This week's Torah portion is called Pekudei (meaning "counting"). It is the parashah that, so to speak, concludes the second book of the Torah, which Rabbi Moshe ben Nachman, the Ramban, calls the "Book of Redemption," referring to the Jewish people's exodus from Egypt. The end of the book focuses primarily on the construction of the Mishkan, the portable sanctuary of the Jewish people.
The verse (Exodus 40:17) says: "In the first month, in the second year, on the first day of the month, the Tabernacle was set up." Our sages point out that the Torah speaks of the construction of the Sanctuary in the passive voice, saying "the Sanctuary was set up." Why doesn't it say something like "the Jewish people set up the Tabernacle," or "Moses set up," etc.?
Rashi (Rabbi Shlomo ben Yitzchak) comments (see his commentary on Exodus 39:33) that, in practice, the different parts of the Sanctuary were so heavy (enormous and heavy wooden beams covered in gold, meters-long cloths and hides, etc.) that it was impossible for one or even several human beings to assemble it. Therefore, when the parts were finished, they were brought to Moses with the complaint that they could not assemble them. Moses transferred the complaint to God, until God answered him, "Work yourself with your hands; it appears as if [Moses] is lifting it, but in reality, it lifts itself." That is, God Himself had to build it, but He asked Moses to appear as if He were building it.
Now, the Mishkan symbolizes the spiritual work of revealing the Divine presence in the material world, as the Torah says (Exodus 25:8): "Make a sanctuary for Me, that I may dwell within it." This means that, generation after generation, it is our duty to "bring," so to speak, God into the world. A problem arises here: assembling the Mishkan was an impossible task! To such an extent that even Moses could not put it together. So, how is it required of each of us to make a sanctuary for God?
The answer lies in understanding that, in reality, it is God who gives us the strength and ability to carry out what He Himself asks of us. In other words, we might think that we possess a certain capacity and that God assigns us a task to perform throughout our lives, but there isn't necessarily a direct correlation between our own abilities and the Divine mandate. Therefore, this parashah teaches us that our task is to demonstrate that we are doing the work, that is, to willingly carry out our obligations, doing so with joy and a good heart, even if it seems an insurmountable challenge. Because then, God Himself will ensure our success, and we will ultimately be able to reveal God in the world, as this section concludes, with the imminent coming of the Messiah. Amen.