From “The Principles of Global Education”: Even when we begin independent, adult life, our perception of the world is a finished product composed of three components: our “matter”(individual genetic traits and inclinations) and two factors that form this matter in their own way: the upbringing we received and the influence of the environment. None of us has free will, neither in decision making nor in evaluating anything in life.

The question is to what extent we are aware of it. Do we realize that we are trapped in the net of forces? We are not free in thought or intention. We have no freedom even in understanding of this very fact.

We begin to acknowledge the lack of free will out of hopelessness. It is neither good nor bad since we are talking about nature. But what exactly can we discover outside of it?

First of all, why are we brought to the realization of our entrapment? It is most likely so that we would still want to get out of it. Perhaps, we do have such a chance.

Here the main factor is how strongly a person reacts to freedom, how well he understands that he is controlled by various impulses, and how eager he is to break free from them, gain a certain new power, objectively look at himself from aside, and rise above his nature. But again, to rise to what? To another nature that will control him?

These questions are not for everybody. Not so many people in the world ask and seek answers to them, are receptive to them. That is why we can use this criterion to cut a clear line between a “human” and an “animal.” “Animal” isn’t a label but a level of development: A person lives as the society dictates for him or her to do, which in its turn, isn’t free either. A kindergarten and school teachers, parents, and media, who mold our opinion, do not possess free will just as well. All the systems, be it internal or external, don’t act autonomously but are triggered. Hence, it’s not worth talking about them.

If I am looking for my individual mission that is above this enforced flow of life, it is pointless to seek logic in its loops and whirls. They are meaningless, and I won’t find anything in it but nature’s forces which govern the entire humanity and the whole of creation, including all of its parts, over the course of the entire human history. It doesn’t offer any free will to anyone.

It’s a waste to spend time on studying something that is totally useless. In general, this is how the wisdom of Kabbalah views our world. It isn’t arrogance. Indeed, we think that we activate some forces and laws, enforce rules of behavior so that life could be more comforting. We assume that making new laws or building new machines will make the world a better place.

We do it unaware of being controlled. The desire to be free and better our life is not an expression of freedom, but rather mere internal urges that are caused by the process conducted Above. Thus, lies are built over lies. Even admitting to our own entrapment, we are forced to perform certain actions that seem to be autonomous but are, actually, not.
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From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 3/17/2011 on The Principles of Global Education

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