PARSHAT KI TAVO – WHEN GRATITUDE CAN’T WAIT

ב”ה

Parshas Ki Tavo opens with one of the most beautiful mitzvos in the Torah: Bikkurim, the bringing of the first fruits.1

A farmer has worked for months. He ploughed the earth, planted, waited through rain and heat, and finally sees the first fruit beginning to ripen. He marks it, and later brings it to the Beis HaMikdash in Yerushalayim.

But bringing the fruit is not enough. The Torah commands him to speak.

He recounts the story of the Jewish people: how our ancestors descended to Egypt, how we suffered there, how Hashem redeemed us, and how He brought us to the Land of Israel. Then he holds up his first fruits and declares:

וְעַתָּה הִנֵּה הֵבֵאתִי אֶת רֵאשִׁית פְּרִי הָאֲדָמָה אֲשֶׁר נָתַתָּה לִּי ה׳

“And now, behold, I have brought the first fruit of the land which You, Hashem, have given me.”²

Why must he say all this?

Rashi gives a remarkable explanation: “So that you should not be ungrateful.”3

The mitzvah of Bikkurim is therefore not only about fruit. It is about learning how to look at life. The Lubavitcher Rebbe explains that the essential content of Bikkurim is praise and thanksgiving to
Hashem for the good He has bestowed upon us.4

And a famous story of the Baal Shem Tov shows us what that can mean in everyday life.

The Water Carrier

Every day an elderly water carrier named Berel would pass the study hall of the Baal Shem Tov, carrying two heavy buckets.

Whenever the Baal Shem Tov saw him, he would interrupt his conversation with his students and ask:

“Berel, how are you today?”

Usually Berel would answer, “Baruch Hashem — thank G-d,” and continue on his way.

But one day Berel was miserable.

“How should I be, Rebbe? Every day I carry these heavy buckets. My back hurts. I am getting old. My boots are falling apart and I have no money for new ones. I have a large family to support. And now they have built new houses on top of the hill, so I have to carry even more water uphill. I am exhausted.”

He picked up his buckets and slowly walked away.

A few days later, the Baal Shem Tov saw him again. “Berel, how are you?”

This time Berel’s face lit up. “Baruch Hashem, Rebbe! Hashem is good to me. I have work, so I can earn money to feed my family. Baruch Hashem, I have a large family — so many wonderful children. And those new houses on the hill need more water, so now I even have additional work and income. Baruch Hashem!”

The students were confused. His boots were still torn. His back still hurt. The buckets were just as heavy. The hill was just as steep. What had changed?

The Baal Shem Tov explained that Berel himself had changed. Previously he saw only what was difficult. Now he recognized that everything he possessed came from Hashem. The problems had not disappeared, but he had discovered the blessings that were present at the very same time.5

This is not a lesson in pretending that difficulties do not exist. The buckets really were heavy. Torah does not tell us to deny pain or ignore problems. We are required to make every proper effort to improve our situation.

But there is a great difference between saying,

“My life is difficult, therefore I have nothing,” and saying,

“My life contains difficulties, but look how much Hashem has also given me.”

Don’t Wait Until Everything Is Perfect

The Rebbe develops this idea through two different levels of gratitude. The first is Modeh Ani.

The moment a Jew opens his eyes in the morning, before beginning to think about the day, he says:

מוֹדֶה אֲנִי לְפָנֶיךָ
“Modeh ani lefanecha — I thank You.”

He has not yet studied. He has not contemplated the greatness of Hashem. He has not even begun to examine whether today will be a good day. He simply recognizes: I received life again. Thank You.

The Rebbe explains that this gratitude comes from the simple faith rooted deeply within the Jewish soul. Later, during prayer, there is another type of gratitude. A person thinks, contemplates Hashem’s
greatness and kindness, and comes to a deeper and more developed appreciation.6

Both are necessary. There is gratitude that comes after understanding. And there is gratitude that cannot wait for understanding.

Sometimes we tell ourselves: “When this problem is solved, then I will be grateful. When the business succeeds… When my family situation settles down… When I have enough money… When my plans finally work out… Then I will thank Hashem.” Ki Tavo teaches us: Do not wait.

