315 - Tests & Decisions (Part-2)

As discussed, one of the most fundamental principles from the Torah is that Hashem created this world in order to test us. Not because, God forbid, He wants to catch us out, but rather because He wants to give us an opportunity to pass the test. And as explained by Torah sources, when we do so, the pleasure that we will experience in the next world will be so much greater than if Hashem had just given that to us, without us having earned it ourselves. How does one go about making their maximum effort to pass the tests that Hashem sends them? 

We've discussed previously that although it is much easier to find sheker, untruth, and the distorted approach to life, because that is usually what is presented by the masses around us. Nevertheless, Hashem would never give us an impossible task, something which would be completely unfair. The truth and correct perspective can be found, but again, if this is our purpose in the world, it makes sense that it's not necessarily going to be something easy to find. Let's use an example to illustrate this concept.

Let's say that I have a job where the salary I receive is respectable, but my family does have to struggle because the funds are a little bit short, and I receive a job opportunity with double the pay that would now relieve my family from all of our financial stress. However, the job offer outlines that in order to be accepted for this job, I would need to work on a Saturday - on Shabbos. Many of us would understand that this is a test where failing the test would be to take the job, work on Shabbos, and receive the double salary, and passing the test would be not taking up the new job opportunity, continuing to struggle financially, but continuing to keep Shabbos. For somebody who is seriously committed to the keeping of Shabbos, this would not be much of a test, because I understand that keeping Shabbos is of paramount importance and I am absolutely prohibited from compromising on that, even for all the money in the world. 

But there could be many other examples where sometimes it can be tricky to work out what Hashem wants from me. For example, what if I currently have a job where although we are struggling financially, however, I do have the privilege to return home every evening and spend time with my family. I now receive a job opportunity that again has doubled the pay, but I am now required to travel overseas every alternate month for the duration of that entire month, which means one month I will see my family and the next month I will have to be away from my family. For some people, that might be the right thing to do. For other people, that might be the wrong thing to do. How am I supposed to work out what Hashem would want from me in this situation? Ultimately, after everything is said and done, the answer is just to try your best. But again, trying my best can mean different things to different people when we're looking from different perspectives. The only perspective that we want to follow is the perspective of the Torah, which is the perspective of Hashem.