There are two great poles in religious existence: redemption and thankfulness. Redemption constantly calls on us to make our lives and the world around us better and more holy. Thankfulness forces us to be content with what we have been given.
Thanksgiving accentuates our ability to feel at ease, at peace, and OK with where we are at in life. It forces us to take a step back and appreciate--for one day, we stop attempting to achieve, fix, repair, or even improve. Thanksgiving means feeling blessed and celebrating the present.
So no matter how bad things are going in Iraq and no matter how difficult this year has been for our country, at Thanksgiving we remember just how much we have to be grateful for.
If I could sum up Thanksgiving in one line, it would have to be "He who is rich is one who is content with his lot" (Ethics of Our Fathers 4:1).
He Who Is Rich...
Wednesday November 15, 2006
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About Virtual Talmud
This blog is no longer updated and is closed for comments. We welcome your comments about Judaism in our Judaism forums.
Brad Hirschfield currently blogs on Windows and Doors.
Author, radio and TV talk show host, and President of CLAL-The National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership, Brad Hirschfield is the author of You Don’t Have To Be Wrong For Me To Be Right: Finding Faith Without Fanaticism. Listed as one of the nation’s 50 most influential rabbis in Newsweek, and a regular commentator on Court TV, he is the creator of the popular series, Building Bridges, airing on Bridges TV, and the co-host of the weekly radio show, Hirschfield and Kula.
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Rabbi Stern, I am truly happy that you have come back to your usual self, and have left behind whatever was in your mind during the days of awe. Happy Txgiving to all!!!