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In our Parasha, Parashat Vayakhel Moshe Rabeinu gathers Am Yisrael and reiterates the Mitzvah of Shabbat.
שֵׁ֣שֶׁת יָמִים֘ תֵּֽעָשֶׂ֣ה מְלָאכָה֒ וּבַיּ֣וֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִ֗י יִֽהְיֶ֨ה לָכֶ֥ם קֹ֛דֶשׁ שַׁבַּ֥ת שַׁבָּת֖וֹן לַֽיהֹוָ֑ה כָּל־הָֽעֹשֶׂ֥ה ב֛וֹ מְלָאכָ֖ה יוּמָֽת:
 
This Passuk seems puzzling. If Moshe is reiterating the commandment to keep Shabbat, why does the Passuk begin by commanding us to work for six days?
The Lubavitcher Rebbe of blessed memory explains: The word תֵּֽעָשֶׂ֣הּ is written with a “Tzeirei” sound. As if to say that for six days work will be done for you rather than six days you shall work.
 
When we work hard and put all our energy into our work, it can sometimes be extremely easy to believe that the success is our own! However, a different approach is, that the Torah is teaching us an important lesson for life. On the one hand, we are supposed to make our Hishtadlut. Do exactly what we can to earn an honest living. We must though remember that we are only part of the picture and that the ultimate success is Hashems blessing given to us.
 
Only when we realise that as the Passuk says תֵּֽעָשֶׂ֣ה that the blessing and success of our work is from Hashem, can we stop for a day without any fears and worries. Shabbat is a day where we show our faith in the Almighty that we can stop and relax knowing full well that we will not lack anything by doing so.
Many times, in life, when we succeed it is easy to see the Hand of Hashem. However, in the difficult times it becomes much more of a struggle. Remember Hashem is always in the picture. He sees the full picture which sometimes we fail to see. Shabbat is the ultimate blessing for the week ahead.
 
My grandfather of blessed memory, whose Yartzeit was this week came from Egypt to England with six children and no Parnassah. He moved to a town called Birmingham and began his search to find a job. Unfortunately, every job he applied for wanted him to work on Shabbat. Being an orthodox Jew, he refused.
After much despair, he went for yet another interview only this time the person interviewing him was the son of a Priest. The Priest was present at the interview. After hearing how my grandfather was about to turn down the offer due to his religious needs, he said to his son that it would be a great mistake not to employ such a loyal Jew. My grandfather began working in his factory and would make up the hours on a Sunday instead of Shabbat.
 
After a few years, my grandfather BH had made enough money to begin his own business. He opened a cardboard box factory and was extremely successful.
One day a man knocked at my grandfather’s door in tears. It was his old employee. He had gone bankrupt and was looking for a job. He became a rep for my grandfather's business.
 
This story has taken me through my life as an understanding of how important it is to do what is right. Hashem runs the world and takes care of Parnassa. It is a win, win game to keep Shabbat.
 
Shabbat Shalom