth directing it to the one who makes that claim, so he can explain what he means.
I explained that the response to prayers comes about as a result of the prayers. If you call that change, then yes, there is change in Him (unless you accept that there is a built-in mechanism for responding to prayers). And likewise regarding new knowledge of what people do. All true. So what?
One may estimate that most believing human beings who died pleaded for their lives and prayed to God not to let them die.
So anyone looking for a quick conclusion will infer that prayers kill.
I have a question that I myself don’t quite know. Someone who argues all these claims that there is no change in God—does he also say that His will cannot change?
In any case, assuming there is no external robot receiving prayers, then prayer entails a change in His will… and likewise any new knowledge about the world, according to the one who says there is no foreknowledge where a person has free choice.