Coming out of the lengthy High Holiday season, we are in the Hebrew month of Heshvan. It’s commonly called Mar-Heshvan or “Bitter Heshvan”. And why is that? Because after a time in the Hebrew calendar of חג אחרי חג-Holiday after Holiday, we enter Heshvan and … no holidays!! There is t-shirt very popular in the Conservative Rabbi world that proudly declares, “Rabbis love Heshvan”! And it’s for the simple reason of their being no holidays, we resume “normal operations”.
November is of course the month of the American holiday observance of Thanksgiving. While our thinking seems to have evolved and moved away from the almost fantasy image of the Native Americans saving the Pilgrims and them all sitting together to dine.. We still consider the day to be a National Day of Thanksgiving. For me, it is far and away my favorite American observance. The ideals of gratitude truly touch me deeply. My rabbinic teaching for this month is tied to the themes of gratitude and thanks. It’s a very basic thing and you will hear me teach it over and over, because I think it’s vital for our human condition and our Jewish and American ideals. In short, “thanks” and “thankful” are transactions and transactional. A simple example is, I turn to Judy and say, “can you pass me the plate please”? In the normal course of affairs Judy smiles at me and hands me the plate, I say “thanks” and the transaction is closed. I asked, she responded and I appreciated. But gratitude is something entirely different. Gratitude is a way of life and of seeing and understanding the world. Living in gratitude means when I wake up, do I feel upset that I can’t loiter in bed? Or do I open my eyes, recite the blessing upon waking, expressing my gratitude to השם for all that is good in my life and all the challenges too? Can I find it in myself to look around and see each blessing I have? Do I acknowledge I woke up in bed, I woke up in my home, I have covers and a pillow. And in the kitchen there is food to eat and coffee to drink. In my closets are clean clothes and fresh sox. It is a challenge to wake up and see all that is good. To live my life in such a way that I can see and value all that, is the challenge of living “in gratitude”. I don’t hit that mark every time. There are days, I stumble and succumb to negativity. And that’s the moment I need to dig deeper to see the blessings and the goodness in my life. May we all be able to see the blessings in our lives and before us daily. And with that, live a life in gratitude.
Now being who I am and if you have enjoyed a Shabbat lunch with me, you know I enjoy food and enjoy eating. One can not discuss our observance of Thanksgiving without mentioning food. I enjoy Turkey and look forward to it. It is the very symbol of ‘plenty to eat”. For me, I greatly enjoy the sides. I like very much the sweet potatoes and stuffing. Good bread is an essential. But who am I kidding? You all know I have a sweet tooth as big as the great outdoors. Give me dessert and give me more dessert. Pie is a favorite and make mine pumpkin. Or cherry or pecan or apple. A totally guilty pleasure for me is Chocolate Chip Pecan pie. Some may say it’s too sweet. I own I like that ultra-sweet taste and flavor and have been known to put whipped cream over the top of it.
My friends, Judy joins me in wishing everyone a joyful and meaningful Thanksgiving holiday. Rabbi Ron