חדש באתר: NotebookLM עם כל תכני הרב מיכאל אברהם

Q&A: A Question About the Lecture on Free Will

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Originally published:
This is an English translation (via GPT-5.4). Read the original Hebrew version.

A Question About the Lecture on Free Will

Question

I just listened to a lecture on free will.
The Rabbi spoke there about determinism in relation to libertarians…
The Rabbi spoke about 3 options: 1. Determinism, 2. Randomness, 3. Free choice, and gave the ballot-box example.
But even if we assume that my choice led to result X, which in turn affected the future, my judgment in making that choice came from the fact that I had 2 options, and obviously one of them would cause some future change. I make a statistical calculation about what is more worthwhile for me, and then, based on the data, choose one of the options. That is, there was always a reason I chose that option, and the reason is the factors that led to forming that statistical calculation…
To explain myself a bit more: God wanted me to put on tefillin, let’s say, and suppose there is reward and that is the outcome. So the reason I put on tefillin is God’s will and not my own choice. In other words, there was an initial cause that led me to the choice. To define it better: faith causes me to act the way I act and doesn’t leave me room for choice… I don’t understand where free choice is. I’d be happy for an explanation that settles my mind.

Answer

Hello,
First, I’d appreciate it if next time you would ask through the website. It’s much more convenient for me.
I’m not sure I understood your question. But if I did, the matter is explained by the parable of the topographic map that I’ve suggested in several places. For example, column 173, 175, and in greater detail in the article here:
https://mikyab.net/%D7%9B%D7%AA%D7%91%D7%99%D7%9D/%D7%9E%D7%90%D7%9E%D7%A8%D7%99%D7%9D/%D7%9E%D7%91%D7%98-%D7%A9%D7%99%D7%98%D7%AA%D7%99-%D7%A2%D7%9C-%D7%97%D7%95%D7%A4%D7%A9-%D7%94%D7%A8%D7%A6%D7%95%D7%9F/

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