Torah Reading: Balak

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Nature, Nurture, and Free Will

by Rabbi Mordechai Becher

Every person has free will, but struggles on a unique playing field.

Published: August 30, 2008

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Visitor Comments: 8

(8) Anonymous, July 9, 2011 3:23 AM

very well said, actually we have an assignment about these nature,nurture and free will,,, now seems interesting for me, btw i am thankful you explained it well:))

(7) sonia ortega, September 10, 2008 10:28 AM

our will

Very interesting presentation. my position in that only the third part of your will is conscious, so we are most influencied by our unconscious mind and here is where we must work to have a positive personality.I don' t speak englih so well, I' m psychologist and work on it. thanks.

(6) s, September 2, 2008 9:46 PM

great message

R. Akiva Tatz mentions this too. Plus, he said that sometimes people don't take responsibiliy for their actions because they feel they couldn't help it. But really people Do have a choice. They might have had a hard childhood and grew up stealing things, but whether or not they steal at that moment is up to them.

(5) Andy, August 31, 2008 11:55 PM

it seems to me that we are responsible if we would not want it done to us

a person is responsible for his/her actions even when the level of conflict seems beyond his free will limit. you gave an example of a person growing up in an environment where murder is a normal option and his free will is in the realm of what weapon to choose.I disagree. I'd say that anyone who knows that he would not want it done to them has enough free will to stop him from doing it to others. Only humans have free will in the sense that it means we can choose to follow a weaker yaitzer tov over a stronger yaitzer hara

(4) Larry, August 31, 2008 8:06 PM

Thank you

Enjoyed this presentation on a long debated issue. The statement that everyone has freewill, but no two people have the same free will, emphasizes the many different factors that make up each of our experiences and/thus the exercise of our wills, our choices. What a complex milieu of nature and nurture the Creator provides for our development.

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About the Author

Rabbi Mordechai Becher

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Rabbi Mordechai Becher, originally from Australia, is a Senior Lecturer for the Gateways Organization. He was a Senior Lecturer at Ohr Somayach, Neve Yerushalayim and Darchei Binah in Jerusalem for 15 years, was a chaplain in the Israel Defence Forces and taught in a number of Rabbinic training programs. Rabbi Becher is the co-author of After the Return, and has answered thousands of questions on the Ask-the-Rabbi website. His latest book, Gateway to Judaism, was recently published by Shaar Press. Rabbi Becher received his ordination from the Chief Rabbinate of Israel. He has lectured for the UJA, Jewish Federations, the Zionist Organization of America, Hillel and is on the speakers bureau of the Israeli Consulate in New York. He has taught in Canada, the United States, England, Israel, South Africa, Australia and Russia. He resides with his wife and 6 children in Passaic, NJ.