[Avodah] "God who knows the future"

[David Riceman]

RMB:
> I think he's clear here, as per the reisha of your paraphrase. The 
> Ramban's words: "VeHashem, hayodeia' asidos, tzivehu..." So it's not a 
> question of whether the Ramban believes Hashem can know the future, but 
> how to explain the seifa of the paragraph in that light.

That's not the Ramban's literary style. When he uses a title it's not
a prescription, it's a pointer. Unlike the Rambam, the Ramban puts very
little emphasis on God's simplicity, and he often introduces his comments
by identifying a particular aspect of God about which he's commenting.

In this case he's identifying the command as situational: God, not acting
in His aspect of legislator, but acting in His aspect of tactician.
Next time around the spies need not be gentry, but this time there's a
reason to appoint gentry.



RH:
> In the sentence that you quoted, Hashem commanded Moshe to send one 
> nasi from each tribe to give them the best chance at free will that 
> could be given, while at the same time knowing how things would turn out.

That's not what the Ramban says.  He uses the word "ulay", which implies 
doubt.  If he had meant what you say he could have expressed it very 
clearly.  Is there anything in the Ramban which induces you to read it 
as you do?

David Riceman