8708 —עידוד להפצת היהדות והבהרה על הבחירה החפשית

B"H, 9 Kislev, 5724.

Brooklyn, NY.

Havavac"h iy"a nu"n involved in tzt"z etc. Moreinu HaRav Yitzchak Meir Bunin

Shalom u'Vrachah!

I received a letter from P. Feldheim Bookstore and Publishing House along with some pages from your forthcoming commentary on Pirkei Avot, requesting that I write an evaluation of it. Enclosed is a copy of my response, whose content is sufficiently clear.

Here I wish to express my wishes that you utilize the talents with which you have been endowed—as an energetic activist and eloquent speaker whose strength lies both in speech and heart to act (that is, in thought, speech, and action), as explained in the wording of the verse in Tanya Kadisha by Rabbeinu HaZaken—this year being the 150th anniversary of his passing—for spreading traditional Judaism in its purity without compromise. Especially in our generation—a confused one due to frightening blurring of boundaries—it is necessary to safeguard even more strongly the fences and boundaries established by earlier authorities. I also wish you success to go from strength to strength in your activities for education according to the purity of holiness. May it be G‑d's will that you do all this with joy and gladness of heart.

With honor and blessing,
M. Schneersohn

For completeness and based on our Sages' teaching: "Whoever wishes to be a chassid should fulfill... matters of Avot," I will at least note a comment or two regarding the notes attached to the letter sent to me concerning: "Everything is foreseen but freedom of choice is given." It is surprising that Rambam was not cited explicitly—meaning Hilchot Teshuvah in Mishneh Torah—where an entire chapter (chapter 5) is devoted to this topic.

Regarding the actual question of knowledge and choice—the apparent resolution is: The contradiction to free choice comes from necessity (compulsion), not from knowledge. In other words: (If it were possible) for there to be someone who knows future events—his knowledge does not contradict the free choice of the person about whom he predicts that tomorrow he will do a certain act, since the action does not result from the knowledge but from his own choice. Another example: An expert psychologist knows how a person he knows well will behave moments later; this does not contradict that person's free choice. The difference between moments or thousands of years is quantitative, not qualitative.

The Ohr Sameach on Rambam there collects several opinions explaining this issue.

A general note: I have always wondered why people are not careful when writing or printing to use "G‑d" instead of spelling out the word fully (see Shach Yoreh Deah 179:11—for initial practice; according to some later authorities even after the fact).

Summary

The Rebbe encourages using one's strengths for uncompromised Jewish outreach and clarifies that Divine knowledge does not negate human free will; actions remain rooted in personal choice rather than foreknowledge.