Gratitude Unlimited

Parshas Tzav

Posted on March 25, 2022 (5786) By Rabbi Naftali Reich | Series: Legacy | Level: Beginner

 

What do released prisoners, recovering patients, seafarers and caravan travelers all have in common? These people have all been in perilous situations, their very lives endangered, and having come through safely, they are required to express their gratitude to Hashem by bringing a thanksgiving sacrifice to the Temple in Jerusalem. The procedure for the thanksgiving offering, the korban todah, is described in this week’s portion.

 

The Midrash provides us with a rather surprising bit of information about the thanksgiving offering. In the End of Days, when the Presence of the Creator will fill the world with holiness and people will live in eternal bliss and serenity, all sacrifices will be discontinued – except for the thanksgiving sacrifice. This immediately leads us to ask: How can this be? If, as the prophets repeatedly assure us, people will be safe and secure, protected from all physical harm and danger, from sickness and imprisonment, how will it be possible for a thanksgiving sacrifice to be brought? The conditions that necessitate such an offering will simply not exist!

 

Let us think for a moment about a phrase most polite people use very often and very casually.

 

What exactly do we mean when we say “thank you” to someone who has done us a good turn?

 

What have we actually given him by thanking him? And why is he gratified? The answers lie in a deeper understanding of gratitude and thanksgiving. In essence, an expression of gratitude is an acknowledgment. By saying “thank you,” we declare that we recognize what the other person has done for us, that we value it and that we do not take him for granted. This is all he needs in return for what he has done – recognition, no more, no less. But a sincere expression of gratitude can only result from a genuine appreciation of the value of what we have received.

 

Without this appreciation, the words “thank you” are but an empty, meaningless formality.

 

If this holds true in our relationships with other human beings, how much more so in our relationship with our Creator. We are endlessly beholden to Him for all the good He does for us, and as a result, we should be endlessly grateful. Unfortunately, however, we live in a benighted world of illusions and delusions, and we often fail to recognize the innumerable gifts and bounty that flow to us from Hashem’s generous hand. And even when we pay lip service to it, how deeply do we actually feel it? How real is it to us? The only things we face with stark reality are life-threatening situations. In the face of danger, our affectations and pretensions quickly dissipate, and we realize how dependent we are on our Creator for our safety. As the old adage goes, “There are no atheists in a foxhole.” It is only when we are ultimately delivered from danger that we are capable of expressing genuine gratitude.

 

In the End of Days, however, the Presence of the Creator will illuminate the entire world and dispel all the foolish delusions which so becloud our vision and befuddle our minds. Then we will see Hashem’s hand with perfect clarity, and our acknowledgments of His guidance and benevolence will carry the ring of true conviction. At that point, we will no longer have to face life-threatening situations to inspire genuine gratitude in our hearts. We will thank Him endlessly for every minute detail of our lives and bring thanksgiving sacrifices to give expression to the transcendent feelings of gratitude that will permeate our souls.

 

A great sage once ordered a cup of coffee in an elegant restaurant. When the bill came, he saw he had been charged an exorbitant sum. “So much for a cup of coffee?” he asked the waiter.

 

“Oh no, sir,” the waiter replied. “The coffee cost only a few cents. But the paintings and tapestries on the walls, the crystal chandeliers, the Persian carpets, the luxurious gardens, the marble fountain, these cost a lot of money, and every patron must pay his share.”

 

“Aha!” said the sage. “You have taught me an important lesson.

 

When I recite a blessing over a glass of water, I must thank the Creator for the ground on which I stand, the air I breathe, the blue sky over my head, the beauty and scent of the flowers, the twittering of birds, the company of other people. Thank you.”

 

In our own lives, we all too often take for granted all the blessings we enjoy, and we forget to express our gratitude to our Creator, the Source of all this bounty. Indeed, when we experience hardship, we are inclined to confront Hashem, saying, Oh, why do we deserve this? But when we experience good fortune, are we as inclined to thank Him? Common courtesy, of course, requires that we acknowledge Hashem’s bounty, but if we offer words of gratitude to Hashem in all situations, we will also discover a deeper dimension to our appreciation and enjoyment of the blessings of life.

 

Text Copyright © 2009 by Rabbi Naftali Reich and Torah.org.

Rabbi Reich is on the faculty of the Ohr Somayach Tanenbaum Education Center.

