Rabbi Akiva Refutes Papias on the Heavenly Court of Justice

(Exodus 4:18:) "Then Moses went and returned to Jether (i.e., Jethro) his father-in-law." This is what Scripture says (Job 23:13): "But He is at one, and who can turn Him back? And what His soul desires, that He does." Rabbi Papias expounded: Because He is unique in His world, and there is no one who can protest against His hand, whatever He wishes to do, He does, as it is said, "And what His soul desires, that He does." Rabbi Akiva said to him: Enough for you, Papias! One does not expound thus. And what is the meaning of "But He is at one, and who can turn Him back"? Just as the one who petitions below, so does He petition above. From where? As it is said (Daniel 4:14): "By the decree of the watchers is the sentence, and by the word of the holy ones is the matter," and so forth. Just as they argue and deliberate in halakhah below, so above; and everything is by judgment, as it is said (Daniel 10:21): "But I will declare to you that which is inscribed in the writing of truth." And the Holy One, blessed be He, argues and deliberates in judgment, and says: How did the verdict of such-and-such a one come out? And they say: Thus it came out. And the Holy One, blessed be He, agrees with them. From whom do you learn this? From Micaiah. See what is written: "And Micaiah said: Therefore hear the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting upon His throne, and all the host of heaven standing by Him on His right hand and on His left" (1 Kings 22:19). But is there a left on high, that he says "on His right hand and on His left"? Rather, these on the right incline toward the side of merit, and these on the left incline toward the side of guilt. Thus, everything is by judgment. And what is the meaning of "But He is at one, and who can turn Him back"? Because He is unique in His world, He knows the mind of His creatures.