Embracing Gratitude, Hope, and the Future: Reflections on the Torah Portion of Vayigash
As we approach the end of the year, the Torah portion of Vayigash offers us an opportunity to reflect on the theme of gratitude. Joseph's story is one of great hope and resilience, despite his many challenges and setbacks. Despite being sold into slavery by his brothers, Joseph rose to a position of great power and influence in Egypt. Through his wisdom and leadership, he saved his family and the entire nation of Egypt from starvation.
As we look back on this year, we can find much to be grateful for, despite the many challenges and difficulties we may have faced. We can be thankful for our families' and friends' love and support. We can be grateful for our many blessings throughout the year. We can also be grateful for the hope and resilience that has carried us through any difficult times we may have experienced and for the opportunities we have had to grow and learn from our experiences.
In Judaism, gratitude is a virtue that is highly valued. Hakarat hatov, which can be translated as recognizing or noticing the good, refers to the practice of actively acknowledging and expressing appreciation for the good things in our lives. I remember learning a Talmudic teaching that describes gratitude as one of the greatest virtues and that "one who is grateful to others is himself helped by others. One who is not grateful to others is not helped by others. This passage reminds us that gratitude is not just a virtue but a powerful force that can bring blessings and help into our lives. When we express gratitude towards others, we open ourselves up to receive help and support in return. On the other hand, a lack of gratitude can cut us off from the help and support of others.
The importance of gratitude is also emphasized in the Amidah, our central prayer, often called HaTefilah - The Prayer includes a blessing that thanks God for "all the good" that God has given us. In this way, the Jewish tradition encourages us to cultivate a sense of gratitude toward God and towards others and to recognize and appreciate the good things in our lives.
As we look forward to the future, we can take inspiration from Joseph's story and hold on to hope for a better tomorrow. We can set our sights on our goals and work towards achieving them, knowing that with hard work and determination, we can overcome any obstacle and achieve great things.
May this last Shabbat of 2022 be a time of gratitude, hope, and looking forward to the future as we close out one chapter and begin a new one. May we be strengthened and uplifted by the power of gratitude as we enter the new year.
Starting the Day with Joy instead of Oy
Modah Ani is said immediately upon rising essentially before we get out of bed and should be the first words we utter every morning. When we recite Modah Ani we are essentially thanking God for giving us another day. We wake up grateful instead of thinking about what may have happened the previous day and our first conscious thoughts are spent expressing, “thank you.” The blessing of Modah Ani is a nice way to wake up and remind ourselves to be thankful instead of thinking about the stuff that weighs us down. Basically, if we wake up with a sentiment of gratitude, we feel grateful, and we can continue with a more positive day.