Q&A: Knowledge and Free Choice
Originally published:
This is an English translation (via GPT-5.4). Read the original Hebrew version.
Knowledge and Free Choice
Question
There is an approach of Rabbi Tzadok HaKohen of Lublin (Tzidkat HaTzadik, section 40) for resolving the contradiction between divine knowledge and free choice. According to him: both are true. Each one in its own separate domain. Where free choice exists, there is no place for knowledge. And where knowledge exists, there is no place for free choice. That is the gist of his words.
My questions are:
1. What does he mean?
2. Do you agree with him? And why?
Answer
1. Excellent question. I very much doubt, in my view, whether he himself understood it.
2. When I know what he meant, I’ll be happy to try and give an opinion.
That sounds like a parallel-universes style idea.
https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%99%D7%A7%D7%95%D7%9D_%D7%9E%D7%A7%D7%91%D7%99%D7%9C