Welcome to Daily Bitachon. We are presenting a special Sunday edition today because time is running short, and we need to take advantage of every possible opportunity to prepare for Rosh Hashanah. This is our final class on Hakarat Hatov (gratitude), though there is always much more to say. Today, we will explore how Hakarat Hatov is essential for both our Avodat Hashem (service of God) and our Teshuvah (repentance).
The Role of Hakarat Hatov in Teshuvah
Rabbenu Yonah, in Shaarei Teshuvah (First Gate, Letter 12), discusses Charata (regret for sin). He writes: "ולא זכר יוצרו אשר בראו יש מאין"—regret that you did not think of your Creator, who made you something from nothing. Let's pause here, as this is a profound way to view ourselves. We recognize that the world was created yesh me'ayin (ex nihilo, something from nothing), but we often fail to realize that we, too, were created from nothing. Though we biologically come from something, fundamentally, we simply arrived on the scene.
Rabbenu Yonah continues: "וחסד עשה עמו וידו תנחהו בכל עת ונוצר נפשו בכל רגע"—God did a kindness to create me; I did nothing beforehand to deserve it. His hand directs us at all times, holding our hands, and every moment He is actively recreating our soul. As we say in our prayers, "מחדש בטובו בכל יום תמיד מעשה בראשית"—God constantly renews the act of creation daily, and He is renewing our souls as well. The Tomer Devorah echoes this, explaining that at every moment, God is actively pumping life energy into creation and into every single individual.
With all of this in mind, Rabbenu Yonah asks: "איך מלאו ליבו להכעיס לפניו"—How could your heart allow you to anger Him? Where is your Hakarat Hatov? This profound realization is a core component of Charata; it is exactly what a person should be thinking during repentance.
The Minimum Standard for Avodat Hashem
Now, we turn to our actual Avodat Hashem. The Chovot HaLevavot, in Shaar Avodat Elokim (The Gate of Service, Chapter 7), reminds us that the ultimate purpose of Shaar HaBechinah (recognizing God's goodness and having Hakarat Hatov) is to bring us to serve Him.
At the end of the chapter, the author addresses a critical question: What is the minimum level of serving Hashem? What is the baseline below which a person fails to fulfill their duty, and by which the continuation of God's goodness toward them is secured? If we fulfill our foundational duties, Hashem will continue to bless us. The Chovot HaLevavot outlines 10 points:
Do not use God's blessings to rebel against Him. His goodness must never be an excuse or cause for sin. Do not become so consumed with the abundance of your blessings that you grow negligent in praise, thanksgiving, and service. You cannot enjoy the beautiful life and comfortable bed He gave you to the point of refusing to get out of bed to serve Him. You cannot use what He gave you against Him.
Constantly speak of Hashem's goodness. Recognize His blessings and speak of them continually, expressing abundant thanks and praise both internally in your heart and outwardly with your speech. As it says, "Sichu bechol niflaotav" (Talk of all His wonders). Gratitude starts in the heart, but it must be verbalized.
Do not minimize the blessing. Never dismiss a favor as insignificant. Don't say, "Big deal, I have a hot cup of coffee." It is a big deal.
Do not attribute your success solely to intermediaries. If a favor arrives through a human messenger, do not thank only the intermediary while neglecting the Creator. The Gemara says, "Chamra le'marei ve'tibuta le'shakei" (The wine belongs to the master, but the thanks goes to the waiter). God is the one hosting the party; everyone else is just a bartender.
Do not boast. Never imagine that your success was acquired entirely through your own strength, wisdom, or personal worthiness. Do not fall into the trap of thinking, "Kochi ve'otzem yadi" (My strength and the might of my hand made me this wealth).
Do not believe your own effort sustains your blessings. Do not assume that your striving alone preserves what you have, or that without your hishtadlut (effort) and obsession it would all be lost. It is not all up to you.
Do not look down on those who lack what you have. Do not view yourself as superior to the less fortunate. Perhaps God is testing you through this bounty to reveal hidden corruption in your character. This good fortune may be a nisayon (test) that you are failing, making the one who lacks it far greater before God than you.
Rabbenu Yonah (Shaarei Teshuvah, Third Gate, Letter 175) quotes Mishlei 17:5: "Lo'eg larash, cheref osehu" (He who mocks the poor affronts his Maker). Why? Because mocking the poor implies your success is entirely your own doing. That attitude insults Hashem, who made both the wealthy and the poor, as Mishlei 22:2 states: "Ashir varash nifgashu, oseh kulam Hashem" (The rich and the poor meet; Hashem is the Maker of them all). Never dismiss another person out of arrogance.
Keep your heart whole before Hashem with genuine humility. Even if you cannot increase your active service or praise beyond your current level, at least maintain it. Strive to direct your intentions sincerely toward Hashem, and never let prosperity distract you or cause you to diminish your previous good deeds.
Look down in worldly matters, but look up in spiritual matters. Always compare yourself to those who possess fewer material goods than you, not those who have more, so you can appreciate how wealthy you truly are. Conversely, look toward those who serve Hashem more than you, so you strive to reach their spiritual level. Looking at those who do less spiritually breeds complacency and arrogance.
Later commentaries explain homiletically the phrase "Hashamayim mimaal veha'aretz mitachat" (The heavens above, and the earth below) can be understood as a remez (hint): In heavenly/spiritual matters, look mimaal (above you), but in earthly/material matters, look mitachat (below you).
Do not be misled by God's patience. Do not let the Creator's prolonged concealment of your flaws and His immense patience lead you into a false sense of security. Do not think, "God hasn't punished me, so I must be doing great." You do not comprehend God's patience.
The Tomer Devorah, when describing God's primary trait of "Mi Kamocha," explains that God is the ultimate tolerator of insults. Every moment, God pumps life-force into a person; thus, when someone sins, God is actively providing them the very energy they are using to rebel against Him. He could stop it, yet He tolerates the insult.
The Mesillat Yesharim (Chapter 4) asks: What does God's mercy do? Without it, we would not survive. According to the strict letter of the law, a sinner should be punished immediately. Instead, God waits for the sinner to return. Do not be fooled by this patience.
The Chovot HaLevavot concludes by observing that historical accounts of previous generations, as well as modern observations of those who were showered with God's goodness but ultimately rebelled, show a clear pattern: they stumbled solely because they failed in these ten areas. He notes that whether in the past or the present, failing to follow these rules leads to spiritual downfall. This is a recurring concept, well-known and evident throughout the books of the Prophets in every generation. As Winston Churchill famously said, "Those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it."