Gratitude

Values

Gratitude is the theme of the first prayer uttered upon waking up in the morning, Modeh Ani (“I give thanks”) and drives many other Jewish practices and customs: the recitation of Hallel on Jewish holidays is an expression of thanks for God’s miracles, many understand the obligation of honoring one’s parents to be an embodiment of gratitude, and countless Jewish blessings, prayers, and psalms give voice to feelings of thankfulness.

Notable Sources

All Sources

Gratitude for Blessings

TANAKH

Expressing gratitude to God for material blessings and the good land provided is a central tenet of Jewish faith. The book of Deuteronomy emphasizes the importance of blessing God after eating and being satisfied, highlighting the spiritual practice of gratitude.

When you have eaten your fill, give thanks to your God יהוה for the good land given to you.

Deuteronomy 8:10

Gratitude for Modern Conveniences

TALMUD

The conveniences of modern life are often taken for granted, but they are the result of collective human effort over generations. The Babylonian Talmud, a central text of Rabbinic Judaism, in tractate Berakhot contrasts the laborious efforts of Adam, the first man, with the ease of modern life, emphasizing the importance of gratitude.

Explaining his custom, he would say: How much effort did Adam the first man exert before he found bread to eat: He plowed, sowed, reaped, sheaved, threshed, winnowed in the wind, separated the grain from the chaff, ground the grain into flour, sifted, kneaded, and baked and only thereafter he ate. And I, on the other hand, wake up and find all of these prepared for me. Human society employs a division of labor, and each individual benefits from the service of the entire world…

Berakhot 58a:4

Gratitude and Kingship

TARGUM

The Targum Jonathan on Genesis 29:35 underscores the connection between gratitude and the royal lineage in Jewish tradition. It explains that Leah named her son Judah, which means "praise," because she wanted to express thanks to God. This act of gratitude is tied to the prophetic lineage of kings, as Judah is the ancestor of King David and, ultimately, the Messiah.

And she conceived again, and bare a son, and said, This time will I give praise before the Lord; for from this my son kings shall come forth, and from him shall spring David the king, who shall offer praise before the Lord; therefore she called his name Jehudah. And she ceased to bear.

Targum Jonathan on Genesis 29:35

The Transformative Power of Gratitude

JEWISH THOUGHT

Expressing gratitude can be transformative for both the giver and the recipient, especially when it is unexpected and deeply heartfelt. Dr. Erica Brown’s reflections in 'Return: Daily Inspiration for the Days of Awe' offer practical exercises and textual study to inspire introspection and spiritual growth during the High Holy Days.

A thank you is most impactful when it identifies aspects of the recipient’s help or participation that are not obvious. Appreciation affects us most when we expect it least. In classes on the subject, I often ask students to write a thank you note to someone who is not expecting it, and offer time in class to write and read the notes, if participants want to share. One woman wrote a thank you note for someone who helped her cope with a difficult illness; she began to cry as she read what she wrote. Through tears, she said it made her feel good to write it…

Return; Daily Inspiration for the Days of Awe, Day Six; Gratitude 44

Expressions of Gratitude in the Haggadah

LITURGY

Gratitude in the Haggadah is not just a simple thank you, but a multifaceted expression of thanks for miracles and deliverance. The Pesach Haggadah, the guiding text of the Passover seder, particularly the Magid section, recounts the story of the Exodus and includes the Hallel prayers to express gratitude.

לְפִיכָךְ Therefore it is our duty
to thank, praise, laud,
glorify, exalt, honor,
bless, raise high, and acclaim
the One who has performed all these miracles
for our ancestors and for us;
who has brought us out from slavery to freedom,
from sorrow to joy, from grief to celebration;
from darkness to great light
and from enslavement to redemption;
and so we shall sing a new song before Him.
HALLELUYA!
The cup is put down.

Pesach Haggadah, Magid, First Half of Hallel 2

A Communal Song of Gratitude

SECOND TEMPLE

Gratitude is not just a personal feeling but a communal celebration, as exemplified by the Hebrews' choirs of thanksgiving led by Moses and Miriam. Philo of Alexandria, a Hellenistic Jewish philosopher, describes the aftermath of the Israelites' crossing of the Red Sea, highlighting the communal expression of gratitude through song.

