The first verse of Parasha “Vayakhel” says: “These are the things that the Eternal has commanded you to do: Work may be done for six days, but on the seventh day it shall be holy for you- a day of complete cessation of work designated for the Eternal.” (35:1-2)
The use of the passive voice (“work may be done”) to describe daily work teaches us that we must not invest all our energies in doing it; we should, so to speak, almost allow it to happen “by itself.”
Notwithstanding the importance of our week work- specially if it’s done with the intention of refining the world and making it G-d’s home by dealing righteously in our mundane lives- we must nevertheless, not allow ourselves to let it take over our minds and hearts . Our work must not be allowed to encroach on our set times for prayer, Torah study, charitable pursuits, educating our children, and so forth.
We can understand in this context, how significant is that H”S gave this command immediately after Moses descended for the last time from Mt.Sinai, after having secured G-d’s forgiveness after the sin of the golden calf, for idolatry originated in error by ascribing autonomy to created beings, which are only conduits for our benefit.
The blessing of our prosperity and success comes only from G-d.
Excerptstaken from “Daily Wisdom” Lubavitcher Rebbe
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