THE ART OF GRATITUDE AND REDEMPTION
click ki tavo 2024 for download
THE ART OF GRATITUDE AND REDEMPTION
The reason we read Parshat Ki Tavo, with its barrage of curses, before Rosh Hashanah is rooted in the principle of “Tichleh shanah v’klaloteha”—let the old year and its curses fade into history—so we can step into the new year with “Tachel shanah u’birchoteha”—a fresh start, brimming with blessings. (Megillah 31b)
“If the Jews keep two Shabbatot, they will be immediately redeemed” (Shabbat 118b). But why two Shabbatot, and not one, or three? The magic number two, is that the power of Shabbat lies in duality—Zachor and Shamor, two Shabbat candles, the two loaves at the Shabbat table, etc… This week we find ourselves two Shabbatot away from Rosh Hashanah. Keep these two with added diligence, and you could bring the Geulah, the Final Redemption. And if you won’t bring the Mashiach, you’ll at least merit your own personal redemption.
There is a fascinating story from Otzar HaMidrashim (334. Also mentioned in Orchot Yosher -Gemilut Hasadim). Two men set out on a business trip—let’s call them Yaakov and Reuven. On their journey, Yaakov gives a few coins to a blind beggar they meet along the way. Reuven, acts oblivious or just out of small change, and gives nothing. He explains to Yaakov, “I don’t know the guy. You know him, so you can give him.” The trip continues without incident—until the Angel of Death makes an unscheduled appearance. The Angel confronts them: “Where do you think you’re going? I’ve got your checkout times right here!!!”
He looks at Yaakov, though, and says, “Because you gave Tzedakah, you’re off the hook. Enjoy an additional 50 years of life. V’halach lefanecha tzidkecha—your righteousness has gone before you.” Now, Reuven, realizing his oversight, starts to panic. “Wait, I can give Tzedakah too!” But the Angel chuckles and responds, “You’re like a man on a sinking ship who suddenly realizes there’s a hole in the boat. Timing, my dear Reuven, is everything. You’re too late!!” At this point, Reuven, desperate, says, “Alright, at least let me thank G-d for all the good life He has given me.” The Angel pauses. “Since you asked to express thanks, you get an extra 50 years too. V’halach lefanecha tzidkecha!” It turns out, the mere desire to thank G-d, to justify Him, and to be thankful for all He has done for you, carries the same weight as actually doing it!
Two key lessons emerge here: 1. Acting before a decree is issued carries infinitely more weight than scrambling afterward. Think of it as some version of spiritual preventative care. Make sure you fix your boat before Rosh Hashana, not after. 2. Even wanting to thank G-d, and not actually thanking him, brings merit. It seems that our spiritual merit accounts grow on intent as much as on action—proof that, in some cases, thinking about doing something is almost as good as actually doing it. Just choosing that you want to become a more grateful person, a person who says Birkat Hamazon intently, who blesses and prays from the bottom of your heart, regarding G-d’s judgement, it is as if you actually did it!!!
In this week’s parasha, we encounter the mitzvah of Bikurim, where a farmer, upon seeing the first fruits of his crop, he wraps them in ribbons, loads them into a basket, and makes the grand pilgrimage to Jerusalem. It’s not just a solo trip either—he decorates his ox, gathers his friends and family, and members of the city of Jerusalem come out to meet and greet him.
The Alshich raises some questions about all this fanfare. First, why all the commotion? Surely, the fruits could make it to the Temple without the parade! You could just send your basket over to the Temple with Uber Eats! Second, the Torah begins describing the Creation of the World with the word Bereishit (In the beginning), and the sages teach us that this word hints that the world was created bishvil reishit—for the sake of the first fruits, the mitzvah of Bikurim. This begs the question: what’s so special about Bikurim that the entire universe was created for it? And why, is that we find, in M Tanhuma that when Moshe foresaw that the mitzvah of Bikurim will be discontinued by the destruction of the Temple, he replaced it with three daily prayers? (It is so interesting. The numerical value of the word מזבח Mizbeach 57 is 19×3. The Amidah is comprised of 19 blessings, and is said three times daily.) What is it about Bikurim that makes it so essential, that it needs to be replaced with the Amidah, three times a day?
Not only that… The Midrash Tanchuma here tells us something unbelievable. It tells us that when a person brought Bikurim, they would pray right there for all their needs and declare, “I’m not leaving this spot until my prayers are answered!” And, a Heavenly Voice would respond, assuring the person that their prayers would be fulfilled by the next year. What does this guy think, that because he brought a fig, an olive, a grape, and a pomegranate, he could ask for whatever he wants and he deserves this VIP Heavenly customer service?
