Have You Ever Heard of Hakarat Hatov?
A lesson for the new year.
I have seen the term hakarat hatov a lot in the last two years in my readings of sermons articles etc., primarily in the Orthodox world. I must admit for that most of my personal and professional life the term escaped me. What is hakarat hatov?
While usually translated as gratitude it more literally means recognizing and then giving thanks for the good things in life. By good things I don’t mean luxury items, fast cars, expensive handbags or fine dining. I mean doing good things for others. People helping others in material, spiritual or psychological ways.
Rabbi Yaacov Haber wrote” hakarat hatov is usually translated as gratitude. The correct translation refers to the ability of man to recognize good that was done and to never lose sight of that good. Without this ability it is impossible to be an erlicher Jew.(i.e. honest, decent) It is impossible to maintain a relationship with man or with G-d. It is impossible to have a successful marriage. It is also impossible to find the truth in life because one is always blinded by the specks of fault even in the face of a multitude of goodness”.
As we approach the end of the secular new year, I thought it would be a good idea to practice hakarat hatov in light of a few things that have come across my desk or my life in the last little while. They may not be “stop the presses” type of discoveries, but precisely because of that they should be acknowledged.
I love SodaStream. It has weaned me away from a half liter of diet soda a day, so I am theoretically healthier because of it. I love it even more because of what I read on the label the other week when I purchased 2 new bottles that wonder of wonder are now machine washable. The label said,
“MADE IN ISRAEL This product was produced by Arabs and Jews working side-by-side in peace and harmony”.
If that were all to the story it would be worthy of hakarat hatov. With all the anticipation or dreaded fear of what the new government in Israel will be like on the issues of Jewish -Arab relations, it is important to report on what SodaStream is doing, but there is more to the story.
SodaStream originally had their plant in the West Bank and employed many local Arabs who worked for the same wages and benefits that Jewish Israelis received. Then the BDS movement started a campaign to boycott the company for being in the West Bank. SodaStream then built a massive plant on the outskirts of Beersheva. I pass it every time I visit my daughter and her family. They offered all their employees the chance to continue their employment in the new plant, but it is a considerable commute. Beersheva has a sizable Arab and Bedouin population and many of the jobs were taken by them. BDS caused a lot of Palestinians to lose good paying jobs, but SodaStream continued its mission of giving Arabs a chance at a good life even if not necessarily the same Arabs. Good for SodaStream- hakarat hatov.
When Cheryl and I first started to go to Whistler in the winter to ski, we staid with a friend who owned a home there. On Shabbat he suggested that we go for a walk around the snow-covered golf course. It was about 9.30 in the morning and as we walked around every person without fail said, “good morning” to us. It was strange and awkward but pleasant as well and later Cheryl, and I discussed our similar reaction and we realized that it was strange because on Shabbat when we walked to shule no one we passed said anything and neither did we.
We decided to say hello to everyone we passed from then on. You should have seen some of the suspicious looks we received. We did it anyway because we thought it was a good thing to do even if it spooked people. Two weeks ago, on the way to shule a couple probably in their late 30’s was out for a walk and before I could say anything they smiled and said, “Good morning”. I was taken by surprise, but I responded in kind and then they blew me away by saying,” how are you doing?”. I responded with, “Great, how are you?”. “Fine, thanks” and then they continued on their way.
As I walked the last block to shule I experienced an elevated feeling inside. I don’t know if I was smiling on the outside, but I had a great smile on the inside. That simple gesture and comment made me feel so good. Hakarat hatov.
Finally with all the talk about the rising antisemitism this year a few Hannukah events of the last few days need to be recognized and appreciated. The Vice President and the Second Gentleman hosted the first ever Hannukah celebration at the Vice President’s official residence. He said,
“ Flash forward to when I met this beautiful woman over here. She bought me a menorah for our first Hannukah together, when we were first setting up our home in Los Angeles, because it was important to illuminate this home that we were building together”.
After the speeches a kosher spread was enjoyed by all with a shout out to great sufganiyot. Each guest left with a blue velvet bag with the VP seal on it and inside was a dreidel that read, “Happy Hanukah 2022”.
Earlier that evening about ten minutes away on Massachusetts Avenue, the national menorah lighting ceremony took place at the ellipse. Attorney General Merrick Garland spoke about how the United States accepted his family before WW1, thus saving them and ultimately him from the holocaust. Amidst all the fears we are legitimately facing from the rising antisemitism, it is good to acknowledge that we are not living in mid-1930’s Germany. Not when the Second Husband and the Attorney General are both Jews and proud and public about who they are and can celebrate and integrate their Jewishness into national events. While keeping our guard up always, it is also time to give hakarat hatov. I wish all my readers a happy and healthy secular new year.
As always please share with friends and they are invited to join the group by sending a request to me at ravpp1@gmail.com with their full name and email.
On a personal note, I am proud to share the cover of my new book that will be available for purchase the end of April. I am looking for 15 people who are willing to read an advanced digital copy and leave a review with Amazon when the book page is ready. If you would like to be one of the reviewers and have an Amazon account and have spent at least $50 in the last year (Amazon’s rules) please email me and I will send you an advanced review copy when ready.
