Drash Ki Tavo

Rabbi Dr. Orna Triguboff

Emanuel Synagogue

As I write a commentary on this week’s Torah reading, I listen to the news about a terror attack in Jerusalem against Jews standing at a bus stop. It is devastating. I look for solace in a commentary written in the 19th Century by a Hasidic sage called the Sefat Emet. He writes about the power of having a regular time to give thanks. By focussing on gratitude each day, he explains, there is the ability to renew our spirits and find light in the world. This is related to the ancient custom in the Land of Israel, when first fruits of each season were brought as an offering to the temple. This practice was later transformed into a prayer of thanksgiving. Just as the Jew living in say, Ein Gedi, would bring the first dates of the season to the cohen (priest) in gratitude, so too each morning we start the day with a prayer of thanks. These first moments of one’s morning spent in reflection, are like the practice of giving over the first fruits of the season. There is a revelation of light within us when we connect with the gratitude prayer modeh ani…as the very first words we say each morning. You might even wish to keep a journal where you record what you are grateful for and imagine that these are the first fruits of your day.

I heard some wise words from Eli Sharabi, who was recently released from over 500 days in captivity in Hamas tunnels. He said that each day he and his fellow hostages shared with each other what they gave thanks for on that day. We asked him what they could possibly be grateful for in such a dire situation? He answered that somehow, they did manage to find the tiniest things to be grateful for; and it was one of the ways they kept hope.

The Torah reading goes on to say: “If you listen, listen…” (Deut. 28:1) and the Midrash associates this with “doorways within doorways”. The Sefat Emet says that the word ‘listen’ is repeated because the Torah is telling us that listening is an active principle. When we listen to something we should know that there is always something deeper to hear and feel. True listening is like entering a doorway and not stopping there, but rather, entering the next doorway and the next. The mezuzah on the doorpost is there to remind us of the power of listening.

Next time you wake up and connect with the modeh ani prayer, listen to your inner voice and connect with what you are grateful for. Maybe you will find it opens doorways to even more gratitude and to new levels of divine light. If you would like to receive inspirational emails in the lead up to Yom Kippur, feel free to join here: https://www.trybooking.com/DEJYJ

Blessings for a meaningful week,

Rabbi Dr. Orna Triguboff