Description: Chapter 3 - 02
Derech Hashem
Section II – Chapter 3 – 02
There is another factor that plays a role in every test that we are challenged with. This factor is determined by our worthiness and mitzvos or avairos, how good we are or the opposite. Hashem crafted the tests of this world in such a way, that the actions and deeds of each person also contribute to how much help he will receive from Hashem to achieve his perfection. The greater a person is, the more protection he will have from falling into sin, as the pasuk says, ‘vi’raglei chasidav yishmor,’ Hashem guards the feet of his pious ones.
Here too, there are many different levels and qualifications involved. There can be one person who according to his past actions and deeds Hashem will only help him slightly in passing his tests, whereas someone else has merited to be assisted greatly and it will be easy for him to achieve greatness and perfection. Another person might not have the merit to get special help from Heaven, yet Hashem won’t make it overly difficult for him to pass his test, while another person might have a judgement passed against him determining that there should be many roadblocks in his way to perfection, and it will take him a tremendous amount of determination and strength and toil to pass those nisyonos. Someone who is a true rashah, an evil person, might have all paths to spirituality made distant from him, and he will fall into the evil he created. There are details upon details in every person’s life and mission, each person is unique.
The difficulties and tzaros we face in this world are like a wall that we have to break through in order to succeed and progress forward. For a rashah Hashem will sometimes put many roadblocks in his way simply to prevent him from doing the evil things he’s planning – Hashem in His ultimate wisdom decides what deed should take place and what shouldn’t – and Hashem will prevent the rashah through tzaros and failure. This is what Dovid Hamelech davens for in Tehillim, ‘Al titain Hashem mav’ayai rashah,’ Hashem, don’t allow a rashah to realize his desires!
Based on what Hashem decides for each person, the level of difficulty and the level of support he gets from Heaven, will also determine the judgement he receives for passing or failing the nisayon. Someone that everything is working out for him, and he has all that he needs to serve Hashem, and nevertheless chooses not to, will obviously be judged more strictly than someone who failed because he was in a very difficult situation and had many distractions. Hashem judges each person according to what he truly is, whether a shogaig or maizid, forced or deliberate, Hashem knows all actions and thoughts and judges accordingly.
If we think into this ourselves, we can see how this plays such a role in our lives. There are times when it is easy to be patient with our friends, spouses, children, and there are times when it is very difficult. Sometimes it seems like everything is conspiring against us to make us fail. The food got burnt, a child is hurting another, we got insulted by a co-worker, we just lost money – whatever, and then we are expected to be patient too!? There are times when we are just able to daven, no one is calling us, no one is disturbing us, we don’t have to run in and run out, and there are times when we don’t have a moment of serenity at all – all day! These are all different levels of test, all determined by Hashem according to His master plan, and every single test is adjusted and calibrated with just the right amount of siyatah dishmayah – if we deserve it, or the lack of thereof, if that’s our mission. Our tefillos are largely devoted to asking Hashem for siyatah dishmayah in our nisyonos – more on that tomorrow.
Derech Hashem
Section II – Chapter 3 – 02
There is another factor that plays a role in every test that we are challenged with. This factor is determined by our worthiness and mitzvos or avairos, how good we are or the opposite. Hashem crafted the tests of this world in such a way, that the actions and deeds of each person also contribute to how much help he will receive from Hashem to achieve his perfection. The greater a person is, the more protection he will have from falling into sin, as the pasuk says, ‘vi’raglei chasidav yishmor,’ Hashem guards the feet of his pious ones.
Here too, there are many different levels and qualifications involved. There can be one person who according to his past actions and deeds Hashem will only help him slightly in passing his tests, whereas someone else has merited to be assisted greatly and it will be easy for him to achieve greatness and perfection. Another person might not have the merit to get special help from Heaven, yet Hashem won’t make it overly difficult for him to pass his test, while another person might have a judgement passed against him determining that there should be many roadblocks in his way to perfection, and it will take him a tremendous amount of determination and strength and toil to pass those nisyonos. Someone who is a true rashah, an evil person, might have all paths to spirituality made distant from him, and he will fall into the evil he created. There are details upon details in every person’s life and mission, each person is unique.
The difficulties and tzaros we face in this world are like a wall that we have to break through in order to succeed and progress forward. For a rashah Hashem will sometimes put many roadblocks in his way simply to prevent him from doing the evil things he’s planning – Hashem in His ultimate wisdom decides what deed should take place and what shouldn’t – and Hashem will prevent the rashah through tzaros and failure. This is what Dovid Hamelech davens for in Tehillim, ‘Al titain Hashem mav’ayai rashah,’ Hashem, don’t allow a rashah to realize his desires!
Based on what Hashem decides for each person, the level of difficulty and the level of support he gets from Heaven, will also determine the judgement he receives for passing or failing the nisayon. Someone that everything is working out for him, and he has all that he needs to serve Hashem, and nevertheless chooses not to, will obviously be judged more strictly than someone who failed because he was in a very difficult situation and had many distractions. Hashem judges each person according to what he truly is, whether a shogaig or maizid, forced or deliberate, Hashem knows all actions and thoughts and judges accordingly.
If we think into this ourselves, we can see how this plays such a role in our lives. There are times when it is easy to be patient with our friends, spouses, children, and there are times when it is very difficult. Sometimes it seems like everything is conspiring against us to make us fail. The food got burnt, a child is hurting another, we got insulted by a co-worker, we just lost money – whatever, and then we are expected to be patient too!? There are times when we are just able to daven, no one is calling us, no one is disturbing us, we don’t have to run in and run out, and there are times when we don’t have a moment of serenity at all – all day! These are all different levels of test, all determined by Hashem according to His master plan, and every single test is adjusted and calibrated with just the right amount of siyatah dishmayah – if we deserve it, or the lack of thereof, if that’s our mission. Our tefillos are largely devoted to asking Hashem for siyatah dishmayah in our nisyonos – more on that tomorrow.