The "Poyis" for the Kohen

The Mishna in Yuma discusses the Payis and the Talmud expands upon it in great length primarily in the second perek. Interesting to note what the relevance of the procedure on how to appoint specific Kohanim for specific jobs is to the talmud. For example, we don't discuss who/how the technical procedure of making the ktores is all we know is that Bais Avtinus makes it. An interesting question is asked by the Shaagas Arye (both in the sefer Shaagas Arye and in Gvuras Ari on Yum) why is the kohen allowed to wear or actually obligated to wear the arba'a begadim during the Payis if according to the Rambam it is Kilayim and Assur to wear "shelo besha'as avodah". There is a discussion that the Payis can be halacha l'emoshe misinai and not just a mitzva derabanan. I would take it a step further and suggest, based on the Shaagas Aryeh, that the Payis might be considered part of the avodah more than just a "hechser" for the avoda.

Yedia vs Bechira

A thought that I had concerning the age old question of Yediah vs. Bechira is that maybe the answer is to look backwards. We all know that you cannot change the past, however, essentially that is what "Teshuva" does. I think that philosophically  the real "chidush" of Tshuva is that no physical or spiritual being was able to conceptualize and had to be handed down directly from God. Only God could enable a person to change the past. This is also the difference between "Toheh al Harishonos" and teshuva, when you are toheh al harishonos you lose your mitzvos but you are not changing the past. Your are just losing your schar. However when you do thuva you are actually effecting a real change to the extent that "zidonos na'asim lo zachuyos".

Maybe Bchira for the future can act m'idin teshuva, that is to say just like you can change the past through teshuva you can also change the future mekol v'achomer. So if Teshuva works then Bchira must work too even though there is yedia. Just a thought