In his 2018 book Thanks a Thousand, A.J. Jacobs shares his gratitude journey for all those involved in providing his morning cup of coffee. Jacobs shared how he used to focus on the negative in his life and learned to fight that by searching for the gratitude.
His journey began with saying a thank you before dinner to the people who helped provide his meal, like the farmers or grocery workers. One night his ten year old son pointed out the irrationality of thanking them if they aren’t here to hear it; so Jacobs started a gratitude journey for what he thought would be something small: a cup of coffee.
He starts by thanking the barista, Chung, at his local coffee house, Joe Coffee.
He thanks the person who chooses which coffee beans Joe Coffee stores should buy and use. He thanks the person who invented the brand of plastic lids for the coffee cup that Joe Coffee uses (special thought goes into the design- hexanol shape on the underside- to allow maximum coffee aroma out while drinking for a full sense experience.)
He thanks the person who made the cardboard hot sleeves for coffee cups so you don’t burn yourself: the “java jacket”.
He thanks the person in charge of pest control at the warehouse that stores the coffee.
He went to Colombia to thank the people that grow the coffee beans.
He even thanks the construction workers for paving the roads which allowed his coffee to be delivered. And as his gratitude journey progresses, he adds more and more people to thank, over 1000 thank you’s in total.
The Mishna (Bikurim 3:3) describes the festive procession as the farmers would bring their bikurim (first fruits) to the Beit HaMikdash. Many people would meet and greet the farmers along the way:
“The governors and chiefs and treasurers [of the Temple] would go out to greet them, and according to the rank of the entrants they would go forth. All the skilled artisans of Jerusalem would stand up before them and greet them saying, “Our brothers, men of such and such a place, we welcome you in peace.”
Why did the bikurim warrant such a large public procession more so than any other time Jews would come to Yerushalayim? Furthermore, the Mishna seems to limit the welcoming committee in Jerusalem who would welcome the farmers specifically to the craftsmen. Why?
Rabbi Moshe Alshich explains that the whole purpose of bringing the bikurim is to show hakarat haTov, gratitude, to Hashem. He notes the Midrash that Hashem created the world for several things referred to as reishis (“firsts”), and one of which is bikurim. What is so special about bikkurim? Alshich writes that bikkurim are the epitome of hakarat hatov. By bringing the first fruits as a gift to the Beit Hamikdash the farmers demonstrate their appreciation of Hashem in a very public manner.
Rav Kook adds that historically there was disunity and division between the civilized workers and the farmers. The craftsman would look down on the farmers who chose to live off the land, in nature, far from civilization. They disapproved of the farmers and their way of life. However, when the farmers brought the bikurim in this public procession, it not only a demonstrated an appreciation of Hashem, but also showed gratitude to the farmers! After all, you can look down at the famers all you want- until you want a glass of orange juice, a steak, or a chop salad! The bikkurim ceremony afforded the opportunity to make amends and to correct the divide between farmers and craftsmen.
As Chag HaBikkurim, Shavuot is a good time to appreciate all the people who have helped us in the past and all those who continue to help us, in both large and small ways, along our life journeys.
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