How much of our life is in our hands? We affirm that it is G-d who guides our steps, but this does not exempt us from responsibility for our choices. This subject is very relevant, especially before Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, when we will be subjected to Divine judgment, having to account for our actions in the past year and asking that the next year be good and sweet.

The balance between Divine Providence and man's free will is one of the most complex issues in Judaism. Believing in Divine Providence – in Hebrew, Hashgacha Pratit – means believing that everything in this world has a reason for being and nothing happens by chance. It means believing that there is a Creator who controls the Universe, and everything that happens has a reason. However, when creating man, G-d granted him free will – the right to decide his path.

Faced with these two questions, many questions arise. By granting us free will, did G-d give us the power to change our destiny? But if everything happens for a reason, does that mean that everything is predetermined by G-d? If our path was predetermined by the Creator, why do we pray, work or even go to the doctor when sick? And how can we be held responsible for our actions?

On the one hand, it is written that everything is already determined, but, on the other, it is also written that the choice of our actions is in our hands. The reality is that we understand little about this subject, being able to understand only a few concepts. The Torah tells us that G-d has determined the “lessons” we have to learn during our time on Earth. However, there are several ways to learn them, and the way we learn them depends on our choices. We can take more or less time, we can choose a more direct and easier path or a longer and more painful one. But in the end, lessons will be learned.

We will illustrate through a simple example what pre-determined “lessons” are. Two students were preparing for the Entrance Exam. One tried hard and studied hard and the other didn't take his studies seriously. The result: the one who studied got into the college he wanted and the other couldn't get in and will have to take the Entrance Exam again. The lesson that both students learned is the same: that it is important to study, but by taking different actions they also learned in different ways. The same applies to choices in our life.

Choose life

The truth is that much of what happens in our lives is not up to us – it is beyond our power. As for what doesn't depend on us, we have no choice.

A person does not choose to get sick or go through certain difficult situations. It is undeniable that sometimes we put ourselves in bad situations, but in this case we are talking about the times when this did not happen due to some bad choice of ours. However, even when we cannot choose the situation, we do not lose free will. In these cases, our freedom consists of choosing how we will react and deal with each situation.  

The Torah, in several of its passages, states that G-d places before us two paths: the path of life and the path of death; the path of blessing and the path of curse. And G-d asks us to choose life.

Human beings have a primary survival instinct. Would anyone in their right mind choose death? Obviously not. There are several explanations for this verse in the Torah. One of them says that there are two types of life: a life that is life and a life that is death. In the Torah it is also written that the Righteous are called living even after death and that the wicked are called dead even while alive.

An example from Physics can help us illustrate these concepts. In Physics, there are black holes – celestial bodies with an intense gravitational attraction, so that not even light escapes from their interior. Colloquially, the black hole “sucks” into itself everything that comes close to it. The same happens in this world. There are people who “suck” energy. They live a kind of life that is not quite life; it is simply existing and “sucking” energy from this world. On the other hand, there are people who “generate” energy, who spread light, kindness and life throughout the world.

G-d gives us the free will to choose what kind of life we ​​want to lead and commands us – choose life: be productive, work to do good for this world. Choose to be a good son, a good father, a good member of society; make good, positive choices.

It is important to emphasize that G-d commands us to choose, and “not choosing” or omitting is also a choice. When a person chooses to do nothing and let themselves be led by circumstances, that is also a choice.

There are three types of people. The people who act and make it happen, the spectators who see life happen, and those who ask “what happened”?

Judaism teaches us to be proactive – to make positive things happen – because through good deeds we can constantly change our destiny for the better.

It is said that there was a very wise rabbi and teacher. His students were impressed because their master seemed to have an answer for everything. One day, a student decided to test the teacher. He was convinced that he would succeed in putting him face to face with an unanswered question.

He caught a butterfly and hid it in his hand and went to ask the rabbi what he had hidden in his hand. Even if the rabbi guessed the answer, he would have no way of knowing whether the butterfly was dead or alive. If the rabbi said she was alive, the student would crush the butterfly; if she said she was dead, he would let her fly.

The student then came to the rabbi and asked, “What do I have in my hand?”, and the rabbi replied that it was a butterfly. “Is she alive or dead?” asked the boy and the teacher replied, “That depends on you”.

