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<DIV><FONT face=Calibri>RZS wrote:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Calibri></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV>"Why would death change anything in this regard? Do meisim
lose<BR>their bechirah? Do they no longer have their own zechuyos, so
that<BR>their prayers may achieve something that ours can't, just as they<BR>did
when they were alive?"</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV><FONT face=Calibri></FONT>
<DIV><BR><FONT face=Calibri>CM responds:</FONT></DIV>
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<DIV><FONT face=Calibri>I would think that meisim indeed do not have bechira.
There would be no point in having bechira since its only purpose is to produce
nisayon and the opportunity for gemul for appropriate choices and only
possible when the neshama is in a guf. A meis is chofshi min hamitzvos precisely
for this reason, he has no guf and no bechira. His alotted time for nisayon is
over. I always understood this to be peshat in Rebbi Yaakov in the mishna
in Avos 4:17 "yofeh sho'o achas betshuva umaasim tovim bo'olom hazeh mikol
chayai ho'olom habo."</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Calibri></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Calibri>I guess this leaves open the possibility of what I will
call "simple choice" as opposed to bechira, ie choice not related to tov vera
and rotzon Hashem, but simply choice of do I go right or left (when nor related
to "moral choice" = bechira) or do I eat Bran Flakes or Rice Krispies. This
notion might lend itself to explain some aggaditos about nishmos meisim seeming
to make choices. (not really sure about that).</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Calibri></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Calibri>KVT veKol Tuv</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Calibri></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Calibri>Chaim Manaster</FONT></DIV>
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