הֲכַיּוֹצֵ֨ר הַזֶּ֜ה לֹא־אוּכַ֨ל לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת לָכֶ֛ם בֵּ֥ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל נְאֻם־יְהוָ֑ה הִנֵּ֤ה כַחֹ֙מֶר֙ בְּיַ֣ד הַיּוֹצֵ֔ר כֵּן־אַתֶּ֥ם בְּיָדִ֖י בֵּ֥ית יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (ס)
“O sambahayan ng Israel, hindi ba Ako makagagawa sa inyo nang tulad ng ginagawa ng magpapalayok na ito?” sabi ng Walang-Hanggan. “Narito, kung paanong ang luwad ay nasa kamay ng magpapalayok, gayundin kayo ay nasa Aking kamay, O sambahayan ng Israel.”
Kuntres Mattan Torah
this single act of choosing the environment can benefit or hurt a person. But once the person chooses the environment, he is in their hands “as clay is in the potter’s hand” (Jeremiah 18:6).