G-d gives us a pure soul, but it is up to us to decide what choices we will make.

Human Choices and Divine Choices

Human beings often have difficulty distinguishing which situations depend on their free will and which are the product of Divine Providence. And, many times, we transfer to G-d what is our responsibility. We make a bad choice, we suffer the consequences and we say that G-d wanted it that way – that it is part of the path determined by Him. There are those who even say: “If I abandoned my traditions, if I disconnected myself, if I moved away from my People and of my traditions…it was because G-d led me to this path.”

At the same time, when G-d acts in our lives, we often believe that this is the sole result of our choices. Many of those who are financially successful, or very healthy, attribute these results solely to their efforts.

We believe that the place where we live – that was our choice. However, our Sages say that where we are living is a Divine choice. The Jewish People almost never chose where to live. When we look at ourselves and our ancestors – how many cities and how many countries have we been to? Was it by choice or was there a greater force that commanded our steps?

The place where we find ourselves is rarely our complete choice. G-d takes us to the place where we have a mission to fulfill. That doesn't mean we're going to stay in that place forever. There are more complex missions, which may require us to stay in that place for years, and there are simpler, quicker missions, for which a brief visit is enough.

In general, each person's steps are guided by G-d. He takes us to where we should be, but whether or not we fulfill our mission depends on our choices.

The Baal Shem Tov, founder of Chassidism, quotes Psalm 121 which says “G-d is your protection. Like a shadow, His right hand follows you.” The Baal Shem Tov uses this allegory to portray Divine protection – we write our destiny; but, like a shadow, G-d follows our movements.

Beyond our power

There is much in this life that is beyond our ability to transform, to improve. However, we don't know for sure what we will be able to change and what is beyond our possibilities. The Torah commands us that if someone is sick, that someone should see a doctor, or that we should work to support ourselves, and so on. It teaches us that we need to dedicate ourselves and fight for our goals and do everything within our power. The Torah emphasizes the importance of human effort and also tells us that, along with our efforts, we must remember that prayer, the practice of Tzedakah and the study of Torah also have great power that allows us to achieve our goals.

Judaism teaches us not to be passive in the face of life. However, there are certain moments when there is nothing left to do, and in those moments we hand everything over to G-d. Not that it wasn't in G-d's hand before; everything is always in G-d's hands. But G-d asks for our participation and our commitment in everything that concerns us.

The same happens in relation to Rosh Hashana e Yom Kippur. It’s not enough to go to synagogue. G‑d asks for our commitment – ​​asks for our prayers, our sincere repentance, and our resolutions to improve our future behavior. We have to do our part.  

The Tefillah

A Tefillah (prayer) constitutes a way of acting in the spiritual worlds; especially on the days of Rosh Hashana e Yom Kippur. In these sacred days, we undergo purification and spiritual elevation. We pray that G-d decrees a good and sweet year, with health and success; a year in which our requests are met.

Our Sages report two situations linked to the power of our prayers. They say that, in certain cases, our requests have already been approved by Heaven, but for some reason they have not yet materialized. Through prayer we can bring these positive decrees into our material world. This is why in our prayers there are phrases that talk about material things.

The second situation is linked to the true essence of Tefillah. By praying we elevate ourselves to higher spiritual levels and ask for a new Divine Will. We pray asking Yehi Ratson Lefanecha - may it be Your Will - so that Gd can grant our requests even if they have not been approved. Our Sages tell us that through Tefillah It is possible, in some cases, to change some Divine decree – creating a “new” will in G-d. It is for this reason that our Tefillah It's so important, especially these days.

In the prayers of Rosh Hashana e Yom Kippur It is written that we eliminate the evil decree through repentance, prayer and practice of Tzedakah (...U'Teshuvá, U'Tefilá U'Tzedaká maavirin et roa ha-guezera). This means that we can and have the strength to change our destiny.

Know how to ask

We arrived in Rosh Hashana e Yom Kippur with a list of requests to G-d. However, there are several ways to ask and it is important to know how to do it.

We ask for health, sustenance, love, happiness, peace and success. Some ask for a promotion at work, others want to close a deal, others ask for a wife or husband.... We arrive with our merits and demerits and G-d “takes our record” and evaluates our requests. Do we deserve what we are asking for?

