How many people are involved in preparing our loaves of bread? The people working in the field throughout the growing of the wheat and all the preparation into flour. The delivery trucks and their companies. The Bakery and all their workers. All the factories and their workers of all the other ingredients that go into the bread. And there’s plenty more. Hashem involved so many people in preparing our food. Do we appreciate it and realize our responsibility?
The Gemarah continues. He (the Tanna Ben Zoma) would say, what does a good guest say? ‘Look how much the host bothered himself for me. How much meat he brought me, how much wine he brought me, how many nice cakes and buns he brought me and all this bother he did specially for me.’
What does a bad guest say? ‘What bother did the host do for me already? I ate one bread, one piece of meat, I drank one cup of wine, all what the host did was for his wife and children.’
Hashem is the owner of the world and we are his guests. Are we a good guest that appreciates that everything was created for us, and what responsibility we have because of it?
Rabbi Yisrael Salanter was once visiting Paris. He was trying to help the Jews who had arrived there from Russia and Poland to form a community, get a Rabbi, set up a Kashrus department and open Jewish schools.
One day he was walking down a main street and was very thirsty. He saw a coffee store that had tables and chairs outside. He took a seat and a waiter came over asking him what he would like to order.
“A glass of water, please,” replied Reb Yisrael.
‘Yes sir,” replied the waiter.
A few minutes later the waiter returned with a glass of cold water. Reb Yisrael drank the water and thanked the waiter.
“That’s thirty sou,” said the waiter. (around $6-8)
“Thirty sou for a glass of water,” asked Reb Yisrael?
“That’s our price.”
Reb Yisrael took out some money and paid the waiter for the water. Then he asked the waiter why it was so expensive?
‘One moment, I will ask,” he replied.
He returned with the manager. “Any complaints sir?”
“Not at all,” replied Reb Yisrael, “the water was cold and clear and the service was great. But why do you charge so much for a glass of water that doesn’t even cost a penny?”
The manager replied, “Sir, in your house the water is free. But here, you must understand, you’re sitting in the most expensive area in the city. I have to pay very high rent for this store. The expensive furniture, the salaries of our high class staff, the wage for the pianist playing so nicely in the background, not to mention our expensive lighting and chandeliers. For all that you have to pay even if you just had a glass of water.”
“I understand,” replied Reb Yisrael, “you are right!”
When Reb Yisrael arrived in Lithuania he gave a Shiur for his students. He told them what happened in Paris and why he paid so much for a glass of water. He continued and explained that he always wondered why when a person drinks a glass of water he makes the blessing, ‘Shehakol ni’heye bidvaro.’ – everything was created at His word. A person drank a glass of water and for that he expresses that ‘everything’ in this world was created by Hashem’s instructions?
‘In Paris I got the answer. We have no clue how much we need to thank Hashem for the actual water we drink. But in addition, look at such a beautiful setting in which we drink our water, so much more beautiful than the streets of Paris. The natural singing of the birds, so much more pleasant than the pianist. The beautiful sunshine, way brighter than the chandelier. And on top when we have good health, joy and nachas, such a world created just for me, that’s what the Bracha is saying. It’s not just for the water but when we drink a glass of water there is so much that comes with it, that’s what we express our gratitude in the Beracha, that ‘Shehakol!’ – everything was created by Hashem.
In Kislev 5689 the Chafetz Chaim sent out a letter that was published in the Jewish newspapers. He wrote how much gratitude we owe Hashem, now that there are inter-city trains, something new. How much traveling time will be saved and can be used better for Torah study.
In 1928 there weren’t taps with water in every home. There were nearly no private cars. Many homes didn’t have electricity, lighting, refrigerators, freezers, electric oven, not to mention air conditioning or microwaves.
How much gratitude do we owe Hashem? Do we realize our responsibility?