[180] This great and marvellous work struck the Hebrews with amazement, and, finding themselves unexpectedly victorious in a bloodless conflict, and seeing their enemies, one and all, destroyed in a moment, they set up two choirs, one of men and one of women, on the beach, and sang hymns of thanksgiving to God. Over these choirs Moses and his sister presided, and led the hymns, the former for the men and the latter for the women.

On the Life of Moses, Book I 32:5

Gratitude for the Harvest

COMMENTARY

Sukkot is a time to express gratitude for the successful harvest and the abundance of produce. Rashbam, a medieval French commentator, explains the significance of Sukkot as a festival of joy and thanksgiving, contrasting it with the solemnity of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.

אך בחמשה עשר יום לחודש השביעי, even though both New Year and the Day of Atonement are primarily designed to help the people achieve atonement for their sins and their being remembered favourably by G’d, Sukkot is for enjoyment and giving thanks to the Lord for having enabled them to fill their barns with good produce at the end of the harvest season.

Rashbam on Leviticus 23:39:1

Noah's Gratitude

MIDRASH

Noah's gratitude upon leaving the ark serves as a profound example of recognizing and glorifying God's kindness. The early rabbinic midrash, Bereshit Rabbah, a talmudic-era midrashic work on the book of Genesis, offers a homiletical interpretation of Noah's actions and the importance of expressing gratitude.

“God spoke to Noah, saying:” (Genesis 8:15).
“Go out of the ark, you and your wife and your sons and your sons’ wives with you” (Genesis 8:16).
“God spoke to Noah, saying: Go out of the ark” – “release me from confinement to thank Your name. The righteous, through me, will give glory when You perform kindness with me” (Psalms 142:8). “Release me from confinement [masger]” – this refers to Noah, who had been confined to the ark for twelve months. “To thank Your name” – to give thanks to Your name…

Bereshit Rabbah 34:1

Gratitude Through Storytelling

COMMENTARY

Retelling the story of the Exodus in a dignified and deliberate manner is an expression of gratitude to God, bringing spiritual benefits and drawing the community closer to redemption. Rabban Gamliel emphasizes the importance of mentioning Pesach, Matzah, and Maror during the Seder as a central ritual in the Jewish observance of Passover.

Pesach, Matzah, Maror and Transformation
Rabban Gamliel said: one who doesn’t mention three things on Pesach has not fulfilled his obligation: In the Zohar, Parshat Bo, we learn that when we tell the story of the Exodus, we reveal the mystery of redemption. Heavenly and earthly beings come together to listen to the story, to give thanks to the Holy One of blessing, and to rejoice. Israel strengthens their Heavenly Master through the telling of this story. From this we learn how important it is to retell the story slowly and deliberately and not to do so in an apathetic and…

Ephod Bad on Pesach Haggadah, Magid, Rabban Gamliel's Three Things 1:1

The Importance of Gratitude

COMMENTARY

Recognizing and attributing one's success and prosperity to God is critical for the future of the nation. Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, in his commentary on the Torah portion Eikev, emphasizes the importance of gratitude and humility as the Israelites prepare to enter the Promised Land.

Good things, says Moses to the next generation, will happen to you. Everything, however, will depend on how you respond. Either you will eat and be satisfied and bless God, remembering that all things come from Him – or you will eat and be satisfied and forget to whom you owe all this. You will think it comes entirely from your own efforts: “My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.” Although this may seem a small difference, it will, says Moses, make all the difference…

Covenant and Conversation; Deuteronomy; Renewal of the Sinai Covenant, Eikev, The Politics of Memory 10

Gratitude After Meals

KABBALAH

Expressing gratitude to HaShem after meals through Birkat Hamazon is compared to receiving a valuable gift, leading to both spiritual and physical nourishment. Rabbi Chaim Vital’s Kabbalistic work, Sha'arei Kedusha, highlights the importance of reciting this blessing with joy, as it acknowledges both the sustenance provided and the Torah learned. This act of gratitude is believed to attract divine abundance and continued sustenance.

After you finish your meal and have been physically and spiritually nourished through eating and studying, do not be unappreciative. Bless HaShem-יהו"ה for all the goodness He has sustained you with, by reciting the blessings after meals with great joy, like a person who has just received a precious gift, as we say in the blessing, “for the Torah that you taught us and for the consumption of food that you sustain us with.” In the merit of doing this, HaShem-יהו"ה will open His treasury of goodness to you and will sustain you always.

