Parashat Pekudei: O Prosper the Work of Our Hands!

What accounts for success? Certainly much of it is in our control. The Okympic athletes didn’t get to where they are without a great deal of human effort.

And yet, at the same time, there is also an element of grace, of blessing from above. Sometimes when I am writing or speaking, I feel inspired, transported, lifted into some other realm. The work, the effort, is always there, but sometimes there is an added element of blessing, and sometimes there isn’t.

This parsha concludes the work of the building of the Mishkan. The people have given their all, followed instructions precisely and put in tremendous effort. What happens now? Moshe looks at their work and blesses them. According to Rashi, he says: “May it be His will that the divine Presence dwell in the work of your hands.”

These words were recorded forever in a slightly different from in one of the psalms attributed to Moshe (which we say on Shabbat mornings): Veyehi No’am Hashem Elokeinu Aleinu, U’Ma’aseh Yadeinu Konnenah Aleinu U’Maaseh Yadeinu Konenehu -- “May the favor of the Lord, our God, be upon us; let the work of our hands prosper, O prosper the work of our hands!” (Psalm 90:17). According to the midrash, these words were originally spoken by Moshe at the conclusion of the building of the Tabernacle. You have done the work; now let us pray for the blessing of God on your work – o prosper the work of your hands!

There is an acknowledgement here that something, at least, is out of our control. We can build the building but the spirit must come from above. And there are times of extreme frustration where the spriit, the blessing, does not come, and our work seems for naught. As we say in the morning Uva Letzion prayer, lema’an lo niga larik velo neled labehalah --“ so that we do not toil for nothing and produce for futility.” My son expresses this often in playing the trumpet – he practices and practices and some days he can play beautifully and others, he can barely get a sound out, and he feels that it is not in his control.

How can a person live in such a world, where this is this risk of toiling for naught? And how could we live in a world in which success was entirely in our control? The knowledge that, in addition to human effort, blessing comes from above, is essential . Why was Moshe able to bring down blessing from above? Because of his humility. He had no doubt about his role – he was a keli, a vessel, for divine blessing. That very acknowledgment, the knowledge that blessing comes from above, is actually what draws it down. We can only receive a gift if we are not too full to receive it. A cup full of water cannot receive more water. The knowledge of our limitations opens us to being blessed.

May the work of all of our hands prosper, O Lord, our God, may the work of our hands prosper!