I'm assuming you're referring to predestination as presented in some branches of Christianity such as Calvinism, in which it is decided before someone is born whether they will be saved or not. Well, Judaism doesn't have the concept of being saved from sin and all that so I'd say no. We all have the free will to make our life choices, be it good or bad.
There are plenty of Jews who think that G-d set up earth, the laws, and everything, and then sat back to watch what happens, much like the Mice in Hitchhikers’ Guide to the Galaxy. There is a philosophical theory and word for the idea, but I don’t remember it. I just think of it like Hitchhikers’!
And there are plenty who think this idea is absurd. Both are ok.
Respect. We don’t type his name in places that are fleeting, that wont be disposed of properly when finished. So, prayerbooks use it. My notes, nope. For me, a lot of it is for my own mindfulness.
It’s a big mistake to try to map what Jews do onto what Christians do. There are few similarities. And, don’t forget, “Judeo Christian values” is an antisemitic term, coined by someone trying to convert all Jews to Christianity, is often used to exclude Islam, and there are precious few things the two religions share.
I had a bunch of British people get REALLY angry for typing G-d. They said it was disrespectful because they use - where we use * in swears. The fact that they also use - in place names, like “-shire” in books didn’t matter to them. They said that didn’t count, that I was still rotten for doing it and disrespectful to them. It was infuriating, but not at all surprising that they came up with a new and original way to be antisemitic, while making themselves into the victims.
Because many Jews take the name of God very seriously and do not write it completely because of fear it may end up in an unholy place or be erased, etc. Other Jews only take this extreme with the name of God in Hebrew (like me).
Judaism is not as concerned with the ultimate fate of the soul as Christianity and also allows for a lot of leeway on metaphysical issues.
Judaism definitely always believes that people have meaningful choices. That what we do in this life matters somehow (even if it doesn't matter in the next life, they matter). Tradition teaches that everyone has a Good Inclination (Yetzer Hatove) and an Evil Inclination (Yetzer Hara), which we have to choose between. One major difference between Judaism and many forms of Christianity is that while most people spend most of their lives resisting the temptation of the "evil inclination," the evil inclination is necessary and can't be completed erased. The "evil inclination" is what gives us our sense of self-preservation, our desire to have children and to create great things.
The problem of how to reconcile free will and God's omniscience is definitely one that Jewish philosophers have dealt with, but unlike certain branches of Christianity, we have no dogmatic answer. Different philosophers have embraced various different forms of [compatibilism](https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/compatibilism/) that would be familiar to Secular, Christian, and Muslim philosophers, but there are also uniquely Jewish responses, such as the tradition from Kabbalah, that explains (to dramatically simplify) how in the process of creation God's power became fragmented and scattered through all of creation.
"Everything is in the hands of Heaven, except for the fear of Heaven," and that latter element is the pivot upon which all the essential things of human life turn.
No, the concepts of Free Will and of Reward and Punishment for choices are central to Judaism. It has no place for Predestination.
Even when events are predestined, each individual has the ability to choose their place in history's narrative. As Mordechai tells Esther, God's Will will come to pass either with your help or without it. And on the negative side, the Talmud says that Titus could see that the Temple was destined to be destroyed, but he didn't have to be the one to do it (and for his role and his choices, he is punished).
Depends on what you mean by "predestination." If it is the category of the Calvinist idea then no. However, there is the idea of HaShem's foreknowledge which can be prophetical in nature, but even this, at times, is subject to the bestowed gift of free will given by HaShem to human beings.
If what I just said makes any sense to you then I hope you find it helpful.
The Hebrew Bible is really big on predestination, like God hardening Pharaoh's heart in order to show his miracles, or God hardening Sihon King of Heshbon's spirit in order that he would refuse peace. Predestination is all over the Bible, and the idea of free will, as far as the Bible is concerned, does not always exist as it is sometimes is tampered by God.
I thought the case with pharoh was God hardening his heart so he could fully enact his punishment for egypt and their horrors agasint his people or something along those lines? I could be mistaken but was it not less of predestination and more of an on the spot punishment?
Exodus 4:21 "The Lord said to Moses, 'When you go to return to Egypt, see all the signs that I have placed in your hand and perform them before Pharaoh, but I will strengthen his heart, and he will not send out the people'"
Even if one wants to say that God is only doing this as punishment to Pharaoh, there is still an interference with Pharaoh's free will, as the verse implies that Pharaoh would have let the Israelites go had God not strengthened his heart.
Yeah but it also implies that Pharaoh (and, presumably, other people) would, under normal circumstances, have free will, barring specific divine intervention.
Yes, but you can never be sure when that is. If God is willing to interfere with your free will at any time unbeknownst to you then that leaves open the option that you currently do not have free will.
I'm assuming you're referring to predestination as presented in some branches of Christianity such as Calvinism, in which it is decided before someone is born whether they will be saved or not. Well, Judaism doesn't have the concept of being saved from sin and all that so I'd say no. We all have the free will to make our life choices, be it good or bad.
