Page 481 - DVARIM

dvarim

The concept of free choice seems self-contradictory. On the one hand,
man is given the choice between good and bad, yet on the other hand, the
Torah’s laws limit him and prompt him to choose good. Free choice is a
reality in this world, as we see from the pasuk, “For G-d selected Jacob
for His own, Israel as His treasure.” The words (G-d selected)
contain the same letters as the word (choice). The sons of Jacob,
Bnei Yisrael, always have the power of free choice.

“You shall choose life” is a mitzvah. But a person can still choose to do
wrong, even though he will be led to purgatory. Adam Harishon was
commanded not to eat from the Tree of Knowledge, but he chose to
disobey. We are still paying the price for this sin.

Each person is commanded to take a wife. But he can choose whether
or not to do so. Chizkiyahu Hamelech chose to remain alone in order
16 to prevent the rasha, Menashe, from wrongdoing. Hashem was not happy
with Chizkiyahu’s reasoning. Chizkiyahu was slated to die as
punishment for denying his son free choice, and, with it, the power to
rectify his neshamah.
Free choice in this world is limited, for man knows the outcome of his
decisions. If he chooses wrong, he will pay the price. This knowledge
should influence a person to choose the path of goodness.

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