Kriat Shema al Hamitah continues with a verse from Tehillim (90:17): “May the pleasantness of my Lord, our God, be upon us. May He establish our handiwork for us; our handiwork, may He establish.”

The Midrash (Sifri, Parshat Pinchas) relates that when the construction of the Tabernacle was finally completed, Moshe blessed the Jewish nation that the Divine Presence would descend and dwell within it. On hearing his blessing, the people responded, “May the pleasantness of my L-rd, our G-d, be upon us.”

Malbim comments on the continuation of the verse, “May He establish our handiwork for us,” that when a physical building is constructed, those involved in its creation remain intrinsically unaffected. They may work very hard in order to ensure that the building is built, but it does not change their basic characters. However, when we toil to live a life of Torah, when we strive to keep the Mitzvot with all of their details, when we strive to draw closer to Hashem, we are adding new dimensions and facets to our very beings! In effect, our actions are being “established” upon us and they become an integral part of our identity.

This is the reason why our verse is a part of Kriat Shema al Hamitah. We are expressing our heartfelt desire that the way we served Hashem throughout the day was pleasing to Him. In addition, we ask that whatever spiritual impact our day’s accomplishments have had, should be permanent. That we should end each day spiritually superior and healthier than we were on the day before. Ultimately, it is consistency that Hashem wants from us.

Rabbi Aharon Leib Shteinman (1914-2017) was one of the most venerated leaders of the Yeshiva world, whose piety was awe-inspiring. Despite the extremely long and demanding hours that he dedicated to helping all those who approached him, he was the epitome of consistency in his Avodat Hashem. During the Second World War, he managed to find refuge in Switzerland. Someone who was also living in Switzerland at the time asked Rabbi Shteinman what his goal in life was. Rabbi Shteinman, opening the classic work of Mussar called Mesilat Yesharim, turned to the final chapter, where he read aloud that a person’s obligation in this world is to become a “Merkavah LeShechinah,” literally, a “chariot for the Divine Presence.” Mesilat Yesharim is teaching us that a person’s aspirations towards holiness are supposed to be so noticeable that each and every one of us can serve as a vehicle for revealing the Divine Presence in this world.

Astonishingly, some eighty years later, when Rabbi Shteinman was one hundred years old, he told someone who was looking for spiritual direction and clarity in his life that he should focus on becoming a Merkavah LeShechinah! It was absolutely clear that throughout his long and infinitely productive life, he never lost sight of the greatest goal of all. His entire being was consistently dedicated to furthering Hashem’s Majesty in this world.

And we should not make the mistake of thinking that such lofty aspirations are reserved only for the truly righteous individuals in each generation. Rabbi Avraham Weinberg (1884-1933), the Rebbe of Slonim, writes that each time that a person conquers the yetzer hara, he moves one step closer to success. Rabbi Weinberg compares this idea to a person who drinks a glass of wine. The first glass seems to have no effect whatsoever. They are not drunk and they are not even a little tipsy. But then they drink a second cup, and then a third cup, until they are well and truly intoxicated! Only after they (finally!) get over their hangover do they recognize that the first cup of wine contributed to their drunkenness. Similarly, when one initially overcomes the desire to do the wrong thing, nothing seems to have essentially changed. They seem to be the same person as they were before. But they really are not. Something has absolutely changed within them. And if they keep attempting to do what is right in the way of Hashem, it will soon become apparent that they have become a new person.

To be continued…