On Leadership

'And Moses was the shepherd of Yitro's sheep' (Ex 3:2)

God does not bring a person to greatness, unless He has tested him first, as it says 'God tests the righteous; with what does he test them? By making them shepherds.' (Midrash)

In the verse above the Torah could have said that Moses "became" Yitro's shepherd, at this very point in time, but it speaks in past tense, telling us Moses already was a shepherd, to teach that because he already was a faithful shepherd, God revealed Himself to Moses at the Burning Bush, and the people of Israel were given to him to lead.

Even though God is omniscient, and nothing is hidden from Him, it is still the case that when a person's level is actualized, in reality, as in the case of the faithful shepherd leading his sheep, this serves as grounds for this person to rise to greatness, in actuality. If there was not something to test him, his righteousness would not be revealed at all, and there would be no grounds by which he could rise to greatness on a practical level. For greatness on a practical level, must have a cause on a practical level.

Because everything comes from God in the appropriate amount: if one's righteousness is found on practical level--his greatness will be found on a practical level. If there is no revealed righteousness--there will be no revealed greatness. Therefore, he was tested to begin with, and when he was found to be righteous in a revealed way, he was great in a revealed way as well.

And this will explain why there are people who raise theological questions regarding the tests given by God to the righteous. They say, God knows the future, so he already knows the outcome of the test! Surely, this is true. But for something to be revealed, there needs to be a cause as well that is revealed (not only in potential), and if a a righteous person's virtues are not actualized, the reward of the righteous could also not be actualized, and so with every thing that is drawn to the righteous person.

And this matter is very deep, and this matter is very clear.

~ The Maharal of Prague