Miracle Grow

by Rabbi Mordechai Rhine

Parshas Terumah is about the building of the Mishkan. It took a great deal of patience, talent, and devotion. But at the end, despite all the effort, the Mishkan couldn’t happen without a miracle.

The Medrash tells us that Moshe couldn’t understand how mankind would be able to build a dwelling place for Hashem. Hashem replied, “You just follow directions, and I will place My Presence within it.”

The Talmud relates that Moshe could not figure out how to make the ornate Menorah. Hashem replied, “Just place the right amount of gold in the fire, and I will make it happen.”

Similarly, in Parshas Pikudei when it was time to erect the Mishkan, it was impossible to do so because of the sheer weight of the beams. Hashem told Moshe, “Act with your hands as if you are lifting the beams, and they will arise miraculously.”

One wonders: If the Mishkan would be built by a miracle anyway, what was the purpose of the donations and the devotion? Why couldn’t Hashem just build the Mishkan in the first place?

Each year, as the winter season nears its end, I receive a catalog in the mail which advertises a certain “Miracle Grow” type planting-package. The advertisement illustrates a package of self contained seeders, which require extremely low maintenance. You barely need to water, fertilize, weed, or care for them. It seems that you just need to plant them, and come back later to harvest. Pictured next to the illustration of the seeders, are happy customers with their bountiful crop.

And I wondered: What is the difference between these successful farmers and me. Neither of us did much watering in our gardens; neither of us fertilized the plants or weeded them. Why is it that they ended up with a bountiful crop, and I did not?

I realized that even when “miracles” are involved, one has to take the first step in order for the miracle to occur. The reason they have a bountiful crop and I do not, is because they bought the seeder in the first place, and I did not. This was the message of the prophet Elisha, when he asked the poor woman (Melochim 2, Chapter 4), “What do you have in your house?” Because if she has one flask of oil then the prophet can bless her that she should miraculously have many. But if she has nothing to start with, then the opportunity for a miracle does not begin.

I once heard an analogy to this thought using a modern day parable, undoubtedly based on the wisdom of old. A great king announced that he would offer great riches to anyone who would climb to the top of a newly erected tower, which had 50 flights of stairs. Many contestants came and tried. But after about 10 or 20 flights, they gave up exhausted. Only one man persevered with conviction. He said to himself, “If the benevolent king is offering reward for the challenge, it must indeed be possible to do.” This man forced himself forward with great faith and as he turned the corner to the second half of the challenge, he saw that the king had installed a series of escalators to take the contestants up the second 25 flights of stairs.

As Jews we believe in miracles. In the inauguration days in our relationship with Hashem we experienced open miracles. Later on we experienced hidden miracles. But in all cases, a miracle required that we buy in and do our part.

Likewise, we believe in Siyata Dishmaya, Hashem’s helping hand. Once we make our contribution, we can proceed with Hashem’s blessing and miraculously create great things: The Menorah, the Mishkan, and a garden full of produce and fulfilled dreams resulting from our initial investment.

May Hashem place before you worthy investments. May Hashem crown your investments with miracles.

© 2016 by TEACH613™

Li’Iluy Nishmas Doniel Boruch z.l. ben Eliezer Shlomo n.y.