[Avodah] Parshas Ki Sisa: Rav Shimon Schwab - Mordechai's Brings, Real Freedom For His Nation

[Micha Berger]

On Sun, Mar 18, 2012 at 04:51:21PM -0400, David Riceman wrote:
> Frankly, this is a polemical trick which subverts the meaning of  
> "freedom" and substitutes a straw man for serious argument.  For a  
> definition of freedom see H. Teshuvah 5:1-2, cf. Niddah 17b...

Except it's a maamar chazal. "Ein lekha ben chorin ela mi she'oseiq
baTorah". The Rambam is discussing free will, a philosophical topic.
Humans have free will, even those with little freedom.

Perhaps we should be more aware, though, that we're using "freedom" as
a stand in "cheirus". Perhaps RDR could be happier if I framed the same
point this way:

Chazal are saying the Jewish value of cheirus isn't the same as the
English word freedom. Although clearly they wouldnt have made the point
if we didn't have a hava amina that they would be the same. Someone who
follows the Torah posesses more cheirus than someone who thinks they
are truly free. Because cheirus includes a lack of preconscious desires
that interfere with our reaching our conscious goals, but freedom only
refers to a lack of external restraints from doing what we desire.

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger             It is our choices...that show what we truly are,
micha at aishdas.org        far more than our abilities.
http://www.aishdas.org                           - J. K. Rowling
Fax: (270) 514-1507