(ז) וַיִּיצֶר֩ יי אֱלֹהִ֜ים אֶת־הָֽאָדָ֗ם עָפָר֙ מִן־הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה וַיִּפַּ֥ח בְּאַפָּ֖יו נִשְׁמַ֣ת חַיִּ֑ים וַֽיְהִ֥י הָֽאָדָ֖ם לְנֶ֥פֶשׁ חַיָּֽה׃
(7) Then the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
אלהי, נשמה שנתת בי טהורה היא...ברוך אתה יי, המחזיר נשמות לפגרים מתים
The soul which You, my G-d, have given me is pure... Praised by You, Lord who restores the soul to the lifeless, exhausted body.
(טז) הוּא הָיָה אוֹמֵר, לֹא עָלֶיךָ הַמְּלָאכָה לִגְמוֹר, וְלֹא אַתָּה בֶן חוֹרִין לִבָּטֵל מִמֶּנָּה.
(16) It is not your responsibility to finish the work, but neither are you free to desist from it.
Rabbi Simcha Bunem of Pershyscha, leader of Hasidic Jewry in 19th c. Poland. Rabbi Simcha taught:
Everyone must have two pockets, with a note in each pocket, so that he or she can reach into the one or the other, depending on the need. When feeling lowly and depressed, discouraged or disconsolate, one should reach into the right pocket, and, there, find the words: " בשבילי נברא העולם Bishvili nivra ha-olam: For my sake was the world created." (Talmud, Sanhedrin)
But when feeling high and mighty one should reach into the left pocket, and find the words: " ואנכי עפר ואפר V’anokhi afar v’efer: I am but dust and ashes." (Genesis 18:27)
Everyone must have two pockets, with a note in each pocket, so that he or she can reach into the one or the other, depending on the need. When feeling lowly and depressed, discouraged or disconsolate, one should reach into the right pocket, and, there, find the words: " בשבילי נברא העולם Bishvili nivra ha-olam: For my sake was the world created." (Talmud, Sanhedrin)
But when feeling high and mighty one should reach into the left pocket, and find the words: " ואנכי עפר ואפר V’anokhi afar v’efer: I am but dust and ashes." (Genesis 18:27)
(טו) יִֽהְי֥וּ לְרָצ֨וֹן ׀ אִמְרֵי־פִ֡י וְהֶגְי֣וֹן לִבִּ֣י לְפָנֶ֑יךָ יי צוּרִ֥י וְגֹאֲלִֽי׃
(15) Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable before Thee, O LORD, my Rock, and my Redeemer.
(יב) וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יי אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֗ה עֲלֵ֥ה אֵלַ֛י הָהָ֖רָה וֶהְיֵה־שָׁ֑ם וְאֶתְּנָ֨ה לְךָ֜ אֶת־לֻחֹ֣ת הָאֶ֗בֶן וְהַתּוֹרָה֙ וְהַמִּצְוָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר כָּתַ֖בְתִּי לְהוֹרֹתָֽם׃
(12) And the LORD said unto Moses: ‘Come up to Me into the mount and be there; and I will give thee the tables of stone, and the law and the commandment, which I have written, that thou mayest teach them.’