 

 

 

Listen Closely

Parshas Vayikra

Posted on March 24, 2023 (5783) By Rabbi Berel Wein | Series: Rabbi Wein | Level: Beginner

 

With the beginning of the reading of the book of Vayikra this Shabat in the synagogue, the title of the book itself calls out to us for understanding what is meant when the Torah tells us that G-d called out to Moshe. Moshe experiences a special and unique method of G-dly revelation.

 

The Torah testifies to this by describing that G-d, so to speak, talks to Moshe ‘face to face.’

 

The prophets of Israel receive G-dly communication while in a dreamlike trance. But the thrust of Jewish tradition is that even though there is no longer any type of G-dly prophecy present in our world, G-d still communicates with humans. But He does so in very subtle means – in reflections of human behavior and world events themselves.

 

Free will allows humans to behave as they will, yet there is a guiding heavenly hand in world affairs visible to those who wish to see it.  A few decades ago, two scientists won a Nobel Prize for proving their ability to yet hear the echo of the sounds of the original birth of the universe at the moment of its creation. We all know that human hearing is possible only within a limited range of wave frequencies. Judaism teaches that good deeds, moral behavior, Torah observance and loyalty to traditional Jewish values help expand our hearing ability – and this enables us to tune into heavenly sound frequencies which were originally blocked to us.

 

The auxiliary message of Vayikra, when G-d called out to Moshe, is that Moshe’s hearing is so perfectly attuned to heavenly communication, he is always ‘face to face’ with his Creator. That is the true indication of the greatness of Moshe and makes him the most unique of all the world’s prophets, teachers and leaders.

 

The word Vayikra, as written in the Torah, contains a miniature letter ‘aleph.’ This indicates to us that G-d’s message to us is subtle, quiet, and easy to ignore temporarily, but persistent and ongoing. As the Lord told the prophet Elijah, ‘I do not appear in the great wind or in earthquakes or other terrifying natural phenomena, but rather in a small, still voice.’  Listening to a still, small voice requires good hearing acumen and intense concentration. Casual hearing will not suffice.

 

In our times, the small ‘alef’ requires us to really listen and pay attention to what transpires in our personal and national lives. Oftentimes, we, like the prophet Yonah, attempt to flee from the still small voice that continually echoes within us. But it remains persistent and waits patiently for our hearing ability to improve in our everyday lives.

 

Backed Up by Action

Parshas Vayakhel

Posted on March 1, 2019 (5779) By Rabbi Label Lam | Series: Dvar Torah | Level: Beginner

 

And Moshe called the whole community of the Children of Israel to assemble, and he said to them: “These are the things that HASHEM commanded to make. (Shemos 35:1)

 

And he made the dividing curtain of blue, purple, and crimson wool, and twisted fine linen; the work of a master weaver he made it, in a [woven] cherubim design. And he made for it four pillars of acacia wood, and he overlaid them with gold, their hooks [were] gold, and he cast for them four silver sockets. And he made a screen for the entrance of the tent, of blue, purple, and crimson wool, and twisted fine linen the work of an embroiderer, and its five pillars and their hooks, and he overlaid their tops and their bands with gold, and their five sockets were copper. (Shemos 36:35-38)

 

Too many times to mention the term “he made” and “they made” crowns the beginning of a verse. There is something great about this doing, this making of the Mishkan with precision. What is it?

 

The Talmud Brochos queries, “Which is more important, learning or doing?” The answer offered is: “Learning, because it leads to doing!” It seems the question is answered and not. Doing seems to be the more important value. The Mishne affirms, “The main thing is not the discussion but the action!” (Pirke Avos 1:17) If Talmud Torah is so great that it is equivalent to all the Mitzvos then how can “doing” be considered greater?

 

An elderly father called out with his weakened voice to his three boys who were in another room, “Can someone please fetch me a glass of water!?” Right away a big discussion erupted.

 

The older son seemed ready to jump into action but his two younger brothers challenged him.

 

“Why should you have the honor to get Abba a glass of water?” He responded emphatically, “Because I am the oldest!”

 

The other two insisted that they find a more fair way of deciding. In the meantime the father called out again for a glass of water. The youngest proposed that that they have auction as they would in Shul for a great honor or an Aliya.

