Sometimes, a person may say, “Do you think I want to give thanks for the fish that I ate tonight?! I want to express my gratitude that my child who was struggling in school began to see success! I must tell you that my slice of salmon isn’t that important to me....”
But the truth is that when the Ribbono shel Olam gives us food to eat, shefa from Above, all other blessings are contained within it—including your child’s improvement in school. It’s all part of the shefa. Food is a tremendous expression of shefa, because it enters the bloodstream and becomes part of us. It’s not superficial. A shefa from Hashem enters our bodies, and after receiving it, we must give thanks to Hashem for all the good that we receive always.
Reflect on the Good
A Yid must work to live this way always. And the way to arrive at such a state is to reflect on the good that we already have. We should tell ourselves, “If the Ribbono shel Olam has given me so much shefa, He surely knows what I need. If so, He will continue to ensure that I will always have what I need, and not what I don’t need.” This thought brings a person great serenity and tranquility, and his heart becomes lighter as he meditates, “If I am missing something, then the Ribbono shel Olam knows it’s not good for me, and He need not rectify anything—I must fix myself! I must calm down. I must find ways to heal my soul so I’m not disappointed about the things I don’t have.”
