[Avodah] Sholom Aleichem [was: Tinok Shenishba]

[Micha Berger]

On Thu, Apr 17, 2008 at 02:54:03PM -0600, Daniel Israel wrote:
: Your mother can say no.

: Mi manafsach.  Making the request is either implying bechira, which 
: is AZ, or making a request from something incapable of being 
: effected by your request, which seems like shtus.

Why is assuming that mal'akhim have bechirah more AZ than assuming
people do and asking them?

I think the problem becomes bedavka because mal'akhim are
intermediaries. By making them autonomous, one inserts a barrier between
himself and dealing with the Mamtzi directly. That choice of wording
was a nod to Yesodei haTorah 1:1 and 2:5. If mal'akhim are simply steps
in the causal chain between Hashem's uncontingent Existence and us, then
they aren't AZ. Once one says there are powers in the line between...

: OTOH, I say Shalom Aleichem; I just don't understand it,

I, OTOH, do not say "Borkhuni leShalom" because worse than not
understanding it, I can't get a heretical understanding out of my head
when saying it.

: I would point out that arguably requesting something from your 
: mother is not so simple, either.  As far as her bechira is 
: concerned, she may decide to give you a glass of water or not.  As 
: to whether you actually get that water, that is up to HKB"H, not 
: your mother (as per the Chovos Lavovos, at least).

As others noted, that's not much different than trying to get it for
yourself. You're asking for her hishtadlus, and unless very immature,
won't hold it against her if she fails despite herself.

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger             Today is the 9th day, which is
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