If Hashem Knows the Future, Where Is Our Free Will? 5 Points to Ponder

Passage Through the Canal

The scenario where a fetus "gets stuck" and cannot pass through the birth canal is a nightmare leading to emergency cesarean sections.

To facilitate easy passage of the fetus through the birth canal, it must be in a position where its smallest diameter is facing the canal. The birth canal is a not a smooth path, having various bumps due to pelvic bones. As a result, the diameter of the canal changes at different points. The fetus, descending through the canal, must change the position of its limbs at each stage of birth, adapting the different diameters of the advancing part (like the head) to the changing diameters along the canal.

In light of these limitations, what physiological processes allow smooth passage of the fetus through the birth canal?

1. Contractions: Birth contractions are uterine contractions that apply pressure to the fetus and "push" it towards the birth canal.

2. Vernix: A white, greasy substance covering the fetus' skin, protecting it in the womb. This layer acts as a lubricant, reducing skin friction and aiding a smooth and quick passage through the birth canal.

3. Fetal Head: The fetal head consists of skull bones that are not yet fully fused. The flexible connection allows the bones to overlap, easing the passage of the head through the canal.

4. Symphysis Pubis: This is the cartilage connecting the pelvic bones. During pregnancy, hormones like relaxin are secreted to loosen the ligaments, allowing the pelvis to expand and stretch during birth.

We see many physiological processes aiding an easy passage through the canal. I ask: What triggers contractions, and how does it happen? Who created the white layer covering the fetus' skin? How does the skull know to be flexible? How does the body know to secrete hormones to move the pelvic bones? Above all, how does the fetus know it will emerge from the womb after a set period of 9 months? Does all this happen without a guiding hand?

Has Hashem Abandoned Us?

Some believe Hashem existed in the past but has since left the world, G-d forbid. But that's not true!

How can we prove Hashem is with us every day, all day? Easily...

We see how all natural laws continue their order, sustaining us. The Earth, the moon, and the sun do not deviate from their orbits. The sun continues to rise daily on Earth, and oxygen remains in appropriate amounts to sustain life!

We see how all our bodily systems continue to function in harmony, coordinated and wonderfully integrated, every organ in its proper place. Every material in precise dosage, every action at the right time. Breath after breath, heartbeat after heartbeat!

We see how the world of nature and plants continues to grow and flourish. The beautiful apple, the orange, and banana—their shapes, colors, tastes, and fragrances are crafted with supreme genius, noting: No human hand took part in their creation! Despite today's advanced technology, food continues to come to us solely from the ground and the tree.

We have no reason to think Hashem has left the world, but rather the opposite! From all these, we see Hashem is with us at every given moment, sustaining the world as it is so we can exist in it. If Hashem had left us, everything would revert to chaos.

The entire universe—mineral, plant, animal, and above all, man, and the wonderful harmony between them—a universe built in wisdom and wondrous design, serves as clear proof that the world was created by a superhuman force that cares for and protects us at every moment due to its immense love for us...

Our sages understood this and wrote: "He who renews in His goodness every day, always the work of creation" (from the morning Shema blessings).

Why Do We Vomit?

Have you ever encountered a product that "knows" to automatically expel substances that harm it, to protect itself? Have you ever seen a computer that purges viruses attacking it? Certainly not! Yet, the most wonderful machine in the world, the human body, knows how to do this. How? Via a defense mechanism "installed" in our body, the vomiting mechanism!

Why do we vomit?

Because our brain thinks it's been poisoned. The brain suspects something is wrong and, just to be sure, expels the stomach contents to prevent further damage, meaning nausea and vomiting are biological mechanisms to rid the body of harmful and toxic substances.

How does vomiting occur?

Vomiting is controlled by a brain area responsible for detecting toxins (Area postrema), which for obvious reasons must be sensitive to substances entering the body, vomiting the harmful ones before permanent damage occurs.

When someone feels the urge to vomit, the brain sends messages to body parts to prepare for the unpleasant event: Salivary glands produce extra saliva to protect teeth from stomach acids. Muscles in the small intestine contract, pushing undigested contents to the stomach. Abdominal muscles contract, forcefully pushing stomach contents into the esophagus. The esophagus pushes everything into the mouth and out of the body. The vomit contains partially digested food and stomach acids, causing a strong taste and leaving a burning sensation in the mouth and throat.

