[Avodah] G-d changes his mind

[Zev Sero]

Eli Turkel wrote:
> What does the phrase (bereshit 6:6) mean?
> va-yenachem hashem ki asah et ha-adam ba-aretz va-yityazev el libo.
> 
> Remebr G-d's knowing the future is not like a person's knowing the
> future.   So was the mabul predestined?

This is why Rashi feels the need for a different translation. First
he suggests that "vayinachem" (note the chirik) in this case doesn't
mean "he changed his mind" but "He comforted Himself".  Then he
suggests that perhaps it *never* means "he changed his mind", but
rather "he considered his options", in which case there is no need
to special-case this instance.


> Also was mankind after the flood better than before?

Not necessarily, but He promised never to destroy the whole world
again.  Parts of it, yes, but not the whole thing, no matter how
bad we get.

 
> Schroeder in a recent book "G-d according to G-d" argues that
> indeed G-d can change his mind as we see that the avot and
> Moshe argued with G-d and occasionally won.
> He goes so far as to say that Abraham was wrong for not arguing
> with G-d at the Akedah.
> His sources are Alan Dershowitz and Shulamit Aloni !!

That is definitely krum.  In each case where someone argues with
Hashem, Rashi goes out of his way to point out that Hashem had no
obvious reason to inform them of His plans in the first place, so
they took it as permission and an invitation to argue.  In the case
of the akeda this obviously doesn't apply; Avraham received, not
information but a direct order, and when someone gets an order from
Hashem he has no right to argue.   After obeying he may perhaps ask
for an explanation, but not before.

-- 
Zev Sero                      The trouble with socialism is that you
zev at sero.name                 eventually run out of other people’s money
                                                     - Margaret Thatcher