We pray every day not to be subjected to temptations and not to be subjected to tribulations, so Rabbi Grozovsky asks, but that's our purpose of being in the world (to be tested)?
ANSWER:
Our job is, to avoid temptations and tribulations. They're going to come anyhow, we shouldn't seek it. We have to run away from temptation and we have to try to protect ourselves from all kinds of suffering; that's our job in life. Now why that is, it's simple. Suppose you have a fellow Jew and he's suffering from a toothache and you can do something for him, shall you say no, suffering is good, yisurim are good for him! No, your job is to help him out, uh'zov ta'azov imo, help him out with his burden.
Suppose that Jew is not our fellow man, the Jew is myself, is it any less a mitzvah that I should have pity on this Jew? On the contrary, it's more mitzvah, because a man has to have more pity on himself. The closer the relative is the more he should have pity. Therefore, I have to protect myself against suffering, it's my duty. The body is not mine, I'm responsible to Hakadosh Baruch Hu for this body that He entrusted to me, I have to protect the body.
Therefore I have to guard the body against suffering and against ordeals. But don't worry, there will be ordeals aplenty and tribulations will come no matter what you do to avoid them.
Good Shabbos To All
This is transcribed from questions that were posed to Harav Miller by the audience at the Thursday night lectures. To listen to the audio of this Q & A please dial: 201-676-3210
Important Numbers
