Sometimes we find ourselves asking, why all the struggles and temptations? What’s the point? What’s the purpose in having all different types of distractions in life?

This question plays itself out in a debate between Moses and the angels.

We are about to celebrate Shavuos (next Tuesday night through Thursday night) the Day when G-d gave us the Torah.

When Moses was about to receive the Torah the angels were very reluctant to go along with this. They did not feel that G-d’s precious gift of wisdom should be snatched away from heaven and be given to imperfect human beings.

Why should human beings be worthy of G-d’s gift? Surely the angels are more worthy for a divine “guide for life”.

G-d then told Moses to give the answer that will quiet down the angels protest.

His answer was quite surprising. He said to those angelic beings, “Do you have bad inclinations? Do you have bad urges and temptations?”
With that, he finished off the angels in his debate.

The answer is quite insightful.
You see, the thing about angels is, they can’t choose to do bad. They are preprogramed to do the mission which they were given from G-d.

The right candidate to receive the Torah is not a perfect angel with no flaws and setbacks. G-d was looking for the human effort and struggle to do what’s right. It’s that effort and challenge that makes it meaningful.

The good choices of the angels lose its meaning and purpose, in the absence of effort and challenge. The good choices we make in life are only precious and meaningful because we could have chosen otherwise.

We reward good effort to our children, because we know they could have taken an easier route and not push themselves.

So, it shouldn’t startle us when we have an urge to give in to laziness or to a temptation. It is precisely that moment of struggle that is precious in G-d’s eyes that make us the perfect candidate to receive his most precious gift, the Torah.

We also should not deny that we have a Yetzer Hara (evil inclination). Its nothing to be ashamed of. It is what allows us to fuflilil our mission in life.
What we do need to do, is to fight the laziness and challenges, to make the right choices, and to win.

The Sages teach us, that every year we receive the Torah anew.

May we receive the Torah this year with joy and inner meaning.