We Gratefully Thank You

Flickr user vistamommy, Thank you 001, CC BY 2.0

From a young age, we learn from our parents that if someone does something nice for us, we should say "Thank you."

When it comes to recognizing and thanking God for all of the goodness that we receive, we look to Jewish liturgy (prayer) for the words and opportunities for thanking.

Below are five examples of Jewish prayers of thanks.

When are they said? How specific is our thanks?

Discussion questions follow each prayer.

Text #1: The Modim blessing in the Amidah

סידור אשכנז, ימי חול, תפילת שחרית, עמידה, מודים א׳

מודִים אֲנַחְנוּ לָךְ. שָׁאַתָּה הוּא ה' אֱלהֵינוּ וֵאלהֵי אֲבותֵינוּ לְעולָם וָעֶד. צוּר חַיֵּינוּ. מָגֵן יִשְׁעֵנוּ אַתָּה הוּא לְדור וָדור: נודֶה לְּךָ וּנְסַפֵּר תְּהִלָּתֶךָ עַל חַיֵּינוּ הַמְּסוּרִים בְּיָדֶךָ. וְעַל נִשְׁמותֵינוּ הַפְּקוּדות לָךְ. וְעַל נִסֶּיךָ שֶׁבְּכָל יום עִמָּנוּ. וְעַל נִפְלְאותֶיךָ וְטובותֶיךָ שֶׁבְּכָל עֵת. עֶרֶב וָבקֶר וְצָהֳרָיִם: הַטּוב כִּי לא כָלוּ רַחֲמֶיךָ. וְהַמְרַחֵם כִּי לא תַמּוּ חֲסָדֶיךָ. מֵעולָם קִוִּינוּ לָךְ:

Siddur Ashkenaz, Weekday, Shacharit, Amidah, Thanksgiving 1

We gratefully thank You, for You, O Lord our God, are our fathers' God for all eternity, our Rock, our Shield of salvation generation to generation. We thank You and recount Your praise for our lives. We trust our lives into Your loving hand. Our souls are in Your custody and Your miracles are with us every day and Your wonders and goodness are with us at all times: evening, morning and noon. You are good, for Your mercies never fail us, and the Compassionate One, for Your loving kindness never ceases; forever we have placed our hope in You.

How often is this prayer said?
On a scale of 1-5 with 1 being not specific at all and 5 being very specific, how specific is this prayer in terms of what we are thanking for?
What do you like about this prayer?
What would you change in this prayer?
When would you like to say this prayer?

Text #2 The First Psalm of Hallel

תהילים קי״ג:א׳-ט׳

הַ֥לְלוּ יָ֨הּ ׀ הַ֭לְלוּ עַבְדֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה הַֽ֝לְלוּ אֶת־שֵׁ֥ם יְהוָֽה׃ יְהִ֤י שֵׁ֣ם יְהוָ֣ה מְבֹרָ֑ךְ מֵֽ֝עַתָּ֗ה וְעַד־עוֹלָֽם׃ מִמִּזְרַח־שֶׁ֥מֶשׁ עַד־מְבוֹא֑וֹ מְ֝הֻלָּ֗ל שֵׁ֣ם יְהוָֽה׃ רָ֖ם עַל־כָּל־גּוֹיִ֥ם ׀ יְהוָ֑ה עַ֖ל הַשָּׁמַ֣יִם כְּבוֹדֽוֹ׃ מִ֭י כַּיהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵ֑ינוּ הַֽמַּגְבִּיהִ֥י לָשָֽׁבֶת׃ הַֽמַּשְׁפִּילִ֥י לִרְא֑וֹת בַּשָּׁמַ֥יִם וּבָאָֽרֶץ׃ מְקִֽימִ֣י מֵעָפָ֣ר דָּ֑ל מֵֽ֝אַשְׁפֹּ֗ת יָרִ֥ים אֶבְיֽוֹן׃ לְהוֹשִׁיבִ֥י עִם־נְדִיבִ֑ים עִ֝֗ם נְדִיבֵ֥י עַמּֽוֹ׃ מֽוֹשִׁיבִ֨י ׀ עֲקֶ֬רֶת הַבַּ֗יִת אֵֽם־הַבָּנִ֥ים שְׂמֵחָ֗ה הַֽלְלוּ־יָֽהּ׃

Psalms 113:1-9

Hallelujah. O servants of the LORD, give praise; praise the name of the LORD. Let the name of the LORD be blessed now and forever. From east to west the name of the LORD is praised. The LORD is exalted above all nations; His glory is above the heavens. Who is like the LORD our God, who, enthroned on high, sees what is below, in heaven and on earth? He raises the poor from the dust, lifts up the needy from the refuse heap to set them with the great, with the great men of His people. He sets the childless woman among her household as a happy mother of children. Hallelujah.

