Our discussion thus far has centered around the avodah of משפיע, influencing our surroundings through the good things that we do in any given place.
But we have also mentioned that there’s a mode of serving Hashem called מקבל, acceptance. The Ribbono shel Olam designed the world so that we don’t receive our parnassah in one shot—rather we are given our parnassah every day and reach out to Hashem on a regular basis for our sustenance. Because when a person pleads and davens for his parnassah, he becomes a true vessel, a mekabel for Hashem’s largesse—with submissiveness and bittul even after he has received the shefa.
Journeying for Parnassah in Order to Influence
A “Receiver” Can Receive Everywhere
Now, when it comes to the question of moving for parnassah, we must make a great distinction:
If your aim in moving to another place is simply to be a מקבל, to accept the shefa—whether it is a shefa in the area of parnassah or in other areas of need—there’s indeed no benefit in moving to other places. The same Ribbono shel Olam Who can provide for you there can provide for you here. And if the Ribbono shel Olam chooses not to provide the shefa, then no amount of moving will help.
To Influence, We Must Sometimes Move
However, we must look at the situation from another perspective: In every situation, we are not only a מקבל—we’re also a משפיע. And from the perspective of משפיע, it is often necessary to move to a new place to accomplish and rectify certain things. A person must often travel to a place connected to his shoresh nesahamah, and there accomplish his unique mission through the bundle of nisyonos and mitzvos that are waiting for him there.
The Shefa Will Follow
Understandably, once a Yid fulfills his mission, he will surely receive the shefa that’s coming to him. There, in his new place, he will have his parnassah, for his mission is there and he has fulfilled it.
But the primary attitude that we must always have is: Where is my mission? In which way must I be משפיע on my surroundings? When he arrives in his new place, he should immediately remember that he has a mission to carry out here. Automatically, the shefa will follow him there.
This Yid who’s searching for his mission will not be as focused on his shefa. He will be more preoccupied with davening to the Ribbono shel Olam for the successful fulfillment of his mission. Because he understands that if he will properly execute his mission, with proper bittul to the One Who sent him, his shefa will automatically follow.
Remembering the Purpose of Our Mission
A person must be focused on his unique mission—not be obsessed with his shefa. When a person works day and night, and he davens obsessively for his parnassah—he is focused on the מקבל aspect, it is such a rachmanus on him.
Of course, the Ribbono shel Olam generously gives us the gashmiyus shefa. But a Yid must make the cheshbon: Why should I be preoccupied with the secondary things? Let me focus on the ikkar. I will always daven to the Ribbono shel Olam: Help me to fulfill my shlichus in the place where I find myself. After all, I didn’t come into This World to earn money! I arrived here for a tachlis!
When a Yid remembers this, he remembers what he came here for... then he will tend to daven for the ikkar. He will invest his energies in how he can better execute his mission, and he will automatically receive his shefa in both gashmiyus and ruchniyus.
