By Rabbi Baruch Lederman
SAN DIEGO — When we think of Avodas Hashem (Service of G-d) it pays to think of it as we would think of a business, as the following story illustrates:
One day, at a top-level meeting of a successful corporation:
“Please bring me the test results of the new personnel. I want to see what job each new person is suited for.”
“Yes sir, Mr. President, here they are.”
“Hmmm. Let’s see. Mr. Cohen scored very well in the intelligence test. Let’s give him a thinking job. Mr. Schwartz is very good with his hands. He should be working with tools. Mr. Goldberg is very personable. He should have a job dealing with people. Mr. Levy is creative. Give him a job in the Planning Department.”
“Sir, why do we take so much time and trouble with these tests?”
“This is the secret of the success of our company. Everyone gets the job for which he is suited. In that way he can use his potential and develop it. The trick is to discover a person’s talents and put him in a situation where he is tested. He will excel, which is good for him and good for the company.”
“Brilliant, sir, just brilliant.”
The president of the company was not the first person to realize the value of testing a person. Hashem Himself tested Avraham Avinu many times. The Ramban explains one of the purposes of Hashem’s tests. Hashem knows a person inside and out. Therefore, He knows whether a person will pass the test or not.”
The Ramban asks why do we need to be tested if Hashem already knows the outcome. A person is born with tremendous potential. Hashem wants the person to use his potential to do good deeds. The test turns the potential into a deed. Hashem gives reward for good deeds. Hashem tests us so that we will perform the good deeds and get the reward.
We are working for the World’s Best Boss. He knows us inside and out. He has given us a job perfectly suited for our talents. Sometimes the job is easy, sometimes it is hard. When it gets difficult, we have to remember one thing. Our abilities are greater than we can imagine. Hashem wants us to develop to our fullest potential. Therefore, He tests us.”
We just have to pass the test. Then we move up to the next job level.
(Adapted from an article by R’ Simcha Groffman in Ohr.edu)
Dedicated by Avraham & Roz Dimenstein in memory of Rabbi Henry & Rebbetzin Esther Soille.
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Rabbi Lederman is spiritual leader of Congregation Kehillas Torah in San Diego. He may be contacted at baruch.lederman@sdjewishworld.com