The bidding began immediately for the high honor of getting Abba a glass of water. The numbers climbed quickly and finally the middle son won. He opined, “If I would earn such an honor like Maftir Yona, I would not keep it for myself. I would share the honor and give it to one who is truly deserving of the honor. I would give it to our dear Abba. Abba, get yourself a glass of water!”

 

The story is so absurd on many levels, I know, but it also illustrates that all the talk in the world does not substitute for action. Especially in the case of the building of the Mishkan which was the way to fix the horrific event of the Golden Calf. There is a phrase I saw from Steven Covey that rings so true, “You can’t talk your way out of a problem you acted your way into!” The solution requires action because action demonstrates sincerity.

 

I was witness to a scene where a father was called into the tuition office because his first five tuition checks bounced. Half the year passed and he had effectively not paid any tuition. He bowed his head and apologized. I felt bad for him. The comptroller asked what his plan was. So, he took out his check book. It was comical and tragic. After four bounced checks a fifth didn’t seem more promising.

 

Actions are like money in the bank and words are comparable to checks. There was an old show tune with words that went like this, “Don’t talk of love show me!” A man can say to his wife all day and with passion, “I love you!”, but his words will ring hollow if they are not backed up by action, if the garbage is not taken out, the carpool is dodged, the homework with the kids is not done, and other requests are denied. It’s like writing a big check with little money in the bank. It bounces. Words are only as valuable as there is money in the bank.

 

The sin of the Golden Calf was a major break in trust. Trust must be built slowly and with action.

 

It cannot be demanded or expected with urgency. The greatest proof that the repentance of the Children of Israel about the Golden Calf was sincere was in their doing.

 

Sure, words can work but only when backed up by action.

 

 

How Could This Happen?

Parshas Ki Sisa

Posted on February 20, 2008 (5768) By Rabbi Berel Wein | Series: Rabbi Wein | Level: Beginner

 

After all of the commentaries and explanations regarding the event of the Golden Calf that is the centerpiece of this weeks’ parsha, one is still left, somehow, with an empty feeling of not understanding how such an event could have in fact occurred.

 

After all, did not the splitting of the sea, the war against Amalek, the manna and the miraculous wells of water, the revelation at Sinai, make an impression upon them? No doubt that all of the answers and explanations have validity, but how do we deal with this story? What is the relevance of this story to us, a generation that has many Golden Calves but certainly not that Golden calf of the parsha?

 

I think that the most direct and simple answer to this is to view the event in its simple reality. It is enough to know that such an event, though not understandable or rational, can and does occur. It should teach us about the irrationality of people, nations and political leaders. It should put us on notice that nothing in human affairs is unlikely or impossible.

 

The possibility of a Golden calf incident is always with us. By discounting the whims of human nature we expose ourselves to such sad incidents as described in this week’s parsha. Moshe never imagines that such an event can occur amongst the people of Israel and so he ascends the mountain for his own spiritual development and to bring the Torah down to the Jewish people. Aharon also never thinks that a Golden calf can spring forth from his attempts to placate the frenzied mob that now surrounds him. But, no matter, the Golden Calf arrives, alive and snorting fire. And that is life’s lesson – that the unexpected and impossible is itself always present in our lives and society.

 

Anyone who reviews the events of the twentieth century will stand amazed at the events, wars, changes and profound diplomatic and political errors that shaped its story. Nothing that happened was rational or predictable in 1901.

 

Who could have thought that the great empires of Germany, Russia, France, England, Austria and the Ottomans would never survive that century? And who could have imagined the State of Israel arising and the destruction of European Jewry? That disaster of the Holocaust is a Golden Calf of unbelievably major proportions.

 

All rumors later circulated to the contrary not withstanding, no one really envisioned such a catastrophe of so great a proportion. Since prophecy is no longer present amongst us, the future is always murky and undecipherable. Therefore, the only thing certain in our lives, both personal and national, is uncertainty.

And that is the basic and troubling message of the Golden Calf incident. The parsha is here to warn us of trusting only in our judgments, conclusions and foresight. That is not how life really works and not how events play themselves out.

 

The events of the Golden Calf constantly repeat themselves in our life story. Fortunate are those who are not seduced by that idol and are wary initially of the attempts to construct and deify it.

 

Shabat shalom.

Rabbi Berel Wein