"G-d! May Your favor rest upon us"

by HaRav Dov Begon
Rosh HaYeshiva, Machon Meir

The moment of climax for which all the people were waiting after the Exodus and the receiving of the Torah was the moment when the Divine Presence was supposed to reveal itself at the end of the Mishkan's erection and the sacrifices of the eighth day of Installation. The longed-for moment arrived, but the Divine Presence did not descend nor reveal itself. The result was that Aaron was embarrassed and the Israelites were mortified, frustrated, and sad. As Rashi comments (Vayikra 9:23):

“When Aharon saw that they had offered all the sacrifices, and all the rituals had been performed, and still the Divine Presence had not descended for Israel, he was pained, and thought, ‘I know that G-d is angry with me and it is because of me that the Divine Presence did not descend!’ He said to Moshe: ‘ Moshe! Your efforts have resulted only in my entering the Mishkan and being embarrassed!’ Moshe immediately entered with him, and they begged for mercy, and the Divine Presence descended for Israel.”

And what was their blessing to the people (Vayikra 9:23)? They said, “G-d! May your favor rest upon us!” (Tehilim 90:17), and, “May it be Your will to cause Your Divine Presence to rest on our handiwork.” Immediately, “G-d's glory was revealed to all the people. Fire came forth from before G-d and consumed the burnt offering and the choice parts on the altar. When the people saw this, they raised their voices in praise and threw themselves on their faces” (Vayikra 9:23-24). In other words, the people's mood was transformed 180 degrees, and they rejoiced and praised G-d.

From here we may derive that it is not enough to erect the Mishkan and to bring offerings. Rather, we must seek G-d’s mercy for His favor to rest upon us. This recalls the following story:
“Rebbe Yishmael ben Elisha entered the Holy of Holies to burn incense and he saw “the L-rd of hosts sitting on His exalted throne. G-d said to him, ‘Yishmael, my son! Bless me!’ He answered, ‘May it be Your will that Your mercy should vanquish Your anger, and You should treat Your sons mercifully and go beyond the letter of the law for them.’ G-d then nodded in assent.”

This source serves to teach that “we should not take a layman’s blessings lightly” (Berachot 7a).

Today, how fortunate we are and how good our lot that we have merited to be part of a generation in which the Jewish People are rising up to rebirth after two thousand years of exile. We see with our own eyes the ingathering of the exiles and the flourishing of our country. The third temple is being rebuilt before our very eyes. We are still at the very height of a process at the end of which most certainly the Divine Presence will descend and reveal itself to all Israel, just as it did at the Mishkan's erection on the eighth day of the Installment, and just as it did with the building of the First Temple in Shlomo HaMelech's day.

Until then we must recite the prayer of Moshe, the man of G-d, “O G-d, may Your favor rest upon us! Establish for us the work of our hands, the work of our hands establish” (Tehilim 90:17).

May the work of our hands be complete. Let it not – G-d forbid – cause mishap. And may the result be to have G-d’s favor upon us, G-d’s Presence and His consolation (see Rashi and Metzudat David, ibid.).

With blessings for all of Israel,
Looking forward to salvation,
With Love of Israel,
Shabbat Shalom.