The Alshich explains that there is a deeper purpose behind this mitzvah. Hashem wants to give us an abundance of good, and in return, He asks for one simple thing: sincere, full-hearted appreciation. The mitzvah of Bikurim is not about the fruits themselves—it’s about the acknowledgment that everything we have, all our success, comes not from our own strength, but from G-d. It’s the ultimate reminder to look at our blessings and say, “This is all You, Hashem.” At its core, the mitzvah of Bikurim represents something profound: It’s not about the quantity of what we give, but the quality of our gratitude. This is the foundation of our relationship with Hashem—recognizing that all we have, all we are, is a gift from Above. And this recognition, Bikurim, is so essential that it’s seen as the purpose of creation itself. G-d gives, and we appreciate. Simple, yet profound.
The Tiferet Shlomo teaches a powerful principle: a person who gives thanks for the past is essentially unlocking the future blessings. As we say, “Hodu LaHashem Ki Tov, Ki Le’olam Chasdo”—When you thank G-d for His goodness, you invite His eternal kindness into the world. Gratitude doesn’t just express acknowledgment for what was; it sets the stage for what’s yet to come. This can be found in the notable shift in the Shemoneh Esreh prayers during the Aseret Yemei Teshuva. Before Modim, we ask G-d for the essentials—just give us life. After Modim, however, the requests multiply: life, sustenance, peace, salvation, comfort, good decrees, and not just for ourselves, but for the entire Jewish people! The question arises: How do we jump from asking for the bare minimum to submitting a request for a comprehensive “life upgrade” package?
The answer lies in the power of Modim. Once we thank G-d for all He has done in the past year, the gates are flung wide open to ask for more. Gratitude isn’t just polite—it’s transformative. When we recognize what we’ve received, we are positioned to ask for even greater blessings. This timely message is hinted at in the first letters of the words of the verse: וְעַתָּ֣ה אֱלֹקינוּ מוֹדִ֥ים אֲנַ֖חְנוּ לָ֑ךְ וּֽמְהַלְלִ֖ים לְשֵׁ֥ם תִּפְאַרְתֶּֽךָ—And now, our G-d, we thank You and praise Your glorious Name. This encapsulates the essence of Elul, a time of gratitude leading into the Days of Awe.
On Rosh Hashanah, we are not simply acknowledging G-d’s rule over the world. In the words of the Machzor: “V’yeda Kol Pa’ul Ki Atah Pe’alto, V’yavin Kol Yetzu’ur Ki Atah Yetzarto”—Let every creation know that You have created it, and let every formed being understand that You have formed it. When we crown G-d as King on Rosh Hashana, we are proclaiming that everything we have—our good choices, our successes, even our energy and motivation—flows from Him. We declare, “G-d, You are everything, and we, without You, are nothing.”
The Zohar offers a word of caution in Tikkun 6. It states that a person who prays for personal requests on Rosh Hashanah is like a dog barking, “Hav Hav”—”Give, give!” How do we avoid this pitfall of sounding self-serving in our prayers? The famous answer is simple: align our requests with service of G-d. When we pray for things like life, peace, and sustenance, not as ends in themselves, but as means to serve G-d better, our requests become elevated. They become less about us, and more about G-d.
R Levi Yitzhak from Berditchev though would give another way to understand this. When G-d grants us blessings, He is exalted because we acknowledge and appreciate His giving. In this way, G-d’s greatness is magnified, He is exalted, through our gratitude.
The work of Elul is to refine this ability to appreciate what we already have. As we learn from the verse “Hodu LaHashem Ki Tov, Ki Le’olam Chasdo”—when we thank G-d, His kindness flows infinitely לעולם. Even something as small as a piece of fruit can become a means of expressing profound gratitude. This is not just a nice sentiment; it’s a spiritual key. The more we show appreciation, the more G-d wants to give. This is why the Mekubalim teach a powerful segulah for Erev Rosh Hashanah—to recite the 11 verses from Parshat Ki Tavo relating to Bikurim. The message is clear: when we understand the essence of Bikurim—that everything we have is from G-d—G-d, in turn, erases our mistakes. With humility, our sins are seen not as intentional wrongdoing, but as mere lapses, easily forgiven. We enter the Yamim Noraim clean and ready for a fresh start.
