[Avodah] mazal?

[Micha Berger]

On Wed, Mar 13, 2024 at 05:52:51AM +0200, Joel Rich via Avodah wrote:
> If every decree can be changed by human effort, it would seem to me that it
> would be theoretically quite possible that HKBH could not promise us
> anything with 100% certainty since there would always be a combination of
> human efforts, even though extremely low probability, which would not yield
> that result. Thoughts?

We don't have total free will. For an easy example, we cannot choose to
flap our arms until we fly.

And there are so many choices we aren't given to choose among.

And more so according to REED, saying that not all of our actions are
free-willed choices, only those about which we are conflicted enough
to consciously think about. Habit, reflex, "decisions" made before you
even realized it -- not bechirah chofshi. In other words, most of us
don't "choose" not to steal that nice watch from the store because the
thought never even crosses our minds.

But in any case, back to the topic...

We can choose between our options, but Hashem chooses our options.

I question whether "there would always be a combination of human
efforts, even though extremely low probability, which would not yield
that result." If one believes in universal HP, as opposed to the Ohr
haChaim discussed here in the past (or all or nearly all rishonim) one
would have to believe that Hashem can set things up that His Hashgachah
is manifest in every scenario we are capable of setting up.

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger                 "As long as the candle is still burning,
http://www.aishdas.org/asp   it is still possible to accomplish and to
Author: Widen Your Tent      mend."
- https://amzn.to/2JRxnDF        - Anonymous shoemaker to R' Yisrael Salanter