Parashat P'kudei 5768

When God finished creating the world, God stopped. In this moment of pause, the divine offered a blessing. Our Torah tells us, "And God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, because on it God ceased from all the work of creation that God had done" (Genesis 2:3).

In this week's Torah Portion, P'kudei, the people finally complete the difficult work of building the mishkan, the holy tabernacle in which God dwells. When the Israelites finished their task, our Torah teaches us that Moses offered words of blessing, "And when Moses saw that they had performed all the tasks - as Adonai had commanded, so they had done - Moses blessed them" (Exodus 39:43).

There are obvious parallels in these holy texts. In moments of completion, our tradition teaches us, it is fitting to stop and offer words of blessing. These purposeful moments of focused prayer are not only about praising the divine, but also are about personal reflection.

This week's parasha speaks to me personally. In my line of work, as I am sure is true in yours, I have the privilege of working on a number of large projects. These projects are often long-term, complicated, deeply fulfilling, and time consuming. Often, the build-up to a project's completion can feel all encompassing. Do you know what I am describing here? Waking up in the middle of the night with project details on the brain, making and re-making lists, circling conversations about deadlines and schedules...

When major projects in our lives come to an end, we can often experience what I affectionately call "Post Production Blues." The work is over and we are left...wanting. The ensuing quiet can feel unsettling. (Parents may often recognize this in their children as they complete major school projects, finish tests, or return home from camp). In moments like this, when I recognize feelings of loss, I look to my tradition for guidance on how to navigate.

We can take a clear lesson from this week's parasha (as I mentioned a couple weeks ago, sometimes Torah can be wonderfully simple). When we finish something--complete a project, finalize a report, or reach the end of a significant period in our lives, we can offer a blessing. We, like God and Moses in God's image, can stop and recognize our accomplishments, give thanks for those who supported us, and recognize that our acts, each of them, parallel the original acts of creation.

My blessing for us this Shabbat is that each of us remembers that we are created b'tzelem Elohim, in the image of God, and, therefore, are imbued with holiness. Let us remember that, in God's image, our lives are filled with many acts of creation, and we too have the power to mark those acts with words of blessing, praise, and gratitude.