A Universal Message

Bikkurim itself is a uniquely Jewish mitzvah, connected to the Jewish people and the Land of Israel. But its underlying message speaks to every human being.

In fact, after Noach emerged from the Ark into a destroyed world, one of his first recorded actions was to build an altar to Hashem.7 Before rebuilding civilization, before planting his vineyard, Noach
acknowledged the Creator.

That is a profoundly universal idea.

For a Jew, gratitude must lead to a deeper commitment to Torah and mitzvos.

For a Ben Noach, gratitude to the Creator should lead to living according to the Divine moral responsibilities entrusted to humanity — building a world of justice, respect for life, family, honesty and recognition of G-d.

Because genuine gratitude creates responsibility.

If my life is a gift, I must ask: What am I doing with the life Hashem has given me?

If I have wealth, knowledge, influence, talent, time or strength, the question is not merely, “How much do I have?” The deeper question is: “Why was I given it?”

To See the “Abundance of Everything”

Later in Ki Tavo, the Torah says something astonishing. In the midst of the Tochachah, it describes tragedy coming:

תַּחַת אֲשֶׁר לֹא־עָבַדְתָּ אֶת ה׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָ בְּשִׂמְחָה וּבְטוּב לֵבָב מֵרֹב כֹּל
“Because you did not serve Hashem your G-d with joy and gladness of heart, from an abundance of everything.”⁸

Las palabras merov kol — “from an abundance of everything” are striking. A person can possess tremendous blessings and still experience life primarily as a list of what is missing.

That was Berel on the first day. He had children — but saw expenses. He had work — but saw heavy buckets. The town was growing — but he saw the hill.

A few days later nothing physical had changed, yet suddenly the same realities became blessings.

Perhaps this is one of the great spiritual dangers of prosperity: to have “an abundance of everything” and no longer see it.

The Baal Shem Tov therefore made a point of encouraging even simple Jews to say “Baruch Hashem.”

The Rebbe explains that these words awaken a person’s simple faith and recognition that everything ultimately comes from Hashem.9

This is the lesson of Bikkurim. Take the first fruit — not the leftovers — and say: “You gave this to me.”

Begin the day with: “Modeh Ani — thank You.” And learn to say: “Baruch Hashem.”

Not because every bucket is light. Not because every hill has disappeared. But because even while carrying the bucket, we can recognize the extraordinary gifts that surround us.

Perhaps that is the challenge of Ki Tavo for every Jew and every Ben Noach: before asking Hashem for what we still need, stop for a moment and recognize what He has already given us.

Life. Family. Purpose. Another day. Another opportunity to do good.

And once we truly recognize the gift, the next question naturally follows: What will I do today to make this gift worthwhile?

Shabat Shalom.

By Rabbi Avriel Rabenou, MSc. MBA

Sources and Notes

1 Devarim 26:1–11, the mitzvah and declaration of Bikkurim.
2 Devarim 26:10.
3 Rashi to Devarim 26:3, “she’eincha kafui tovah” — demonstrating that one is not ungrateful.
4 Likkutei Sichos, Vol. 34, Ki Savo, Sichah 1, sec. 6, “When Gratitude Can’t Wait”: the essential content
of Bikkurim is praise and thanksgiving for Hashem’s goodness.
5 Story of the Baal Shem Tov and Berel the water carrier, commonly known as “Baruch Hashem”; see Chabad.org, “Baruch Hashem,” retold by Shoshannah Brombacher.
6 Likkutei Sichos, Vol. 34, Ki Savo, Sichah 1, sec. 6: the Rebbe contrasts the immediate gratitude of Modeh Ani with the gratitude that arises through contemplation in prayer.
7 Bereishis 8:18–21.
8 Devarim 28:47.
9 Likkutei Sichos, Vol. 34, Ki Savo, Sichah 1, sec. 7: the Baal Shem Tov encouraged simple Jews to say “Baruch Hashem,” awakening their faith.

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