As Heard From Rabbi Avigdor Miller ZT”L

“And you shall choose life.” (30:19)

The fact that we have some free will, freedom of action not results, is the greatest of miracles. Since Hashem is the only one with actual existence, “En od melevado,” His free will to do is exclusive. And so, only as a result of the benevolence and omnipotence of Hashem are humans granted this Godly gift of choice.

All of our success in this life and in everlasting life is dependant on how we use this great gift of free will. The constant tests of life which can bring us to unlimited spiritual heights or the opposite all hinge on our free will choices. From this we can understand that Hashem does not bring us a test that we are not able to pass. Since our free will must be maintained in order for us to be held accountable. So if a test does not allow us to exercise our free will, it is not a test which we would be responsible for.

This Mitzvah, to choose life, is one of the highest degrees (Shaare Teshuba). This means that not only does Hashem allow us the free will to choose and He also tells us that we possess the ability to choose. But not only this, Hashem in his great kindliness also urges us to “Choose Life.”

This means that when we keep His Torah we are not only choosing Life, but we are pleasing Hashem who “desires Life” (Yechezkel 18:23) for us.

Thus whenever a good deed is done, we can beforehand add the intention of fulfilling this Mitzvah of “choosing life” in order to cause pleasure to Hashem Who is so greatly interested in the life of every one of His beloved people.

Shabbat Shalom

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