Targum Onkelos adds his own interpretation to the above translation. He writes: Hu d’yahiv lecha eitzah l’mikni nechassin, “He (Hashem) gave you the idea to purchase property.” Horav Eliyahu Eliezer Dessler, zl, explains that, while one may attribute his financial success to siyata diShmaya, Heavenly assistance, he does not deny that it was his strategy, his personality, his cunning, his business acumen – “him, him, his.” He had Divine assistance, but it was his idea to initiate the project. Onkeles teaches us that this is categorically untrue. The very eitzah, idea, was not self-initiated. It, too, was placed into his head by Hashem. In fact, nothing – absolutely nothing – that we do is self-inspired. It is all Divinely initiated and assisted.
How often do we hear someone say, “I had an idea.” To him we say, “Who” placed that idea in your mind? Hashem. Every ounce of your success – from idea to blueprint, to completed endeavor – is all from Hashem. Furthermore, how many attribute their lack of success to poor business acumen, being in the wrong place at the right time, or vice-versa, when, in fact, it is a deficiency in their emunah, faith, in Hashem? They, like everyone, must realize, acknowledge and live this verity: nothing is self-inspired. It is all Divinely inspired. We succeed due to siyata diShmaya. We fail due to a lack of siyata diShmaya.
