Gratitude as the key to Joy and Contentment
A lesson from the Tiferes Shlomo Parshas Ki Savo
You shall rejoice in all the good that Hashem your G-d has given you
The Mitzvah of Bikkurim teaches us the Middah of Histapkut, to be satisfied and content with what we have. One should not be jealous of those who have more. This is in line with the teaching of Pirkei Avos that the one who is rich is one who is satisfied with their lot.
The Torah’s directive to rejoice in their Bikurim applies to each person equally, whether they have many fields with many Bikurim, or only one field with fewer Bikurim.
A person must believe that everything they have in wealth and Parnasa comes from Hashem. As such, there is no need to be jealous of others, because what they hve is not meant for us and concerning what we have, Hashem certainly provides us with everything that we need and so we don’t need anymore.
This is the meaning of the Bracha וישם לך שלום. The word Shalom also means complete. The true blessing is that we see whatever we have as being complete and sufficient.
This is the meaning of Bikurim, where the Torah tells us that “you shall rejoice in all the goodness that Hashem has given you”. We rejoice in everything we have, because we know that it is from Hashem.
When a person came into this world, they were “naked” and possesionless. Therefore, whatever we gain is a gift of which we are undeserving. With this perspective we will be Besimcha with whatever we have.
When saying the Haggadah, the sages teach that מתחילין בגנות ומסיימין בשבח - we begin with our disgrace and conclude with our praise. Tiferes Shlomo reads this as an allusion. If we begin seeing our גנות, that really we are undeserving, then we will forever praise Hashem for everything we have.
The Torah’s directive to rejoice in their Bikurim applies to each person equally, whether they have many fields with many Bikurim, or only one field with fewer Bikurim.
A person must believe that everything they have in wealth and Parnasa comes from Hashem. As such, there is no need to be jealous of others, because what they hve is not meant for us and concerning what we have, Hashem certainly provides us with everything that we need and so we don’t need anymore.
This is the meaning of the Bracha וישם לך שלום. The word Shalom also means complete. The true blessing is that we see whatever we have as being complete and sufficient.
This is the meaning of Bikurim, where the Torah tells us that “you shall rejoice in all the goodness that Hashem has given you”. We rejoice in everything we have, because we know that it is from Hashem.
When a person came into this world, they were “naked” and possesionless. Therefore, whatever we gain is a gift of which we are undeserving. With this perspective we will be Besimcha with whatever we have.
When saying the Haggadah, the sages teach that מתחילין בגנות ומסיימין בשבח - we begin with our disgrace and conclude with our praise. Tiferes Shlomo reads this as an allusion. If we begin seeing our גנות, that really we are undeserving, then we will forever praise Hashem for everything we have.