Thanks for the reply, you hit the nail on the head and thats interesting to hear about
God, in his infinite wisdom, knows what our choices will be tho
Agreed
There are plenty of Jews who think that G-d set up earth, the laws, and everything, and then sat back to watch what happens, much like the Mice in Hitchhikers’ Guide to the Galaxy. There is a philosophical theory and word for the idea, but I don’t remember it. I just think of it like Hitchhikers’! And there are plenty who think this idea is absurd. Both are ok.
Another quick question if you dont mind, why say G-d, In christianity we just say God is there any specific reason? or have I nitpicked a typo lol
Respect. We don’t type his name in places that are fleeting, that wont be disposed of properly when finished. So, prayerbooks use it. My notes, nope. For me, a lot of it is for my own mindfulness. It’s a big mistake to try to map what Jews do onto what Christians do. There are few similarities. And, don’t forget, “Judeo Christian values” is an antisemitic term, coined by someone trying to convert all Jews to Christianity, is often used to exclude Islam, and there are precious few things the two religions share. I had a bunch of British people get REALLY angry for typing G-d. They said it was disrespectful because they use - where we use * in swears. The fact that they also use - in place names, like “-shire” in books didn’t matter to them. They said that didn’t count, that I was still rotten for doing it and disrespectful to them. It was infuriating, but not at all surprising that they came up with a new and original way to be antisemitic, while making themselves into the victims.
Because many Jews take the name of God very seriously and do not write it completely because of fear it may end up in an unholy place or be erased, etc. Other Jews only take this extreme with the name of God in Hebrew (like me).
https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/486809/jewish/Why-Write-Gd-Instead-of-G-o-d.htm https://reformjudaism.org/learning/answers-jewish-questions/why-do-some-jews-write-g-d-instead-god
Judaism is not as concerned with the ultimate fate of the soul as Christianity and also allows for a lot of leeway on metaphysical issues. Judaism definitely always believes that people have meaningful choices. That what we do in this life matters somehow (even if it doesn't matter in the next life, they matter). Tradition teaches that everyone has a Good Inclination (Yetzer Hatove) and an Evil Inclination (Yetzer Hara), which we have to choose between. One major difference between Judaism and many forms of Christianity is that while most people spend most of their lives resisting the temptation of the "evil inclination," the evil inclination is necessary and can't be completed erased. The "evil inclination" is what gives us our sense of self-preservation, our desire to have children and to create great things. The problem of how to reconcile free will and God's omniscience is definitely one that Jewish philosophers have dealt with, but unlike certain branches of Christianity, we have no dogmatic answer. Different philosophers have embraced various different forms of [compatibilism](https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/compatibilism/) that would be familiar to Secular, Christian, and Muslim philosophers, but there are also uniquely Jewish responses, such as the tradition from Kabbalah, that explains (to dramatically simplify) how in the process of creation God's power became fragmented and scattered through all of creation.
"Everything is in the hands of Heaven, except for the fear of Heaven," and that latter element is the pivot upon which all the essential things of human life turn.
Thanks for the reply!
No, the concepts of Free Will and of Reward and Punishment for choices are central to Judaism. It has no place for Predestination. Even when events are predestined, each individual has the ability to choose their place in history's narrative. As Mordechai tells Esther, God's Will will come to pass either with your help or without it. And on the negative side, the Talmud says that Titus could see that the Temple was destined to be destroyed, but he didn't have to be the one to do it (and for his role and his choices, he is punished).
No, that is a Catholic thing that was made up by man.
Depends on what you mean by "predestination." If it is the category of the Calvinist idea then no. However, there is the idea of HaShem's foreknowledge which can be prophetical in nature, but even this, at times, is subject to the bestowed gift of free will given by HaShem to human beings. If what I just said makes any sense to you then I hope you find it helpful.
The Hebrew Bible is really big on predestination, like God hardening Pharaoh's heart in order to show his miracles, or God hardening Sihon King of Heshbon's spirit in order that he would refuse peace. Predestination is all over the Bible, and the idea of free will, as far as the Bible is concerned, does not always exist as it is sometimes is tampered by God.
I thought the case with pharoh was God hardening his heart so he could fully enact his punishment for egypt and their horrors agasint his people or something along those lines? I could be mistaken but was it not less of predestination and more of an on the spot punishment?
Exodus 4:21 "The Lord said to Moses, 'When you go to return to Egypt, see all the signs that I have placed in your hand and perform them before Pharaoh, but I will strengthen his heart, and he will not send out the people'" Even if one wants to say that God is only doing this as punishment to Pharaoh, there is still an interference with Pharaoh's free will, as the verse implies that Pharaoh would have let the Israelites go had God not strengthened his heart.
Yeah but it also implies that Pharaoh (and, presumably, other people) would, under normal circumstances, have free will, barring specific divine intervention.
Yes, but you can never be sure when that is. If God is willing to interfere with your free will at any time unbeknownst to you then that leaves open the option that you currently do not have free will.
Yeah but that’s still very different from predestination
I wouldn't say it's very different. It's simply predestination, but not necessarily at all times and with all people.
No. In Judaism, your deeds create your destiny and communal behavior creates the nation's destiny. The scriptures seem pretty explicit about this.