I’m sure that many of you are thinking: ‘he can’t fool us this time, we know that it’s not a real story. It’s a made-up moshol, from which he wants to derive some convoluted lesson’. Well, folks, sorry to disappoint you, but this time it IS a true story. The only detail that I was untruthful about was when I wrote that I changed all the important details. In actual fact, even the important details are accurate, because it is indeed a story about a Rosh Yeshiva. In fact, I’ll tell exactly where. It’s a story about the Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshiva Shel Maaloh. Otherwise known as the Holy One Blessed Be His Name.
You see, He used to be running things, and quite effectively, practically single-handedly. With one trusty assistant, Shmo (and that’s not Shmo as in Joe Shmoe, but rather Shmo as in Hu Ushmo Bilvad) they had everything under perfect control. But this Rosh Yeshiva had plans for expansion, for which He wanted, or even needed, outside assistance. Basically, He wanted to be a King. And He couldn’t be a King unless He had subjects. And Shmo didn’t count as a subject. So He decided to hire additional assistants, namely all of us (and all of them, and anyone else in between). Our “job description” is to help Him, by existing, and thus being able to serve as His subjects.
And yet, sometimes He gets in the way of our existence. His demands, and His way of doing things don’t allow us to do our job properly; i.e., they don’t allow us to lead a proper existence (the way we perceive that our existence is meant to be). We get annoyed and frustrated; we get impatient with the restrictions and inconveniences. We may look for loopholes, for ways of getting around the restrictive laws.
But, wait a second. Let’s keep things in perspective. Our sole job is to exist, in order to help the Eibishter be a King (which can only be accomplished by His having subjects who are subservient to Him). It’s nonsensical, ridiculous even, for you to suggest pushing Him aside to allow for a better existence for yourself, - a better performance of your job. It’s a contradiction! For, our job, our existence, serves only one purpose; - to enable G-d to be the King of the world.
