There is an interesting Midrash Tanchuma (Lech lecha 3) that says that the Nisayon (test) that Avraham Avinu had to go to Eretz Yisrael was equal to the Nisayon of Akeidas Yitzchak- bringing Yitzchak as a Korbon. The Midrash writes that we learn this from the fact that by both tests the Passuk uses the same words 'Lech Lecha', at the beginning of the Parsha and by the Akeida.
The question is obvious. The test of going to Eretz Yisrael was definitely not as difficult as the test of the Akeida. Hashem told Avraham Avinu to go to Eretz Yisrael and there he will become famous, wealthy and have children. How could that compare to a test of sacrificing an only child?
The answer can be explained with the following Gemara (Chagiga 5:).
Rabbi Yehoshua ben Chananya would challenge those that didn't believe in Hashem and prove them wrong.
Just before he died he became sick. His contemporaries were worried and asked him what will happen if he dies? Who will battle against the non believers?
Rabbi Yehoshua answered them with a Passuk (Yermiyahu 49-7) that says, Hashem said, is there no more wisdom in the South? The advice is lost from the sons, their wisdom has become spoilt.
The Gemara explains since the counsel is lost from the sons i.e. Klal Yisrael, therefore, the wisdom of the other Nations got spoilt.
The Gemara is teaching us a very important message. Let us explain.
The Gemara (Sukkah 52.) Says that the greater the person, the greater their Yetzer Hara, the greater the challenges.
Now, does that mean that the sinner gains because he only has an easy Yetzer Hara?
Furthermore, the Passuk (Tehillim 11-5) says that Hashem tests the Tzaddik. Doesn't Hashem test everyone?
The answer is that each person is tested on the level they are holding, on the level they are cable of succeeding their test and becoming a Tzaddik for fulfilling their task.
The purpose of our Nisyonos and challenges is not for us to fail, it is in order for us to succeed and grow spiritually. Therefore any test or Yetzer Hara a person encounters is something they are capable of succeeding.
The greater the Tzaddik the greater potential he has to succeed in a greater and harder test.
Of course the test of going to Eretz Yisrael was much easier than the test of sacrificing Yitzchak. But when Avraham Avinu was given his first test he wasn't on that spiritual level of succeeding the Nisayon of Akeidat Yitzchak and therefore he wasn't given that test then. As he succeeded each test he grew spiritually stronger and greater and the test became harder until he was capable of being tested with sacrificing his own son.
The Midrash is teaching us this important message the purpose of every test is the same and each test is the same in the sense that the person where they are holding have the challenge on their level and it's a challenge capable of succeeding.
The Kotzker Rebbe explains this that a person's journey of life is similar to a ladder. Our purpose is to go up the ladder step by step. How do we go up another step?
Every time we overcome our challenges we go up a step.
Obviously the challenge on the next step is a little harder. If we succeed we move up another step and then we face a challenge a little more hard. It's not that it's getting harder, it's the fact that we have grown spiritually so we need a harder challenge for it to be a test. If we had the challenge on the same level we wouldn't be growing, because we are already stronger and it wouldn't be a balanced test. The Kotzker explains that if a person doesn't succeed in overcoming their test and succumbs to the desire or challenge then the person drops a few steps. The next test will be on the level they fell to.
So our lives are made up of ups and downs. The goal is that there should be more ups than downs.
With this theme we can understand a very difficult Gemara.
The Gemara (Kesubos 33:) tells us that Chananya, Mishael and Azarya were thrown into the fire by Nevuchadnetzar. Hashem made a miracle and they were saved.
The Gemara tells us that if they would have been tortured they wouldn't have been able to withstand the pain, the reason they were willing to be thrown into the fire was because they knew that it would only take a few minutes till they would die. But they weren't able to withstand ongoing torture.
These Tzaddikim were willing to be burned to death and instead of telling us how great they were for doing so, the Gemara tells us that if they would have been tortured they would have succumbed. Why is the Gemara pulling them down?
The answer is that the Gemara isn't trying to pull them down at all. The Gemara is teaching us the same message.
A person only goes through a Nisayon they are capable of succeeding. Chananya, Mishael and Azarya were capable of withstanding their Nisayon by being thrown into the fire but they weren't able to withstand torture. That is why they were given the test of the fire and they weren't tortured.
This is such an important message for us. There are times where we have a Nisayon, a challenge, a lust or desire and feel that it is beyond us to overcome. But if it was beyond our capabilities then Hashem wouldn't have placed us in that situation. If we are there then it means we have the capability to succeed.
May the zechut of Avraham Avinu and his Mesirus Nefesh give us the spiritual strength to succeed in our ongoing struggles and battles.
By Rabbi Dovid Caro