Attitude of Gratitude

 

George Washington was inaugurated as the first President of the United States on April 30, 1789. On October 3rd of that year, Washington issued the first Thanksgiving Day Proclamation, assigning Thursday November 26, 1789 as a day:

“To be devoted by the people of These States to the Service of the Great and Glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be.”

      231 years (to the day) later, we continued to celebrate this American holiday that allows people of all religions, and even those without religion, an opportunity to express gratitude- whether it be to G-d, fate, or luck, as well as to family and friends.

      On November 26, 1789 Gershon Mendes Seixas delivered a sermon in honor of the first Thanksgiving, at the request of his congregation, Shearith Israel (The Spanish Portuguese Synagogue): In 220 years it has not lost its relevance. I quote for you some of its contents:

      “It is necessary that we, each of us in our respective stations, behave in such a manner as to give strength and stability to the laws entered into by our representatives… to consider the burden imparted on those who are appointed to act in the executive department…. If to seek the peace and prosperity of the city wherein we dwell be a duty, even under bad governments, what must it be when we are situated under the best of constitutions?”

      We must show our gratitude by living as law abiding citizens, and by recognizing the tremendous efforts it takes to create and maintain our democratic country. Seixas continued:

      And lastly, it is incumbent on us as Jews in a more especial manner (seeing we are the chosen and peculiar treasure of G-d) to be more circumspect in our conduct, that as we are at this day living evidences of His Divine Power and Unity, so may we become striking examples to the nations of the earth hereafter as mentioned in Exodus “You shall be unto me a Kingdom of Priests and a Holy Nation.”

      Thanksgiving Weekend/ Shabbat Vayeitzei remind us that gratitude is an attitude that needs to be cultivated. Some of the ways suggested by author Lauren Aaronson (Psychology Today) to cultivate gratitude is:

1)   Write a gratitude letter: a kind of belated thank you note to someone in your life. Studies show that such letters provide long-lasting mood boosts to the writer. Want to make the experience have even more impact? After writing the letter, go and read it to the person to whom you wish to thank.

2)   Keep a gratitude journal. Take a few minutes out of the day to jot down things that make you feel thankful, whether its generosity of friends, food on the table. Studies have shown that people who follow this routine for a few weeks feel better about them, have more energy and feel more alert.

3)   “Fake it until you make it”- even if you don’t feel like expressing gratitude, say thank you anyway. It may take some time, but soon enough your mind will fall in line with your words.

      Jews are called Yehudim, those who descend from Yehuda (named in this week’s Parsha) but also from the word “Todah”, for we must understand that essential to our Jewish identity is the attribute of gratitude. On this Thanksgiving Weekend/Shabbat Vayeitzei let us resolve to cultivate our sense of gratitude: whether towards G-d, our family and friends, or our country.