Monday, August 29, 2016

Individual Tests



''...for the Lord, your God, is testing you...'' [Re'eh 13:4]

One of the basic teachings of the Torah is that God does not expect of a human being anything which is beyond the human capacity to carry out.  This is quite understandable, for even a human being, who is very far from absolute perfection, would not expect of a tool that he has fashioned any more than he has put into it.

Certainly God, the Creator of man, knows man's capacities.  From this, it immediately follows that when a person faces any kind of a test of faith, it is certain that he has been given the capacity to overcome it.  And the more difficult the test, the greater are the individual's capacities.

The reason that an individual is tested is not because God wants to know how he will acquit himself, but in order that this person be afforded the opportunity to realize his potential, even that which is unknown to him.

And when one's potential capacities are released and activated, they become part and parcel of his or her arsenal, to be used for personal as well as communal benefit.

Source: Excerpt from a letter of the Lubavitcher Rebbe

4 comments:

Leah said...

Devorah, did you come up with the title for this post about the teacher being quiet during the test?
It's brilllllliant and I want to quote it!!!!
I cant wait to listen to Rabbi Kessin's shiur.
Thank you always!!!

Devorah said...

No it's not an original of mine, something that came anonymously via Facebook.

Neshama said...

Oh, I love that quote. It is so cute. Yes, we must listen closely to Rabbi Kessin, especially in light of current predictions about the election.

Leah said...

Thanks Devorah and yes, Neshama. Agreed.