The Nature of Free Will

Part 1: Why Did Hashem Create Men?

The Ramchal tells us:

…man was created solely to delight in G-d and to derive pleasure in the radiance of the Shechina (divine presence). For this is the true delight and the greatest pleasure that can possibly exist.¹

And yet the reality we experience in this world is not necessarily one of basking in G-d’s glory. Hashem’s presence seems to be hidden — no open miracles, no clarity, no voice coming out from heaven answering our tefillot. In fact, many struggle to find delight and pleasure in life — so where is all this good? 

The Ramchal goes on to explain that this glorious pleasure is what awaits us in the next world, Olam Haba. In this world, Hashem gave us instructions to follow which will result in a reward of maximum pleasure when we reach our final destination. He says:

The means that lead a person to this goal are the commandments which the blessed G-d commanded to us. The place of the performance of these commandments is only in this world.²

But we must choose to do the mitzvot, to obey these instructions. And the Torah tells us that the choice is ours:

Behold, I set before you today a blessing and a curse: the blessing, if you obey the commandments of G-d which I command you today; and the curse, if you do not obey the commandments of G-d.³

If we choose correctly, we win. But if not…we are cursed? 

This begs the question — if Hashem was so intent on giving us a glorious life in Olam Haba, why make a pit stop here on Earth? And why give us a choice at all? Why not just give us all the reward in the first place? 

There is an interesting statement in the Gemara: It would have been preferable had man not been created than to have been created. However, now that he has been created, he should examine his actions that he has performed and seek to correct them.

In his Sefer Daat Tevunot, the Ramchal sheds further light on the topic. He explains that a reward is only meaningful, enjoyable to its greatest extent, when it is earned. Therefore had Hashem given us a fast pass to Olam Haba, we would feel ashamed at taking such a reward⁴. Had we been given life in the physical world and had no choice but to serve Him, we would be no more than programmed robots — and once again our reward meaningless. 

The Gemara relates an interesting conversation between Moshe and the Angels, illustrating this very point. The angels ask Hashem why He is giving the Torah — the most precious and elevated gift in shamayim — to lowly man on earth. Hashem tells Moshe to reply, and Moshe says: 

What is written in the Torah? …”Remember the day of Shabbos” — do you work? … “Do not swear falsely” — do you do business? … “Honor your father and your mother” — do you have parents? “Do not kill,” ‘”Do not commit adultery,” “Do not steal” — is there jealousy between you? Do you have an evil inclination?⁵

Angels cannot choose; they have no reason to make a “wrong” decision. In contrast to angels, humans are created with a soul from the heavens, and a body from the earth. We see this within the name of the first person, Adam, in Hebrew spelled Alef-Dalet-Mem. Alef is one, the one Hashem, the spark of G-dliness. Dalet-Mem spells dam, blood, his physical body. It is this struggle, the tension between spiritual and physical, between the inclination to follow Hashem’s will or to go with our earthly drives —  which defines the existence of humanity. Man was created to choose good.

And this is the foundation upon which free will stands: in order to get the best portion of ultimate pleasure in the next world, we must go through the challenge, we must make the difficult choices of life — whether to serve Hashem or not. 

There is an interesting statement in the Gemara:

It would have been preferable had man not been created than to have been created. However, now that he has been created, he should examine his actions that he has performed and seek to correct them.⁶

It would seem that if Hashem created us, it’s better that we were created — especially since we stated above that Hashem only put us here for our own good! How do we understand this teaching of the Gemara? 

The word in the Gemara usually translated as “preferable” or “better” is “noach.” The Gemara does not say “tov” — good. Literally, “noach” means “comfortable.” It would have been more comfortable had we not been created. The neshama, the human soul, would have been content to remain in Heaven where it would not need to make these difficult choices. But it would not have been good⁷.

Rav Yecheskel Weinfeld expounds upon this idea. He says that we come to this world to accomplish. Even if it means going out of our comfort zone — because it would be more comfortable to stay with Hashem — nonetheless we realize the accomplishment demands of us to choose something much greater than comfort. 

We do not make choices based on what is currently the most cushy option. Choosing properly means having an eye for the furniture, for the ultimate goal and the immense reward that awaits us after using our free will properly. 

Free will, the ability to choose — and even to choose incorrectly — is for our good. Our lives are not simply filled with obligations — do this, do that… We are presented with opportunities, choices that can make us great. 

In the next article, we will discuss the nature of these choices and how to utilize our free will in a way that brings us closer to Hashem with each decision. 

¹ Mesilat Yesharim, Chapter 1

² Ibid

³ Devarim, 11:26

⁴ Daat Tevunot, 14

⁵ Talmud, Shabbat 89a

⁶ Eiruvin 13v

⁷ Sefer Mei Hashiloach, Likutei Hashas, Eiruvin 13b