Maggie's Farm

OK, but... we have been deliberately put in an imperfect, obscured world to exercise our free will and clarify/choose what is good.

In the Jewish construct, our freely-willed choice is part of closing the cosmic circle. This is called "hitoreruta dil'tatah" - the "awakening from below".

My problem with surrendering one's will is that:

1) if it comes too early, it suspends the inquiry/learning process that perfects of the individual soul

2) it is often used to support a withdrawal from the task of Tikkun Olam - to "establish THIS world in the kingdom of G-d". It's no accident that the wonderful Anchoress post often about both to surrender and to monastic retreat. They are connected.

The commandsments of the Law of Moses touch on every aspect of human experience because THIS is where it happens - in this world we experience otherness from G-d, and can express our choice to love G-d back.

Yes, at the highest levels this is expressed as transcendance of individual will. But there is a lot of value to the "lower levels" of selfhood and freely willed service. It is, in a very real sense, why we are here.