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There is a Jewish law forbidding putting a michshol, a stumbling block, in front of a blind person. This is extended also to mean that one should not lead others into sin, including providing the means for a non-Jew to practice idolatry.

In the creation account, the plural verb is used in Bereishit 1:26 ("na'aseh adam", let US make man).

When asked about the plural and that people might conclude from it that there are multiple separate powers at play here, Hashem says (Midrash Aggadah 1:26:1)

אמר הקב"ה למשה כתוב מה שאני אומר לך, וכל הרוצה לטעות יטעה

Hashem said to Moshe "write what I tell you to write -- whoever wants to err, will err"

[my translation]

Since there are opinions that even shituf is forbidden to non-Jews, wouldn't Hashem's allowing people to draw the simple conclusion that there are multiple actors/powers be a michshol that he is putting in their way, leading them to a sinful behavior?

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rosends
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    Isn't everything in this world a temptation that needs to be used wisely - as the Mesilat Yeshorim ends his intro: נמצינו למדים, כי עיקר מציאות האדם בעולם הזה הוא רק לקיים מצוות ולעבוד ולעמוד בנסיון, והנאות העולם אין ראוי שיהיו לו אלא לעזר ולסיוע בלבד לשיהיה לו נחת רוח וישוב דעת למען יוכל לפנות לבו אל העבודה הזאת המוטלת עליו – Danny Schoemann May 23 '18 at 10:58
  • see Avodah Zara 55 - "To the scornful, He scorns.." – michael May 23 '18 at 11:17
  • @DannySchoemann why don't you put your correct response in the "answer" area? – RibbisRabbiAndMore May 23 '18 at 12:50
  • @RibbisRabbiAndMore - because (1) an answer requires a lot of time to write up, punctuate, translate and add sources. (2) I'm not sure that's what he's asking. – Danny Schoemann May 23 '18 at 13:08
  • @DannySchoemann I think that there is a distinction between a yetzer harah and the tests we go through daily, and a michshol, otherwise, why couldn't we use that as an excuse to justify any behavior we do which leads other astray? In this case, Hashem's stated purpose isn't as a test, but as allowing people to err. – rosends May 23 '18 at 13:50
  • This seems similar to the adage (don't know where in the Talmud this is said): "Everything is in the heavens except for fear of heaven." It's questionable as to what exactly "fear of heaven" means and if every aspect applies to Gentiles. But, it may mean basic belief in G-d, as well. Which would imply that this is a choice that G-d left for man as part of creation. – DanF May 23 '18 at 14:02
  • Brachot 34a ואמר רבי חנינא הכל בידי שמים חוץ מיראת שמים שנאמר (דברים י, יב) ועתה ישראל מה ה' אלהיך שואל מעמך כי אם ליראה – rosends May 23 '18 at 14:06
  • @rosends 'I think that there is a distinction between a yetzer harah and the tests we go through daily, and a michshol, otherwise, why couldn't we use that as an excuse to justify any behavior we do which leads other astray?' You're not the first one to make that argument. See Job's argument about halfway through Bava Basra 16a. – Salmononius2 May 23 '18 at 17:33

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