Fortune and faith

In this week’s Torah portion, we learn about the construction of the Tabernacle in the desert.

The Torah commands us to make a dwelling place for Hashem here on earth. We’re cautioned, however, to take a break when it comes to Shabbos. As important as it is to build the Temple, it doesn’t override the sanctity of the holy Shabbos. “Six days work shall be done; and the seventh day shall be holy, a day of complete rest for the L-rd.” (Exodus 35:2).

The Chassidic masters point out something interesting here. The Torah doesn’t say, “You shall work” (taaseh), but rather, “Work shall be done” (teyaseh) in the passive.

What’s the meaning of this?

They answer that we need to work for a living. As Deuteronomy (15:18) clearly states, “And Hashem will bless you in all that you do.” Meaning that we’re commanded to work and not just rest on our laurels. However, at the same time, we need to realise that ultimately, all blessings come from above. We can sweat and toil to plough and sow the fields, but it’s Hashem that causes it to rain and without it, hard work is in vain. The Cape Town drought a few short years ago was a stark reminder of this.

So, our work is a vessel to receive blessings from above. A vessel is essential to hold the blessings, but it’s the blessings that fill the cup.

The Talmud (Taanis 2a) relates to us. Rabbi Yochanan said, “Three keys the Holy One blessed be He has retained in His own hands and not entrusted to the hand of any messenger, namely, the key of rain, the key of childbirth, and the key of the revival of the dead.”

This teaching specifically relates to what we all hope and pray for – sustenance, nachas, and life. We wake up early, hit the ground running, and pound the pavement as we strive to give our best for our families. We invest our greatest energy in being able to achieve these good fortunes. But as we all know, no power on earth can guarantee any of them. That’s why we partner with Hashem.

Work and faith need to go hand in hand. A story is told of a student that came to his Rebbe and asked for a blessing to have a child. The Rebbe gave the man a blessing. Some time later, the student came back and asked why the blessing had yet to be fulfilled? The Rebbe asked, “Did you buy a stroller?”