Of course, we believe that everything is from Hashem. Everything that happens to us happens because Hashem decided it should happen; we have everything we have because Hashem decided we should have it; and we don’t have everything we don’t have because Hashem decided we shouldn’t have it.
The Maharal of Prague teaches that this is why Hashem performed the miracle of the oil in the Bet Ha’mikdash after the Jews defeated the Greeks. The primary miracle of Hanukah was the victory over the Greeks, which enabled us to survive as a nation. But Hashem then performed the miracle of the oil to make it clear that the victory over the Greeks was His doing. Lest the Jews start thinking that the victory was the result of their strength and their skill, Hashem made the oil last for eight days, showing them that He helped them.
Everything that happens, even when it seems like it was achieved through human effort, is really brought about by Hashem.
At the same time, however, it is clear that Judaism teaches the importance of hard work. The pasuk says (Iyov 5:7), אדם לעמל יולד – people are put into this world to work hard. We do not believe that we can just sit around and relax and trust that we will receive everything we need or want. We need to work.
Parashat Vayeshev begins with the words וישב יעקב (literally “Yaakov resided”), which the Midrash understood to mean ביקש יעקב לישב בשלוה – that Yaakov, at this point in his life, wanted to live calmly and peacefully. Already an older man, after having worked very hard and been through so much for many years, he finally wanted some relaxation. But Hashem told him that this will not happen. He explained that the next world is where we “relax” and enjoy the fruits of our labor in this world. In this world, we must work very hard.
The question then becomes, where do we draw the line? How much work is too much? How do we know what is acceptable effort and exertion, and how much reflects a lack of faith in Hashem?
David Ha’melech says in Tehillim (38:19), כי עוני אגיד אדאג מחטאתי (literally, “For I tell my iniquity, I worry because of my sin”). This has been explained to mean that David admits to “sinning” by being worried. אדאג מחטאתי – because he worries (אדאג), he is considered to have sinned (חטאתי).
This gives us some insight into the difference between reasonable and acceptable effort, and a deficiency in emunah. It depends on whether a person worries.
If a person needs to spend a full day in the office in order to earn a livelihood, then this is what he should do. But when he comes home, he should feel calm, confident and secure, trusting that Hashem is taking care of him.
One Rabbi gave the example of a poor man who was trudging along with a heavy suitcase, until a wealthy man with a horse-driven chariot passed by and offered him a ride. The pauper gratefully accepted the offer, and got onto the carriage.
The wealthy man noticed that the pauper continued holding his suitcase, instead of just putting it down on the floor of the carriage.
“Why are you still holding your luggage?” he asked. “Just put it down so you can relax!”
“Your horses already have enough to carry… Let me at least carry my suitcase!”
Needless to say, this is very foolish… The horses are carrying the suitcase even if the man continues holding it…
The same is true of Hashem. He is “carrying” us at all times. We do not help the cause by carrying our “luggage,” by walking around with a burden of worry and anxiety on our shoulders. This burden is unnecessary.
True, אדם לעמל יולד – we need to work hard. But we need to work hard without a heavy “suitcase” of anxiety.
Parashat Vayeshev teaches us that we are here to work hard. Hanukah teaches us that ultimately, everything is from Hashem. Together, they convey the Jewish concept of emunah – that we are to invest effort, while also remaining calm and relaxed, and trusting that Hashem is always carrying our “suitcase” for us. So we might as well put it down and enjoy the ride.