I once worked as the physicist in the radiation oncology department of a hospital. (I tried to convince my eight year old grandson that I was a "real" doctor because I worked in a hospital. He didn't buy it.) I worked there in the late 1980s and we had a treatment planning system from the 1960s. In those 20+ years there were enormous strides in computer technology. Still pre-Internet (although I did manage to set up email by connecting to a nearby university), but we did have personal computers by that time and our treatment planning system was the size of a small table, no monitor nor even keyboard; information was keyed in with switches. Primitive even then.
I decided to make an appointment with the president of the hospital to pitch a new treatment planning system. I got all my information together, found a system that was up-to-date with current technology, expandable, and affordable. It had everything we needed; nothing fancy, but full featured. Not a luxury vehicle, but a solid family car. I had 15 minutes, so I made sure I was fully prepared. The meeting didn't take more than 5 minutes, including introductions and farewells. His first question was, "How will it make us more money?" I knew how it would help us make better treatment plans. I knew how it would make us more efficient. I had no idea how or if it would improve the bottom line.
I've turned that event over in my mind many times. There are a lot of lessons there. Today I am using it to understand Iyov in his discussion with his second friend/confidant, Bildad (chap 9). In truth, I had no valid complaint to the president. His job was to oversee dozens of departments, manage hundreds of employees, provide health care to the community, and also make a profit. Even if I could have told him how much more money the radiation therapy department could make with this new treatment planning system, I had no idea how much the radiation therapy department even contributed to the bottom line. Nor did I know how many people in the area needed that service. Nor did I know how many other facilities already offered that service. Nor what services our hospital offered that were not easily attainable elsewhere. I was way, way out of my league. Yes, my job was more difficult because of this decision, but perhaps those resources went to making dozens of other health providing employees more effective.
That is the core of Iyov's argument. He is absolutely suffering. He absolutely does not want to be suffering. He is completely onboard that the Creator is merciful and just and kind and loving. But, says Iyov, let's be real; He is managing literally a universe full of stuff. The fact that things could be better for better for Iyov doesn't detract from Iyov's appreciation that this is the best of all possible realities. But with all the moving parts -- grand and important moving parts -- sometimes little guys like him get caught in the machine and suffer.
Where is Iyov's mistake? We say in Hallel (T'hillim 113:4):
רָ֖ם עַל־כָּל־גּוֹיִ֥ם יְהֹוָ֑ה עַ֖ל הַשָּׁמַ֣יִם כְּבוֹדֽוֹ/The nations see HaShem as so exalted, that His glory can only be experienced from the heavens.
Yes, my free translation, based on Sefer Ikarim by the Ramchal. The nations see HaShem as too exalted and lofty to be experienced in this lowly physical world. It is only in the heavens that His glory is really expressed. That is a terrible mistake. It seeks to but boundaries on the limitless!
What do we say? (same chapter of T'hillim, two verses later):
הַמַּשְׁפִּילִ֥י לִרְא֑וֹת בַּשָּׁמַ֥יִם וּבָאָֽרֶץ/He lowers his vision to see the heavens and the earth.
That is, from HaShem's point of view, there is no more difference between Him and either heaven or earth; they are both (more than) infinitely far from Him. It is no more of a stretch, so to speak, for HaShem to be as involved in every detail of every speck of dust than to be involved with managing whole galaxies of stars and planets. The supervision of the most exalted angel is no more important to HaShem than the sigh of a single Jew.
That's the difference between "whoa! so mighty! so majestic! so exalted!" and infinite. There is no limit to His greatness. There is also no limit to how much he can make you a top priority.
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