This is the first Psalm that is said in the Hallel service. Hallel consists of an opening blessing, the recitation of Psalms 113-118, and a closing blessing.

When is Hallel said?
Skim through the selections from Psalms that comprises Hallel. What is the overall theme?
Do you consider Hallel a prayer of thanksgiving? Why or why not?

Text #3 Shehecheyanu

סידור ספרד, ברכה אחרונה, ברכת שהחיינו א׳-ג׳

ברכת שהחיינו הלובש מלבוש חדש וכן האוכל פרי חדש הגדל בזמן קבוע בשנה ומתחדש משנה לשנה מברך: בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם שֶׁהֶחֱיָנוּ וְקִיְּמָנוּ וְהִגִּיעָנוּ לַזְמַן הַזֶּה:

Siddur Sefard, Blessings, Shehecheyanu 1-3

The Shehecheyanu blessing:

One who wears a new article of clothing for the first time or one who eats a fruit for the first time during its yearly growing cycle says the following blessing:

Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who has granted us life, sustained us, and enabled us to reach this day.

How often is the Shehechiyanu said? Are there other times that it is said besides what is mentioned in the explanation in the siddur above?
On a scale of 1-5 with 1 being not specific at all and 5 being very specific, how specific is this prayer in terms of what we are thanking for?
What do you like about the prayer? What, if anything, would you change in the prayer?
When have you said this prayer? How did saying Shehechiyanu make you feel?
What effect do you think saying this prayer has on a person?

Text #4 Birkat Hagomel - Prayer of Thanksgiving

סידור אשכנז, שבת, שחרית, קריאת התורה, קריאת התורה, ברכת הגומל א׳-ב׳

ברכת הגומל: בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה' אֱלהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעולָם. הַגּומֵל לְחַיָּבִים טובות. שֶׁגְּמָלַנִי כָּל טוב: הקהל עונה אמן. ואומרים:
מִי שֶׁגְּמָלְךָ טוב. הוּא יִגְמָלְךָ כָּל טוב סֶלָה:

Siddur Ashkenaz, Shabbat, Shacharit, Torah Reading, Reading from Sefer, Birkat Hagomel 1-2

Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who rewards the undeserving with goodness, and who has rewarded me with goodness.

Congregation responds "amen" and says:

May He who rewarded you with goodness reward you with all goodness forever.

When is Birkat Hagomel said? By whom? (Research the answer on the internet, if necessary)
How does this blessing differ from all of the prayers above?
On a scale of 1-5 with 1 being not specific at all and 5 being very specific, how specific is this prayer in terms of what we are thanking for?
Birkat Hagomel is said in a minyan (quorum). Why do you think it must be said in the presence of the congregation? Why do you think the congregation participates in the blessing by responding to the person saying the blessing?

Text #5 Thanksgiving prayers from the Bevis Marks Synagogue in London, 1878

From the collection of the National Library of Israel

This booklet contains special Thanksgiving prayers that were added during services on Saturday, July 20, 1878 in the Bevis Marks Synagogue in London. The special prayers were said to thank God for the emancipation of the Jews in Bulgaria, Serbia and Romania. Before this time, Jews did not have the same civil rights as other people living in these countries. Beginning with the granting of citizenship to the Jews of France in 1791, Jews in many countries were also "emancipated" or granted civil rights at various times.

How often were these prayers said?
On a scale of 1-5 with 1 being not specific at all and 5 being very specific, how specific is this prayer in terms of what we are thanking for?
Were the people who said these prayers the same people who had recently received civil rights? What was the connection between those who were granted the rights and the people who said the Thanksgiving prayers?
Why do you think the Jews of London said the Thanksgiving prayers?

Putting it all Together

You have seen examples of Thanksgiving prayers that are said several times a day, on holidays, and when special events occur. Some of the prayers are said privately while others are said in the presence of the community.

How do you think having a tradition of expressing thanks affects a person?
How does the tradition of expressing thanks impact the community?
How do you feel after you have said "Thank you" to someone for a kindness that has been done to you?
How do you feel after someone thanks you for something that you have done?
How does it feel when you do something nice for a friend and they don't say "Thank you".
Do you think that God needs our thanks? If not, why do you think we thank Him?