Welcome to the daily chizuk (encouragement). The pasuk (verse) in Ki Tavo says that Hashem tells us we have to be happy with all the good He gives us. The Pesukim there describe the mitzvah (commandment) of the landowner bringing his first fruits to the Kohen (priest) in the Beit HaMikdash and making a certain proclamation. The Sefer HaChinuch writes in Mitzvah Tav Resh Vav that the idea of this mitzvah of Bikurim (first fruits) is to realize how much good Hashem does for us and express our thanks. The Chinuch continues and says that the merit of praising and thanking Hashem is so powerful that it brings more blessing to your land, and that Hashem loves to do kindnesses for us so much that He commanded us to thank Him.
When people do favors for us, human nature is not to fully acknowledge the good. One reason is that we don’t like to owe people. So we think, “If he didn’t do me such a favor, then I don’t really owe him.” If only we knew how backwards this logic is. If someone goes out of their way for you and does you a favor, and you don’t recognize it, they think to themselves, “You know what I did for this guy? He didn’t even acknowledge it. He definitely owes me.” But if you acknowledge the favor and say, “I can’t believe what you did for me. You took time out of your schedule. It probably wasn’t easy. I know how busy you are,” the more you recognize the favor, the more the person feels paid back.
Perhaps we can say the same thing with Hashem, kaveyachol (as it were). Sometimes people don’t acknowledge all the Beracha (blessing) Hashem gives them because they don’t want to owe. But the truth is, it’s just the opposite. The less you acknowledge, the more you owe. The way we, so to speak, pay back Hashem is so easy. We just have to recognize the good and say thank you—not that Hashem even needs our thank-you. But Hashem wants us to refine our character and become people who recognize and show appreciation when good is being done to them. Part of our mission in life is to become people who recognize good and say thank you.
Rabbi Simcha Bunim Cohen said about his grandfather, Rabbi Avigdor Miller, alav hashalom (peace be upon him), that he died in his 90s and never lost a tooth. And the rabbi said, “You think it’s natural to lose teeth when you get older? No, teeth are a tremendous blessing that Hashem gives us, and for a person to live an entire life and not recognize that blessing is a crime.” Unfortunately, we don’t appreciate what we have sometimes until it’s gone. So we have to be taught the lesson the hard way. But Rabbi Miller appreciated his teeth and used to thank Hashem every day for them. He said that they ground his food and allowed him to enjoy his meals.
The same applies to all Beracha. Someone once told me he broke his thumb and said, “You can’t imagine how many things you do with a thumb. I can’t even put on my socks. I can’t button my shirt. I need so much help. I can’t even put on my socks. This is the Beracha—and just a little thumb.” Let us become thinking people who recognize the tremendous Beracha that Hashem bestows upon us. And then we will fulfill the pasuk, vesamachta bechol hatov: we’ll be happy with all the good, and we’ll merit much more of Hashem’s Beracha. Amen (so be it). Have a great day.