כְּתִיב וּבֵרַכֲךָ ה' אֱלֹקֶיךָ בְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר תַּעֲשֶׂה. הָאָדָם עָלָיו רַק לַעֲשׂוֹת כְּלִי לְפַרְנָסָתוֹ, וּלְהִשְׁתַּדֵּל בְּכָל כֹּחוֹ אֲשֶׁר הַכְּלִי יִהְיֶה טָהוֹר מִכָּל סִיג וּפְסוֹלֶת דְּאוֹנָאָה כו', הַיְינוּ שֶׁיִּהְיֶה הַכֹּל עַל פִּי דִּינֵי הַתּוֹרָה, אֲשֶׁר אָז הוּא כְּלִי רָאוּי לַבְּרָכָה הָעֶלְיוֹנָה בִּשְׁנַיִם: פַּרְנָסָה בְּרֶיוַח, וַאֲשֶׁר הַפַּרְנָסָה תֵּלֵךְ לַמָּקוֹם הָרָאוּי.

It is written:1 “G‑d, your L‑rd, will bless you in all that you do.” A person only needs to make a vessel for his livelihood,2 and should make every effort that it be pure of any trace of deception, etc., so that in every respect it accords with the laws of the Torah. It will then be a fit receptor for sublime blessings in two ways: his livelihood will be ample, and it will be directed toward the proper place.3

Delving Deeply

In the source of this teaching, the Rebbe Rayatzcites a letter from the Rebbe Maharash to one of his chassidim: “Concerning your livelihood, over which you are so worried that you ask, ‘From where will my help come?’4 — [the answer] lies in the very next verse: ‘My help is from G‑d.’… A businessman must ingrain in himself this level of trust, which he does by visualizing his livelihood as already awaiting him. If it delays in coming, G‑d, in His goodness, will reward him generously.”

The Rebbe Maharash once stated that even today, a Jew’s livelihood falls like manna from Heaven. Just as the manna descended for our forefathers on G‑d’s initiative, regardless of their efforts, so too, a person’s livelihood is allotted from Above. And while we must work to earn a living, we should never forget that our best efforts are only the medium through which G‑d channels His blessings.5

It follows that if our efforts are only a medium, there is no need for them to be excessive. Indeed, too much effort can be as ineffective as too little.6

Moreover, trusting in G‑d to send His blessings actually increases those blessings. Like a father who readily fulfills his sons’ desires, so G‑d showers His blessings upon those who look toward Him in trust.