There's no doubt man was created in wondrous wisdom with remarkably coordinated and integrated systems, each organ in its proper place. Every material in precise dosage, every action at the right time...

Sonar in the Sea

The dolphin is one of the most intelligent animals in nature. Dolphins have excellent communication with each other and a highly advanced learning capability.

One of the dolphins’ natural advantages is their particularly smart natural sonar. For dolphins, this is an amazing mechanism through which they emit different "click" sounds in water, and the returning echoes of these sounds indicate to dolphins the distance and direction of various objects in surrounding waters, even the shape of these objects. Through the "click" echoes, dolphins navigate their way and locate food in water.

The dolphin's sonar system—it's truly a unique phenomenon. The ability to detect objects at a distance is simply astounding. We, humans, imitated this ability and developed ultrasound devices as well as sonar systems used by ships and submarines.The Israeli Navy even developed sonar systems that enhance the detection, identification, and combat capabilities of its submarine fleet.

(צילום: shutterstock)

Sonar systems are the eyes and ears of the submarine: these systems are built to pick up noises and sounds from various sea occurrences, above and below the water, enabling their analysis and conversion into operational data. In each submarine, sonar system analysts (the sonarists) sit with headphones following noises that will be translated into information.

In the sea, almost everything generates a unique sound, and the sonarists' task is to associate rather dissonant sounds with activities occurring nearby: merchant ship engines; dolphins; unmanned vessels; warships—and even infrastructure laid deep on the sea bed.

The State of Israel invests billions of dollars in the research and development of sonar systems for its security—systems that do not reach the capability of a single natural sonar system of a dolphin...

If Hashem Knows the Future, Where Is Our Free Will?

If people didn’t have free will, they wouldn't deserve reward or punishment for their deeds. If a person was pre-programmed to behave in a certain way, like being angry or desecrating Shabbat, what crime could the Creator accuse him of? He would be like a robot programmed this way!

However, as is well known, individuals have the ability to choose at any moment in their lives, and this differentiates them from animals, whose actions stem from instinct. A person is expected to choose good, and for this, he receives a reward, though no one can stop him from choosing evil, for which he is punished.

Since people have choice, naturally the divine purpose of the Creator is achieved, who created the world to benefit each person according to his personal choice. This is even though the Creator of the world knows in advance what the person will do, as it is said: "Everything is foreseen, and free will is granted" (Ethics of the Fathers 3:15).

Wait, if the Creator of the world knows what I will do, where is my choice?

There is a big difference between knowing the future and determining the future. Hashem knows what a person will do, but each person decides for himself what to do. Hashem knows in advance what the person will choose, but since the person decides, he deserves a reward. He had an evil inclination, strove not to fall into sin, and yet overcame—therefore he deserves a reward. Hashem's knowledge of him ultimately overcoming doesn’t negate the granting of a reward.

What is it similar to?

To a teacher in a class he has taught for 8 years. He knows each child deeply. He can predict the behavior patterns of each student in the class. Now, before summer vacation, the education ministry sends instructions to teachers to assign students a task with a prize: whoever does the best job will receive a prize of a thousand shekels.

The teacher explains to the students what they need to do, and meanwhile, he already knows in his heart what each will do: "Reuven will invest 10 hours, Shimon—5 hours, Gadi—won't bother at all, and Yosef will invest all summer long. I have no doubt Yosef will win the first prize."

Vacation ends, and just as the teacher predicted, so it was: this one invested this much, that one—that much, and Yosef worked day and night, achieving the best result. Does Yosef deserve the first prize? He does! But the teacher knew! So what if he knew? The reward was given for the effort and toil, and the teacher's knowledge did not change the fact he deserved the prize.

So too the Creator of the world—Everything is foreseen, He sees the future, but free will is granted, because we decide what we will do. The Creator of the world knows what our choice will be, but His aim is to benefit man for his efforts and toil, for which he created the world.