Freedom of Choice

Does G-d really care? After all, He doesn’t need anything. He is perfect, and beyond perfect. Nothing can hurt Him. And nothing can be given to Him that He does not already have. Why should He care about anything at all? Perhaps it’s all meaningless. But ...

The question is ancient. If G-d hardened Pharaoh’s heart, then it was G-d who made Pharaoh refuse to let the Israelites go, not Pharaoh himself. How can this be just? How could it be right to punish Pharaoh and his people for a decision – a series of deci...

Jews were the first to believe that an entire nation could govern itself in freedom and equal dignity. This has nothing to do with political structures, and everything to do collective moral responsibility.

Can we change the world or is our future predetermined?

Gambling implies that our life is random. That everything is up to luck, and that nothing we do can necessarily create or prevent our outcome...

The Theft When my family returned from a two-day trip, we found our home burglarized. The thief broke a window to gain access, rifled through drawers, left a mess, and walked away with a few meager items and a charity box. The things he took were just thi...

Encountering my old friend, I saw that it wasn’t too late, that someone else could leave religious life and survive, even appear to thrive. So a new question arose in my mind: What is keeping me here?

Whether something good or bad has been predestined, how does G‑d choose which person should be the one to bring it about?

Where I come from, the powerful try to control the powerless, and the mighty retain their strength. So if I were G‑d, I’d have kept creation for myself. The Creator of creators, however, is clearly more trusting, and created our world not for power, but i...

In point of fact, this moment is the first moment of your life. And as you read these words, G‑d is purposefully bringing your body, your memories, your tendencies, and your circumstances into being