Do Humans Have Free Will? 

Are we truly the masters of our fate? Do we have free will?

Ancient and modern Jewish scholars have much to say about these big questions. Looking at the writings of key Jewish thinkers like Rav Saadia Gaon and Maimonides to understand the balance between divine omniscience and human choice, we explore storied debates and philosophical insights that challenge perceptions of the apparent contradiction between human freedom and divine destiny.

Big Ideas

1. Judaism believes that human beings are created “in the image of God” and therefore have free will. 
2. Many Jewish thinkers have suggested solutions for the tension between humans having free will and an omniscient God.
3. Because humans have free will, they are responsible for their actions and can choose whether to do good or evil. 

Essential Questions

1. How might one navigate the tension between having free will and God’s omniscience? 
2. What does it mean for human beings to be responsible for their own actions?
3. How does free will allow us to learn and grow from our mistakes?

Funding for this program is being provided through a grant from the Mayberg Foundation, The Zalik Foundation Fund, and The Weisfeld Family Charitable Foundation. This project is in partnership with the Jewish Education Innovation Challenge.