Do We Have a Natural Inclination To Do Good? What about Free Will?
At the end of this week’s parsha Moshe Rabbeinu tells the
nation, “הַעִדֹתִי בָכֶם
הַיּוֹם אֶת־הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֶת הָאָרֶץ .../Today, I bring the heavens and earth
as witnesses (that I have warned) you …” (Devarim 30:19) What is the significance of the heavens and
earth that God chose to bring them to testify?
Rashi[1]
explains that God is referring to the heavens and earth in order to admonish us
and encourage us to fulfill His will.
The heavens and the earth always fulfill God’s will. The sun always rises in the morning. Wheat seeds always produce wheat, never
barley. They fulfill the will of God
even though they receive no reward for doing so and are not punished if they
transgress. We, who receive reward upon
fulfilling the will of God and are punished when we transgress, should
certainly be moved to fulfill God’s will.
How, the Sfas Emes asks, can the nation be compared to the
heavens and the earth, though? The
heavens and the earth always fulfill the will of God because they have no free
will. They have no choice, make no
decision. We have free will. Confronted with a situation, we need to
decide what we are going to do.
The Sfas Emes explains that Moshe Rabbeinu is teaching us a
fundamental lesson in serving God. We
learn from the heavens and the earth that fulfilling God’s will is built into
the Creation. It is a part nature. We too, if not for the overpowering influence
of our evil inclination, would be drawn to fulfill God’s will just like every
other creation[2]. To the extent that we do not allow our evil
inclination to overpower us, we are automatically inner-directed towards good.
With this concept we can understand a pasuk in Tehillim (62:13),
“וּלְךָ־ה' חָסֶד
כִּי־אַתָּה תְשַׁלֵּם לְאִישׁ כְּמַעֲשֵׂהוּ/And you God have
kindness for you repay a man according to his action.” The Gemara[3] notes the difficulty in the
pasuk. Repaying a man according to his
action does not seem to be an aspect of kindness. Does a person not deserve to be repaid
according to his action?
However, the question is based on the premise that our
decisions are not influenced in any way neither for good nor for bad. If there is nothing influencing us, then
repaying a person according to his deeds is indeed justice, not kindness. However, if the desire to do good is built
into nature, and our job is to refrain from being drawn after the evil
inclination, the question becomes moot.
God repays man according to his action even though the yearning to
accomplish His will comes from Him. This
truly is kindness.
This concept answers a question regarding fulfilling mitzvos
of the heart. One of the Torah’s
cardinal mitzvos is the requirement to love God – Ahavas HaShem. Since this is a mitzvah of the heart – it
requires no action – how does one fulfill this mitzvah if he does not feel love
towards God? The Rambam[4] teaches that we can reach Ahavas
HaShem/Love for God through contemplating the wonders of the Creation.
The Sfas Emes answers that Ahavas HaShem/Love for God,
is naturally built into our hearts. If
we do not feel it, it is because the evil inclination is drawing us after
illicit passions which hide the natural passion for God that is within us. By being careful not to be drawn after
illicit desires, our entire being, heart and soul, naturally gravitates towards
God. May we merit it!
[1]Rashi ad loc.
[2] See
Ramban on Devarim 30:6 says exactly this, “… but after the Mashiach comes
choosing good will be part of nature
[3]Rosh HaShanah17b
[4]Moreh Nevuchim 3:28; Yad HaChazakah, Yesodei HaTorah
2:1-2
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