When I hear people thank others, it can be automatic and without emotion or sincerity. For sure, others say it with a great deal of honesty and feeling; however, the expression of thanks is teetering on the meaninglessness of “how are you.” When we ask people this, we are often not really asking but using it as an expression of greeting. Similarly, the expression of “thanks” is done absent of the emotion and simply as a way to end a conversation or to transition.
In Deuteronomy, bikkurim was an expression of thanks by farmers providing a sample of the first crops to the local temple. This concept is not foreign to Christians as they are asked to tithe 10% of their income. In Islam, one of the five pillars of the faith is the responsibility of charity, zakat. By giving to those less fortunate or to those in need (or to God), we are showing thankfulness for that which we have been given. Additionally, this is not just an expression of thanks; it is the action of thanks. We thank God for a great many things – that the car started this morning, that our children are somewhat normal, that Baltimore defeated Pittsburgh. Most are likely things God could not care less about. For Jews, they gave thanks for every aspect of their lives. However, what makes the concept of bikkurim different is that it requires something more than an utterance. It requires action or sacrifice to show one’s gratitude.
This is not a unique aspect of Jewishness. The observance of Yom Kippur demands of its adherents to not only apologize but to make right a past wrong. So, with bikkurim, it is not enough to give thanks, but we must show it as well. These lessons extend beyond the dictates of the Jewish faith and serve as a challenge for all of us. I do not hold myself as an example of showing thanks. Like nearly everyone else, I fall short often in doing what I should but it does not make the lesson or its implications any less important or relevant.
During the Civil War and unimaginable suffering, Abraham Lincoln called for a national day of thanksgiving. At a time when many are economically suffering, I give thanks for my wife, my family and friends, the ability to do things that I enjoy and the job which provides the resources that make that life possible. I try and show thanks by honoring my wife and my friends, as well as putting my best foot forward at work and for my students every day. It does not matter that the things in my life that I’m most thankful for are also points of stress and frustration; so it is with the things we care about the most. So, show your thanks and revel in the annoyances of life. They reaffirm our priorities.
In Deuteronomy, bikkurim was an expression of thanks by farmers providing a sample of the first crops to the local temple. This concept is not foreign to Christians as they are asked to tithe 10% of their income. In Islam, one of the five pillars of the faith is the responsibility of charity, zakat. By giving to those less fortunate or to those in need (or to God), we are showing thankfulness for that which we have been given. Additionally, this is not just an expression of thanks; it is the action of thanks. We thank God for a great many things – that the car started this morning, that our children are somewhat normal, that Baltimore defeated Pittsburgh. Most are likely things God could not care less about. For Jews, they gave thanks for every aspect of their lives. However, what makes the concept of bikkurim different is that it requires something more than an utterance. It requires action or sacrifice to show one’s gratitude.
This is not a unique aspect of Jewishness. The observance of Yom Kippur demands of its adherents to not only apologize but to make right a past wrong. So, with bikkurim, it is not enough to give thanks, but we must show it as well. These lessons extend beyond the dictates of the Jewish faith and serve as a challenge for all of us. I do not hold myself as an example of showing thanks. Like nearly everyone else, I fall short often in doing what I should but it does not make the lesson or its implications any less important or relevant.
During the Civil War and unimaginable suffering, Abraham Lincoln called for a national day of thanksgiving. At a time when many are economically suffering, I give thanks for my wife, my family and friends, the ability to do things that I enjoy and the job which provides the resources that make that life possible. I try and show thanks by honoring my wife and my friends, as well as putting my best foot forward at work and for my students every day. It does not matter that the things in my life that I’m most thankful for are also points of stress and frustration; so it is with the things we care about the most. So, show your thanks and revel in the annoyances of life. They reaffirm our priorities.
Good reminder to show thankfulness in our actions and not just in words. On a side note, have you noticed how in other languages, the reply to 'Thank You' is not 'You're Welcome', but it is something equivalent to 'it's nothing' or 'pardon me'. I think it reflects the humbleness of the person doing the kind act.
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