A Jew is a Yehudi, a name derived from the word ‘todah’- Thank You.
Perhaps our essence as Jews therefore lies in the quality and depth of our recognition, appreciation and manner of expressing gratitude. This implies not a debt to be repaid, but rather a quintessentially Jewish trait to be ever nurtured, nourished and evolved. If our very name is Thank You, it demands that when we say it, we must really mean it.
To be a Jew is to appreciate who we are, what we are, where we come from and how we got here.
To be a Jew is to give thanks for the beautiful world in which we live, for the incredible plethora of opportunities that surround us and to those who assist us at every turn.
To be a Jew is to embrace the magnificent purpose, prescience and destiny that is ours to fulfil.
As Jews we even say ‘thank you’ for the ability to say ‘thank you’ על שאנו מודים לך
We recognise that it is truly impossible to fully appreciate the extent of our blessings, nor for the blessing of life itself.
אילו פינו מלא שירה כים אין אנחנו מספיקים להודות
We know that even though we can never repay the good, nevertheless- טוב להודות it is good to say Thank You.
To be a Jew is to recognise the gift of a vibrant future that is waiting around every corner; a future that is ours to build, ours to form.
מודה אני - saying Thank You is possibly the most quintessentially Jewish act of daily living.
Naftali Schiff
ניסן התשפ״ד
After a night like this with hundreds of deadly explosive missiles directed towards Israel from Iran, Yemen, Iraq and Lebanon and not a single Jew was harmed we must start each day with thanks.
אחרי לילה כזה עם מאות טילים כטבמים וטילי שיוט
מאירן, תימן ,עיראק ולבנון
ואף יהודי לא נפגע
חייבים לפתוח את היום
ולהודות לבורא יתברך
א מִזְמוֹר לְתוֹדָה: הָרִיעוּ לַיהוָה, כָּל-הָאָרֶץ.
ב עִבְדוּ אֶת-יְהוָה בְּשִׂמְחָה; בֹּאוּ לְפָנָיו, בִּרְנָנָה.
ג דְּעוּ כִּי יְהוָה, הוּא אֱלֹהִים: הוּא-עָשָׂנוּ, ולא (וְלוֹ) אֲנַחְנוּ עַמּוֹ, וְצֹאן מַרְעִיתוֹ.
ד בֹּאוּ שְׁעָרָיו, בְּתוֹדָה--חֲצֵרֹתָיו בִּתְהִלָּה; הוֹדוּ-לוֹ, בָּרְכוּ שְׁמוֹ.
ה כִּי-טוֹב יְהוָה, לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ; וְעַד-דֹּר וָדֹר, אֱמוּנָתוֹ
1. A psalm of thanksgiving: call out to Hashem , all the earth.
2 Serve Hashem with joy; Come before him, in joy.
3 Know that Hashem is God: He made us, and we are His people, and the sheep of his pasture.
4 come to His gates with thanksgiving--his courts with praise; Give thanks to Him, bless his name.
For Hashem is good, his mercy endures forever; And forever and ever, his faith ( in us)
