Reply To: Theological Conundrum (read at your own risk)

Now that Yekke2 is around, this is an opportune time to continue this discussion, as he was the only one who came even remotely close to agreeing with me. However, I think that some of us might not have been talking directly to each other and some side points may have confused the actual issue. So now I would simplify everything and ask very simply:

Would you do something if you received no benefit whatsoever? Benefit includes physical reward, getting a good feeling, earning schar, etc. If you would then why? If your answer will be that you do something because it is inherently right, I will ask what the value of doing something right is. To put it even more simply: The Rambam in Perek Cheilek (which I quoted earlier in this thread) as well as in Hilchos Teshuva 10:2 says ???? ???? ???? ???? ???. That is the ultimate reason. To which I ask what value there is in doing the ??? just because it is the ???. In order to adequately answer the question, you will be forced to assign some (other) value to ???, which by definition means that you are not doing it ???? ???? ???. In other words, I am alleging that ???? ???? ???? ???? ??? is an impossibility. Now the Rambam himself grants ????? ?? ??? ??? ???? ?? ??? ???? ?????? ??? ?????? ?? ???? ?????? ????? ????? ??? ???? ?? ???? ??? ????? ??? ????? ?? ??? ?? ???? ???? ??? ????? ?? ????? ?? ????? ??? ??? ??? ??? ???? ????? ????? ???? ???? ???? ?????? ??? ????? ??? ??? ???? ?? ????? ???? ?’ ??? ????? ????? ?? ??? ??? and ????? ?? ??? ???? ????? ??? ???? ?? ??? ???? ??. But he clearly feels that by having a true ???? of the ??? it is in fact possible.