Q&A: The Gra’s Lottery
The Gra’s Lottery
Question
Hello,
Regarding the Gra’s lottery:
A. Do you believe in the “success” (or validity) of the Gra’s lottery? Does it really work? Didn’t it in fact fail for Rabbi Aryeh Levin?
B1. If so, how do you explain it, especially in light of the fact that you conclude that “God has forsaken the land”? If you would say this is point-specific intervention—why would He intervene in a case like identifying the bodies of the fallen members of the Lamed-Heh? (That is, I would expect Him to intervene in cases more “dramatic” than that.)
B2. Do you think using this lottery is permitted or forbidden because of “You shall be wholehearted” or for some other reason, and if so—why?
Answer
I don’t know. There is some fairly decent testimony that it worked, although I’m skeptical in these contexts. But I haven’t examined it in depth.
B1. Indeed, the very divine involvement implied by this is what makes me hesitant about it. Maybe this mechanism really does lead to involvement—not because of the great need, but because they used an effective mechanism, and/or because righteous people used it. Assuming there is such a thing.
B2. In my opinion, simply speaking, it is forbidden. The lotteries discussed in Jewish law are lotteries that are not connected to divination. For example, a lottery for division among partners or heirs. The lottery is not supposed to hit upon any truth of the matter (contrary to various theses that come up in these contexts), but rather to serve as an arbitrary decision mechanism.