There was once an old, saintly, holy Rebbe (rabbi). He had a beautiful community. One day, they saw that his clothing had gotten old and a little tattered. This was the Rebbe; he couldn’t walk around in old, tattered clothing. So they bought him some new clothing: a new coat and a new pair of pants. When the Rebbe saw this, he was so taken and so thankful. But what they didn’t see was what happened later that night, after the Rebbe had put on his new clothing. He took his old pants, the pair that had served him well throughout all those years, folded them very nicely, and said to them in Yiddish, “Thank you so, so much for all the years that you’ve been there for me.” He gave them a little kiss and put them nicely into the trash, because now they were gone.
It’s so within our bloodstream. It pumps with a heart to have Hakarat HaTov: to have thanks, to always show thanks to people who have helped us, and to always show thanks to Hashem for giving us so much. That’s really what makes us who we are. Rebbe Shlomo Zalman Auerbach was asked, “Where is the best place in the Shemoneh Esrei (the Amidah prayer) to ask for things?” There are those who would have thought he would say in Shema Koleinu (Hear our voice). But no, he said the best place for ask: That is by Modim Anachnu Lach. When you’re saying thank you to Hashem for everything that you’re giving me. At that moment, when you’re showing thanks, he says the world is open to you, and you can ask for anything.
Rabotai (my masters), we are a people of Hakarat HaTov. We are a people who show so much thanks. Let’s sit for a moment and think. Can you imagine a life without eyesight? Can you imagine having to grope around in the dark to get anywhere or do anything? Can you imagine a life without ever being able to see? See, why are we people of Hakarat HaTov? Why are we people who show such appreciation? It’s because we should never take anything for granted. Can you imagine a life without eyesight? Of course not. So, when it comes to the things that we’re meant to control, every single time we’re at that moment when we’re being challenged, we’re supposed to stop and think: I can’t take my eyesight for granted, because I’m so thankful for what you’ve given me. And this tool, this amazing talent, this amazing gift called the gift of sight—I only ever want to use it for those things that will propel me towards greatness, and never use it for things that will take me towards deficiency, because in the end, I can’t ever take this amazing gift called sight for granted. Every single time you control yourself is a time when you’re saying thank you for what you’ve given me, and it’s a moment in which, according to Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach, you can daven (pray) for anything in the world, because you’re saying thank you for the most valuable thing in the world.