[Avodah] tests?

[Micha Berger]

On Wed, Feb 19, 2025 at 05:55:22AM +0200, Joel Rich via Avodah wrote:
> Rabbi X touched on something that I have thought about a lot over the years
> which is, is it possible that someone is given a test that the best result
> they can achieve is one of imperfection (that the absolute best they can
> achieve is to be a lesser sinner.) For example, if current research is that
> some people have no choice but to have same sex desires...

Wouldn't tinoq shenishba prove that the answer is "yes", and that Hashem
doesn't consider it a failure if the person really did the best they can
achieve?

There is a sevara that tinoq shenishba is simply an instance of oneis
Rachmana patrei, and not an actual halachic category in-and-of itself.
(See R Yochanan and Reish Laqish on Shabbos 68b)


But in any case, there is a bigger challenge... We have no idea when
we are being tested. Maybe someone was facing a challenge they could
not overcome for entirely different reasons. You cannot assess what
Hashem would do based on "what kind of test is that?" if you can never
know if the event is a test, some other kind of learning experience,
and / or something else entirely.

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger                 Problems are not stop signs,
http://www.aishdas.org/asp   they are guidelines.
Author: Widen Your Tent              - Robert H. Schuller
- https://amzn.to/2JRxnDF