The Talmud in Berachos (7b) says: “...from the day the Holy One, blessed be He, created his world, no one thanked Him until Leah came along and said, “This time I will thank Hashem.””
This is certainly unsettling, as how could it possibly be that no one thanked Hashem previously? Adam, Noach, Avraham, Yitzchak, Yaakov, and other righteous individuals lived before Leah who undoubtedly appreciated what Hashem did. There are a number of answers to this question, and from each of them, we will learn another aspect of what it means to give thanks to Hashem.
1. Rashi’s Explanation
Rashi tells us that Leah knew with Ruach HaKodesh that there would be twelve tribes. With four wives, that comes to three children each. When Leah had her fourth, she realized she’d gotten more of her share, and therefore thanked Hashem specially for the “extra” goodness she experienced.
Certainly, we can all look around and find people who have less than we do, or who have larger problems than we do. While we can also find others who seem to have more than we do or fewer problems, we don’t really know the whole story, and it still makes sense to thank Hashem for the good we have which others wish they had in their lives. It helps us be happier and more appreciative to recognize that we have been given “extra” which others might not have.
2. Ben Yehoyada’s Perspective
The Ben Yehoyada points out that the Gemara changed and doesn’t just say, “from the day He created THE world,” but “his world,” that Leah was thanking Hashem for the personal good she experienced, while previously people had thanked Hashem for what he did for the world and for other people.
The idea here is that Hashem is OUR personal G-d. He is involved and interested in our lives and His Divine guidance is ever-present in our existence. That He should be concerned about someone as insignificant as each of us is, with how great and awesome Hashem is, is a tremendous kindness. We ought to acknowledge and thank Him for His care. As a bonus, whenever we thank and appreciate Hashem, we find more satisfaction in our lives as well.
3. Ksav Sofer’s Suggestion
The Ksav Sofer suggests that giving birth is a natural thing and people hadn’t previously given thanks for natural phenomena, only for miraculous things like Avraham’s victory over the four kings, when Malki Tzedek praised Hashem.
R’ E. E. Dessler z”l is credited with saying, “Nothing is more miraculous than nature, nor more natural than a miracle.” Nature is merely a miracle which we see all the time so we forget how amazing it is. Leah actually took the time and understanding to thank Hashem for even the things in which we don’t see His activity. Yet, we have blessings thanking Hashem for our sight, our basic needs, and even for our bodily functions, because all these are gifts from Him.
4. Ongoing Reminder of Gratitude
It is also suggested that Leah took her appreciation a step further than anyone else, because by naming her son Yehuda, she created an ongoing reminder of her gratitude. Each time she or anyone called his name, she would remember the feeling of thankfulness she felt when he was born.
What a fabulous idea! To find ways to constantly appreciate anew what Hashem gives us. We can choose moments to thank him. One fellow I know would thank Hashem at the gas station. “Thank you, Hashem, for the cars that look nice, drive well, and get us where we need to go. Thank you for the gas that makes them run, and the money to pay for the gas. Thank you for the job that earns me the money.” You get the idea.
5. Ponevizher Rav’s Extrapolation
The Ponevizher Rav, perhaps as an extrapolation of what Rashi says, states that when Leah had her first three children, it was with the understanding that twelve tribes across four wives was three per wife. When she had a fourth, or more than her fair share, she understood that someone else would be getting less than three. In that case, even her first three were not a given and this time she thanked Hashem for even the things she expected and perhaps even took for granted.
BONUS - Asking for More
Leah said, “This time I will thank Hashem,” and the verse continues, “and she ceased giving birth.” Some say that the reason she ceased was because when she thanked Hashem, she didn’t ask for more. It might sound greedy, but on the contrary, when we thank Hashem for what He’s given us, we should indeed ask for the future. When you realize that Hashem wants to be part of your life, and since He is capable of whatever you ask, you can keep asking while you express your gratitude.
In fact, it might be insulting not to. Imagine a fellow approaches a wealthy man and asks to borrow money. If he says, “Would you be able to afford to lend me $1000,” thinking that it’s rude to ask for more, the rich man might be insulted. “I can afford 100 times that amount and do it multiple times!” he might be thinking. How much more so when we ask from Hashem who owns and creates everything. Nothing is beyond Him, and thinking we’re asking too much is insulting. Oh, and if you think that even if He can afford it, you don’t deserve it, I’ll let you in on a secret. We already owe everything to Hashem and we live by His grace and beneficence. No amount of Torah and Mitzvos could ever pay the debt we owe him. Once we’re using His expense account, we might as well put in whatever requests we can. And then appreciate what we get!
Perspective and Attitude
There is a fantastic lesson in perspective and attitude this week, which also plays into a key mitzvah. Yaakov notices that Lavan’s attitude towards him is not the same as it had been previously. (Verse 31:2) Whereas Lavan had previously acknowledged the blessings he received in Yaakov’s merit, now he seemed to feel that Yaakov was getting a free ride. Yaakov felt unwelcome and knew it was time to leave.
What precipitated this change? The posuk before, (31:1) says that Yaakov heard the sons of Lavan saying, “Yaakov took all that our father had and from it made all this wealth (for himself.)” Once that perspective was expressed, it affected how Lavan viewed Yaakov, though he knew it wasn’t true. Ironically, if not for Yaakov, Lavan’s sons would not have been born. Prior to Yaakov’s arrival, Lavan only had daughters. Despite this, and the fact that they had no idea what Lavan’s situation was before Yaakov appeared on the scene, the sons were able to cast things into a negative light. Their negativity pervaded their family and eventually manifested itself in Lavan losing all he had gained. How careful we must be with our speech, not to malign others or even begrudge them! The consequences can be quite severe.
