Will, Freedom, and Destiny

Free will is at the root of the human condition. It defines human uniqueness, it is the source of human greatness and it is an axiom of Torah. Few subjects are as central as this in developing an authentic Jewish outlook, yet its classic questions are among the most difficult: How does one’s free will affect others? Does foreknowledge mean that free will is an illusion? How can the will be developed? What are its limits? Free will is synonymous with human essence. This book examines some of the issues that are close to its majestic and mysterious heart.

Will, Freedom, and Destiny presents a comprehensive view of free will in Judaism. The fundamental questions of freedom and foreknowledge, the interaction between one person’s free will and another’s destiny, free will’s boundaries and innate moral knowledge are explored in the light of classic Jewish sources, some presented for the first time in English. The subject is not only philosophical; its practical applications include controlling the will in overcoming ordeals, asserting the will against the attack of fantasy and illusion, consistently translating will into action and perhaps most important, elevating the will in a revolutionary agenda of personal development.