[Avodah] dvar reshut

[Akiva Miller via Avodah]

R' Joel Rich asked:

> Is there a true concept of dvar reshut or at every moment
> is there only one thing that maximizes HKB"H's happiness
> with us? (I realize one could say these are not mutually
> exclusive)

As an illustration, let's say that I have decided to go learn some Torah,
and I am deciding whether to learn this sefer or that sefer.

Certainly, Hashem would be "happy" (whatever that means in His context)
regardless which I learn, but one sefer or the other would be the one that
*maximizes* HKB"H's happiness with me. It is hard for me to imagine that
both seforim are equally valuable to the One Who judges b'chut hasa'arah.

With that illustration, I think RJR's question might be rephrased: Am I
*obligated* to choose the sefer that maximizes His happiness with me, or
may I choose either one?

My feeling is that this touches upon the very nature of the concept of
"obligation". Why on earth would one think that it is okay to choose the
one that *doesn't* maximize His happiness? I don't know if I'm "obligated"
to choose the better one as a matter of legality, but am I not obligated to
do so by *practicality*? Why would one shirk away from maximizing His
happiness? This is a matter of logic, not law.

It is probably impossible for a mere mortal to figure out which sefer is
the better choice, so I can't imagine that Hashem would punish one for
choosing the lesser choice. But that only applies to "punishment" in the
simple sense. There will certainly be consequences for the choice, for he
will know this sefer better than that sefer. He will reap rewards for
choosing the better, and suffer consequences for choosing the lesser.

I now think that the question might be reframed to say: Are you asking
about law, or about consequences?

Akiva Miller
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