We can stand before G‑d with our list of requests or we can stand as His servants in this world. When we pray before our Creator we know that each of us was sent to this world with a mission to fulfill.  

To fulfill our mission, to do good, to educate our children in a good way, to maintain our traditions, to work in His work, we need health, sustenance, tranquility, peace of mind, and so on. When we ask in this way, the probability of being answered is much greater. We are not asking for ourselves, but rather, for us to have the tools to fulfill our mission on Earth.

It is said that one day the prophet Eliyahu Hanavi He appeared before a man of great faith and told him that he would grant him a request. She would return the next day to find out what this would be...

The man went to his parents' house and asked, “Father, what do I ask?” His father replied: “Son, we are in a very difficult financial situation. Ask for a gold bar.” The man went to his mother with the same question and the mother replied: “Son, I'm blind. Ask me to see again.” Having consulted his parents, the man went to speak to his wife, who said: “We have been married for many years and have no children. Ask for a son.”

The man didn't know what to do and asked G‑d to enlighten him. The next day he met Eliyahu Hanavi and said: – “I want my mother to see my son in a golden cart”.

This allegory teaches that in these auspicious days, it's not just asking, we have to know how to ask.

Ability to respond

Free will means taking responsibility for our lives. But what is responsibility? It is the ability to choose our response and reaction to a situation. If nothing happens by chance, this means that if we find ourselves in a certain situation, this is decided by Divine Providence. If we find ourselves in a situation where we are given a chance to do good, if we have the power to help, then we must take action.

Rashi, the great Torah commentator, provides a commentary on the Torah verse: “You will not remain impassive before the blood of your brother… and you will love your neighbor as yourself.” Quoting the Talmud, Rashi says: If thieves or dangerous animals are near a person or if he is drowning and you see this and can help, and you fail to do so, then you have become impassive in the face of another person's suffering. You saw it and ignored it.

The Rebbe explains what these words of Rashi mean. Since you were put in that situation, it's a sign that you could save them, that you could do something for that person.

Through Divine Providence G-d gives us the opportunity to do what needs to be done. However, G-d gives us the freedom to choose to take action or to do nothing. We cannot remain impassive and say “it is in G-d’s hands”. 

Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur

It is often said that Rosh Hashana It's the Jewish New Year. However, Rosh Hashana It is the only Jewish festival that is not only linked to the Jewish People.  Rosh Hashana celebrates the birth of humanity, of all men, Jews and non-Jews. With the birth of humanity, our social responsibility is also born, as a human being responsible for the world that G-d created.

Rosh Hashana It's not just a day of judgment, Rosh Hashana It is a day of the coronation of G-d as King of the universe.

On the first two days of the month of Tishrei, celebrate Rosh Hashanah, the day we crown G-d. On the tenth day of the same month, Yom Kippur. It is the day of repentance and Divine forgiveness. Man was placed in this world with a purpose, a mission and, in Yom Kippur, God gives us a day when we can repent of our actions, change our ways and return to our mission.

Em Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur we examine the way we live and how we use the time given to us by G-d. We introspect our choices. Did we choose the right values, act correctly and do good, within our possibilities? We are not simple robots, who live determinism. We may not have full choice of the paths we will take, but we choose how we will deal with the adversities and opportunities that life brings us.

We don't choose to be rich or not, to be healthy or not. Our choice is to choose to do good or evil. We can always choose to act within morality or not, to be ethical or not, to be good and correct people or not. This is where our choice lies and this is what is judged in Rosh Hashana and sealed in Yom Kippur. What did we do in practice to be good and correct? How are we contributing to this world? Are we knowing how to live a meaningful life or are we simply living life and watching time pass by?

We are not in this life by chance and we do not find ourselves in a certain place by chance. Every moment in which we are alive has its reason for being and with that comes a great responsibility.

When we got close to Rosh Hashana e Yom Kippur we rethink our relationship with the world and with our Creator. In these days, G-d also “rethinks” His relationship with us and the world. In these sacred days we choose G-d and, each year, G-d also chooses us.  

Rabbi Gabriel Aboutboul is the rabbi of the Ipanema Synagogue in Rio de Janeiro and a speaker.