Expert: Rabbi Chaim Bender - 8/4/2004

Question
Hello Rabbi Bender,

:-)
I have one last question about free choice. You say
all humans have free choice and I truly feel this.

So, free choice, meaning- all humans have free choice
to feel what they want, do what they want, and say
what they want? Make all of their decisions. Even through God's punishment of our wrongdoing, He does not take away our free choice. He may punish us for our wrong choices but He does not take away our free will through his punishing. So, my main question is - God nevers takes away
the freedom for all people, jew and non jew, to do
what we want, feel what we want, and say what we want
through all the reward and punishment- the good and
bad we do. We always have, Jew and non jew, the
freedom to do what we want, feel what we want, and say
what we want?

Thats my last question on free choice. Sorry I may be
repetitive in my last question, its just VERY
important to me. Thank you.

Yael.

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Followup To
Question -
Hello,

Thank you for all your help here. I have been having a real hard time with religion these days, hense all my questions. I have another question. I was speaking to an orthodox rabbi and he said that jews have two souls and non jews have one soul. Okay, I can understand that. However, he said that a non jew, therefore, with his one soul, does not possess free choice. He said that non jews are controlled by God. He said that jews have yetzer hara and yetzer and non jews don't. OKay, I understand that too. That makes sense. But, he said that God makes us do things. He said that we are not in control of our lifes. Okay, I certainly do not feel this way but what he said was upsetting. I am sure he meant well. So, non jews are robots? Non jews are not in control of their actions, feelings? So, my question is, do non jews also have free choice? Are non jews not in control of their lives? Aren't all of us on control of everything we do? One of your responses was that you wonder ho God punishes us but God never controls us. I would love to hear from you when you can.

Answer -
All humans have free choice.

Answer
In Judaism, we are taught that we have free choice to do good or evil. After we die, we are taught that we are either close to or far from God and at that time we will be able to ask God in person all the questions we have never been able to ask of him on Earth. We ask and He listens. At death, He gives us all the answers.

In the meantime, while we may do so, do good, abhor evil and worship God.