Gratitude

Tzav

Lev. 6:1-8:36

Précis: The parasha begins with Adonai ordering Moses to command (“tzav”) Aaron and his sons concerning offerings. Requirements for the daily offerings, directions for the meal offerings, instructions for guilt-offerings and thanksgiving offerings are described. The parasha then describes the initial offerings of the Tabernacle made by Aaron and his sons following their consecration to priestly service by Moses. 

Lev. 7:11-12 “This is the ritual of sacrifice of well-being that one may offer Adonai. If he offers it for thanksgiving, he shall offer together with the sacrifice of thanksgiving: unleavened cakes with oil mixed in…”

            The sacrifice of well-being (in Hebrew “todah”) is called a sacrifice of thanksgiving. It may also be a considered a sacrifice of gratitude.

            Our sages taught that one “needs” to bring such a sacrifice, but one is not obligated to do so. Why do we “need” to express our thanks for the blessings of life? Perhaps it is because all too often we overlook the blessings we have and focus on the dangers and threats we see about us. News media of all kinds have long followed the dictum of “if it bleeds, it leads.” It is certainly difficult these days to think about the blessings we enjoy when the front page of today’s newspaper as I write these words has headline stories about Trump’s tweets about the “Mueller witch-hunt,” record numbers of deaths in Syria, families torn apart because of immigration issues, Putin’s win foretelling more tensions between Russia and the West, and a local politician blaming Jews for climate change. Another school shooting. ​Really. Just one day.

            My wife and I have tried this year to focus on “gratitude.” We are thankful for what we have – love, health, ​reasonable financial security, dear friends, the opportunity of helping others in our various communities – and to focus less on what is lacking in our lives. We are not obligated to thank Hashem for these blessings, but we need to do so.