In life, it sometimes feels that when going through a test from Hashem, as soon as you pass it, Hashem sends you another test which is even harder to pass.
People sometimes ask: maybe we should not pass our first test when Hashem sends them, since if you fail (who knows what will happen) at least you will not get a harder test.
When my high school teacher was asked this question, she responded that Hashem sent our forefather Avraham 10 tests, and then it was over. Challenges are not forever.
This was such a powerful response as it carried me through and made the test so much easier to pass. Tests are here to make us closer to Hashem not to push us away or “just to make life difficult.”
When we face challenges and tests from Hashem, we need to remember the goal is to become closer and more connected to Hashem in our daily lives.
Think of it this way: When babies start out in life, parents expect them to grow and achieve a lot.
Babies have to learn everything. Every step of the way they face new challenges, tests and new skills to learn.
First, parents want the baby to smile, then to say their first word, usually Dada or Mama. When the child says their first word, everyone celebrates, and after just a few days, this accomplishment fades away and the parents expect the child to say full sentences.
When the child starts crawling, everyone is excited for about a few days and then they want the child to stand. Once the child reaches that goal, the parents want the child to walk.
There are never ending expectations and milestone which parents demand and expect their children to reach throughout their childhood.
If a child misses a milestone, parents get concerned and sometime take therapy to help the child get there. The goal of the parent is to teach skills at the child’s current level. The goal is to give the child the tools they will need today, tomorrow and for the rest of their life.
No parent says I have to teach my child to speak well so he can grow up to become a public speaker or a successful businessman. We teach our children all the needed skills for now so they can follow along with their peers at the current stage.
Imagine if a toddler says: “THAT’S IT, I’M DONE!.” I don’t know what my parents want from me! As soon as I pass one test and I achieve a goal, they put a bigger and more challenging test in front of me! I am done, the next time they do so, I will deliberately fail the test in order for them to leave me alone and not push me to new heights.
What would happen if a child took that approach? He will never develop into a functioning human being. He will always stay at the same low level and never reach his potential.
The same is true with spirituality. Hashem wants us to keep growing and reach our fullest potential. This takes work and effort, but if you do the hard work emotionally or physically, the results are great and you achieve greater spiritual levels.
Just like with the toddler, the purpose is not to reach the end game, the journey is the purpose of the challenge!
The purpose of our test is not to reach an end goal, the journey of self growth is the purpose!!
The point of the challenge is to be able to move on to the next higher level. Spirituality is infinite and there will always be a next level. Every challenge needs to be embraced as the means to get you to the next higher level. If you refuse to step up to the challenge, you will remain at the lower level.
While Avaraham had 10 test and Yitchack fewer, Yaakov had constant tests his entire life as Yaakov told Paroh
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יַעֲקֹב֙ אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֔ה יְמֵי֙ שְׁנֵ֣י מְגוּרַ֔י שְׁלֹשִׁ֥ים וּמְאַ֖ת שָׁנָ֑ה מְעַ֣ט וְרָעִ֗ים הָיוּ֙ יְמֵי֙ שְׁנֵ֣י חַיַּ֔י וְלֹ֣א הִשִּׂ֗יגוּ אֶת־יְמֵי֙ שְׁנֵי֙ חַיֵּ֣י אֲבֹתַ֔י בִּימֵ֖י מְגוּרֵיהֶֽם׃
Yaakov clearly told Paroh his whole life was filled with challenges.
For this reason Yaakov is called the favorite of our forefathers and greater than Avraham and Yitzchak.
הבחור שבאבות, זה יעקב, שנאמר (תהלים קלח): “כי יעקב בחר לו יה”, מדרש רבה בראשית לח
Yaakov also merited that his named was changed to ישראל
וַיֹּ֗אמֶר לֹ֤א יַעֲקֹב֙ יֵאָמֵ֥ר עוֹד֙ שִׁמְךָ֔ כִּ֖י אִם־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל כִּֽי־שָׂרִ֧יתָ עִם־אֱלֹהִ֛ים וְעִם־אֲנָשִׁ֖ים וַתּוּכָֽל׃
Yaakov was able to pass a very great challenge. He was able to beat man and God (meaning the tests of God) to such an extent much greater than his father and grandfather. For this reason the Jewish nation is called in his name ישראל
We merited to be Hashem’s most favorite nation just as Yaakov was the most favorite among our three forefathers.
Update: I just heard a lecture of Rabbi Joey Haber where he discusses this exact question. Interestingly enough, he has a similar answer and other very interesting points as well that I found fascinating and blew my mind. It’s very worth listing to that lecture. See here
