AboutRabbi Ari Shishler Expertise I'm happy to answer questions on Jewish belief, Jewish spirituality & Kabbalah.
Experience Rabbi, lecturer on Talmud and Jewish spirituality at Chabad House, Johannesburg, South Africa 1997-present.
Talmud teacher at local Jewish high school 1996- present.
Organizations Chabad Lubavitch.
Publications Jewish Tradition, South Africa.
Jewish Report, weekly newspaper, South Africa
SAUJS annual Holiday guide.
Education/Credentials Six years of tertiary education at Rabbinical seminaries in South Africa, Israel and New York.
Expert: Rabbi Ari Shishler Date: 3/28/2007 Subject: Neshama and God's tests
Question Can you please tell me how one can know whether the events in their lives are tests by God or punishment or just bad luck? For example, how should one look at a divorce? The second part to my question is, how does one know if they've passed a test? and why would God give us tests but not the wisdom to understand what the test is teaching us and then judge us for it when we die? Its like putting someone in a class that is taught in Chinese, even if they sat there for 70 years, they would never understand what the teacher was saying, then give them an F at the end.
Lastly, I heard a lecture about an inner and outter expression of the neshama and it sounded like mida and tikuna but I couldn't find any reference to it online. Could you please tell me the correct spelling and if this concept comes from the Gemorrah?
Thank you!
Answer Hi Miriam
The first principle to keep in mind is that, whatever happens, comes from G-d. Sometimes what He does for us is good, and we can tell it's good. Other times, it's a test and when we rise above it, it becomes good for us.
It's very rare for G-d to punish us just to punish us.
Divorce is a very complex issue. Without knowing the details of a divorce, it's very difficult to comment. Sometimes divorce is a test, sometimes the natural result of a bad decision. I don't think there's a "one size fits all" answser here.
You can tell that you have passed a test when the issue resolves itself. Let's use the example of a person who lands up in recurrent abusive relationships. That's a test. They know that they have passed the test when they finally meet someone who treats them properly.
The Gemorah says that G-d never gives us a test that we are not empowered to overcome. The Hebrew for a test is a "nisayon", which comes from the word "Nes", meaning a high pole. In other words, the goal of the test is to lift you to a higher level. Tests challenge us to confront parts of ourselves that we don't normally reach. As the test chips away at our outer self, it actually helps us get in touch with our inner being. That's where the resources to overcome tests lie. Until you uncover that part of you, you cannot imagine that you possess such amazing abilities- so you feel that the test is insurmountable.
As for that lecture, maybe the terms that you're looking for are Tikkun Hamidot (Hamidos)?