Sha'arei Kedusha, Part 1 6:12

Gratitude for Abundance

GUIDES

The Torah emphasizes the importance of expressing gratitude for the material blessings provided by God. Deuteronomy 8:7-10 describes the abundance of the Promised Land and forms the basis for the Birkat Hamazon (Grace After Meals) prayer.

For the Lord your God is bringing you to a good land: a land with brooks of water, fountains and depths, springing forth in valleys and hills; a land of wheat and barley, vines and fig-trees and pomegranates, a land of olive oil and honey; a land in which you will eat bread without scarcity, you will lack nothing in it, a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills you will dig copper. You will eat and be satisfied, and bless the Lord, your God, for the good land He has given you. (Deuteronomy 8:7–10)

Introductions to the Babylonian Talmud, Berakhot, Introduction to Perek VII 1

Proclaiming God's Deeds

LITURGY

Proclaiming God's deeds and wonders among the nations emphasizes the universal recognition of God's greatness and the everlasting covenant with Israel. The 'Hodu' prayer, recited during the morning prayers on Yom Kippur in the Ashkenazi tradition, highlights this theme.

Give thanks to Adonoy, proclaim His Name; make His deeds known among the nations. Sing to Him, compose songs to Him, speak of all His wonders. Take pride in [uttering] His Holy Name, let the heart rejoice of those who seek Adonoy. Search for Adonoy and His might, seek His presence continually. Remember the wonders He has performed, His miracles, and the laws from His mouth. [You,] the seed of Yisrael His servant, children of Yaakov, His chosen ones. He is Adonoy our God; the entire earth is governed by His laws…

Machzor Yom Kippur Ashkenaz, The Morning Prayers, Hodu 2

Elation and Refuge in Psalm 118

JEWISH THOUGHT

Psalm 118 captures an exuberant personal expression of deliverance from dire straits, highlighting a mood of elation and refuge in salvation. Psalm 118 is part of the Hallel, a series of psalms recited during Jewish festivals like Passover, Sukkot, and Hanukkah, expressing praise and joy.

Psalm 118 is the great psalm of thanksgiving. With exuberance the psalmist praises and thanks God for his deliverance. He was in dire straits, God chastened him sorely; but God became his refuge and salvation. In this mood of elation over his deliverance, the psalmist exclaims:

Man and God, Chapter 7 Sedeq and S'daqah 204

Gratitude in Adversity

TANAKH

The steadfast love and wondrous deeds of the LORD in rescuing and providing for those in adversity highlight the importance of praising and thanking God for His continuous support and deliverance in various challenging situations. The Book of Psalms, an anthology of 150 poems, includes songs of praise, laments, and expressions of gratitude, and is a central part of Jewish liturgy.

“Praise the LORD, for He is good;
His steadfast love is eternal!” Thus let the redeemed of the LORD say,
those He redeemed from adversity, whom He gathered in from the lands,
from east and west,
from the north and from the sea.
Some lost their way in the wilderness,
in the wasteland;
they found no settled place. Hungry and thirsty,
their spirit failed. In their adversity they cried to the LORD,
and He rescued them from their troubles. He showed them a direct way
to reach a settled place…

Psalms 107:1-31

Expressing Gratitude for Miraculous Deliverance

MUSAR

When experiencing a miraculous deliverance, one is required to express gratitude to Hashem through tangible actions, rather than just verbal thanks. Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch Kaidanover's 17th-century work, Kav HaYashar, underscores the importance of this practice, suggesting that individuals should institute a meaningful act in place of a thanksgiving offering to honor the divine kindness they have received.

It seems to me that this is also the meaning of the verse, “How many are Your works, Hashem, all of them You made them all with wisdom, the earth is filled with Your possessions” (Tehillim 104:24). And it is also written, “All Your works will thank You, Hashem” (Tehillim 145:10). Suppose, then, that Hashem in His mercy and lovingkindness has granted someone a particularly amazing deliverance — from bandits, for instance, or from fire or water or the like, or if he was severely ill and recovered…

Kav HaYashar 18:4

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