The opening first two pesukim of Parshas Vayeitzei present a difficulty. Initially we are taught that Yaakov arrives at Charan, but next we are told that he "chanced upon the place" as the sun set, and Chazal (Chulin 91b) teach that "the place" was the future site of the Beis HaMikdash, which is far from Charan. The Gemara resolves the difficulty by teaching us that when Yaakov came to Charan he was troubled and said to himself, could it be that I passed the place that my grandfather and father prayed without doing so myself? Immediately he turned around to go back to pray, and the rest is history! Our sages teach that he was afforded kefitzas haderech, that he arrived speedily and miraculously at the holy place, and received the incredible dream - a prophesy of the eternal survival of the Jewish people and multiple personal blessings. Chazal explain that all of this was due to his initiative to return and pray. The Zohar teaches that "is-orrarussa d-le-eila - Divine assistance" emanates from "is-orrarussa d-lesata", i.e. the innovations/workings/doings of man. As great as Yaakov was, he received all of the above only when he initiated his resolve.
I believe we are taught this concept at the very beginning of the Torah. Immediately after the account of creation, we are taught (Bereishis 2:5) that the vegetation and trees had not yet sprouted, since Hashem did not yet cause it to rain, and man was not there to work the land. Rashi teaches that until there was man who would understand the need for rain, pray for rain, and appreciate the rain, it did not rain. Built into the nature of this world is the need for man to have a relationship with Hashem. This relationship is expressed through is-orrarussa d-lesata, man-s praying, and is-orrarussa d-le-eila - Hashem-s responding.
The first communication that Hashem had with Avraham was Lech Lecha - go to the place that He would show him. The Zohar teaches that it was not until Avraham took the initiative and started the journey with his father Terach, as taught at the very end of parshas Noach, that he warranted and received the Divine call of Lech Lecha.
The Medrash (Shir Hashirim Rabbah 5:2:2) teaches on the verse (Shemos 11:4) "Moshe said, so said Hashem ‘at midnight I shall go out in the midst of Egypt-" that we should note that this comes after the performance of the korban Pesach, which was a great act of courage and obedience on behalf of the Jewish people to Hashem. The Medrash continues in the name of Rav Yaso that Hashem says, "you open for Me an opening the size of a needle and I will open for you an opening that can accommodate the passage of wagons." Once again, it-s man-s initiative that releases Divine assistance.
Every morning we preface pesukai d-zimrah with, "A psalm, a song for the inauguration of the Temple by Dovid" (Tehillim 30). Stop and ask yourself, did Dovid build the first Beis HaMikdash? Hashem told him (Divrei Hayomim I, 17:4) "It is not you who will build a house for Me", and yet it is called the house of Dovid!? Dovid was troubled that he was living in a house of cedar while the aron of the bris of Hashem dwelled under curtains in a temporary manner. Because he initiated and readied the materials for his son Shlomo, providing the is-orrarussa d-lesata, Hashem responded with is-orrarussa d-le-eila bringing His holy Shechina into our midst.
Indeed, the Ramban in his commentary (Bamidbar 16:24) notes that the nation of Israel deserved punishment for the delay in the building of the Beis HaMikdash, and the fact that the aron was wandering from place to place as a stranger in the land and yet the tribes did not come forward and demand the Beis HaMikdash, as required in the passuk, "You shall seek out His presence and come there" (Devarim 12:5). Without is-orrarussa d-lesata there is no is-orrarussa d-le-eila.
This natural law is incorporated into many mitzvos and indeed is one of the reasons for mitzvos. The Gemara (Rosh Hashana 16a) teaches in the name of Rebbe Akiva, that Hashem said, "bring Me an omer of barley so that I can bless the grain in your fields; bring two loaves on Shavuos, in order for Him to bless the fruits of the land; pour water on the altar on Sukkos in order to receive the blessed rains of winter." The small acts of man precipitate the abundant heavenly blessings.
The Torah (Devarim 22:4) teaches the mitzvah of helping the owner of an animal pick up his fallen animal, and legislates "you shall stand them up with him". The mishna (Bava Metzia 32a) teaches that if the owner says to the one doing this mitzvah, "I-ll sit and watch as you do it, since it-s your mitzvah", then there is no obligation on the responder to help, as the Torah says "emo - with him", i.e. the owner has to participate. The Chofetz Chaim comments (on the above cited passuk) that similarly, if one wishes to grow in their spirituality and come closer to Hashem, they must take the first step; it has to be emo - with Him. You can-t leave it all to Him. We pray every morning in the second beracha preceding the Shema, "and instill in our hearts to understand and comprehend, to listen, learn and teach, observe, perform and fulfill all the words of the teaching of Your Torah." However, if man does not open the Gemara and study, it is a false and wasted prayer. The Chofetz Chaim continues and compares it to one who asks someone for a loan and is told to come to the lender-s home at a specific time to receive the loan, but does not come. We have to initiate the study of Torah and the is-orrarussa d-le-eila will come.
Channukah is in the air. The Tur (Orach Chaim 670) cites the Bach who explains that the reason the Jewish nation lost control of the Beis HaMikdash was that we did not regard, respect, and appreciate the Beis HaMikdash sufficiently. If we don-t value something, we lose it. It was therefore our diligence and energy in searching for the pure, undefiled oil, despite the fact that perhaps we could have used the impure oil, i.e. our initiative - is-orrarussa d-lesata that enabled the miracle to occur.
Finally, the Gaon of Vilna (in Kol Hator) writes that while certainly there is a Divine plan of history, our initiatives and actions are not merely a reflection of our personal commitment and beliefs, but actually help precipitate and actualize the Divine redemption. When Jewish families go on aliyah it is not only a fulfillment of the biblical mitzvah (according to the Ramban and others) of yishuv Eretz Yisroel, but it is also our is-orrarussa d-lesata to bring about His is-orrarussa d-le-eila of kibutz goliyos - the ingathering of the exiles.
May we be privileged, each in our own way, to naturally participate and precipitate the exciting Divine plan that He has for ourselves and Klal Yisroel.