274 - Gratitude (Part-3)

There is a fascinating teaching that helps us to digest emunah and the way that we pray in a powerful way. Rabbeinu Bechaye and other Torah commentaries write that before every single neshama descends into this world, each soul is given the opportunity to outline and choose all the details of what will transpire throughout their lives. And each one of us goes and chooses exactly what type of being we will be, what our characteristics will be, how much money we will have, who our family and friends will be, what our health will look like, if we will have children and how many, and all the other many details that transpire throughout our lives.

If we remember and internalize with our emunah these words of Rabbeinu Bechaye, that we ourselves have pre-chosen every single nuance and detail that will transpire in our lives, it can help us tremendously in our endeavor of emunah and bitachon. Before we came into this world, when we were not limited by our body and human limitations, we have the opportunity and ability to see through the lens of absolute truth, through the full picture. And therefore, our neshamas choose exactly what is best for us before we come into the world, because our neshamas can see everything there, why it is good for us. And in this world, as discussed many times, we do not see, we have to believe. But if we remember that we've already chosen all the details to our own lives, ourselves, it can be tremendously inspiring to accept all situations with love and happiness. 

We've discussed many times that the highest and most potent prayer that we can opt to pray is the prayer of thank you. And it is worth highlighting two sides of the coin when it comes to thanking Hashem. The first and most obvious is thanking Hashem for what we did experience when He came through for us, and investing time and energy into verbalizing and expressing those feelings to Hashem. "Thank you so much, Hashem, for the gift to be able to keep Shabbos and all its tremendous blessing every single week. Thank you so much, Hashem, for the opportunity to be able to have eyes and be able to see. Thank you, Hashem, for the gift to be able to breathe. Thank you, Hashem, for the incredible family that you've given me. Thank you, Hashem, for all the paranassah and food that you've given me throughout my life." And the more we thank Hashem, the better, because in a sense, we are then appreciating more. And as we've discussed, when Hashem hears our thank you's to Him, He then brings about more blessing in all areas of our life.

And the other side of the coin when it comes to thank you is thanking Hashem for those things that we do not understand and see the good in, but we believe that Hashem can and will only send us good. Remember, we ourselves, before we came down into this world, chose all the details precisely of what would transpire throughout our lives, not because we were forced to, but because we chose that that will be the best for us. And with that perspective and understanding, it is easy to thank Hashem for anything and everything which might transpire. "Thank you so much, Hashem, for the fact that I broke my toe, because, of course, I don't know all your calculations why that is good for me, but I know for sure that that is good for me. And in fact, I might myself even be able to think of reasons why that may be good for me. Thank you, Hashem, for breaking my toe, because the truth of the matter is that I get quite busy with my life, with the many obligations that I have to take care of, and I don't usually appreciate the fact that I can walk around without this constant pain bragging at me.

Thank you, Hashem, for now breaking my toe and giving me the opportunity to appreciate all those other times. And thank you, Hashem, for the fact that I didn't break my other toe, my arm, my legs, and all the other incredible things that you've given me in the health of my body. And the truth of the matter is, Hashem, there are many deeper reasons why you might have caused me to break my toe. Perhaps there might have been some form of consequence waiting for me in the next world for some act or sin that I might have committed, and you, in your loving kindness, would rather me clean that slate by stabbing my toe in this world. Thank you, Hashem, for all the incredible gifts that you've given me, both those that I do understand as well as those that I don't understand, but just believe that are for sure for my best."