Pesach: It’s All About Hakaras Hatov

So what’s on your 'To Do List' for the next few days? Shopping, cleaning, cooking, packing? All of the above?

As we rapidly approach Pesach, we are all very busy getting ready with the practicals. Yet, it is worthwhile to spend time contemplating why we are really preparing and important lessons from Pesach.

It is eloquently told how Rav Avigor Miller zt”l while on one of his routine walks in the streets of Brooklyn bumped into his daughter remarking, "It is so funny to see you now because I was just thanking Hashem over the fact that you're married." Inquisitively she replied, “Huh, I have been married for over 40 years!” Rav Miller retorted, “ I know, and I have been thanking Hashem every single day for over those 40 years for this very brachah.” Rav Miller understood what it means to have hakarat hatov and noticed when Hakadosh Baruch Hu provided us with a gift,  recognizing it so deeply and with a constant feeling of thanks towards Hashem.

Rav Yerucham Levovitz comments that people often think that Pesach, the Seder, and Yetzias Mitzrayim are all about building our emunah. While of course our emunah, growth in our faith that Hashem runs and maintains the world, is the central theme of Yom Tov, the message we must take is actually much deeper. If Pesach is only about emunah, then why does the Rambam instruct us to view ourselves as if we actually left Mitzrayim? Every Jew must literally envision themselves having gone through bitter slavery, witnessing ten miraculous plagues, and experiencing crossing Yam Suf alongside every earth shattering neis.

Why must we reenact that period and place ourselves in our ancestors' position truly reliving the experience? If we are only looking to grow in our belief of Hashem's existence and belief that He runs the world, then shouldn't we just be obligated to study what historically transpired? Shouldn't one simply learn about the many miracles of that period for purposes of knowledge and intellect of our ancestral history? Why must we envision experiences of slavery and the miracles of Mitzrayim, picturing and imagining physically being there.

Rav Yerucham powerfully answers, "When you recognize and feel you witnessed all the water, even the fruit juice turning to blood, and every Egyptian firstborn dying at the exact same moment, as well as walking through a sea that split just for you, then you develop a very real feeling of thanks to Hashem.

We should ponder, "If I can bring myself to feel that I actually lived these moments, and witnessed the great miracles performed, then in turn I will sense the extent of my indebtedness to the Ribbono Shel Olam for this awesome gift.

Pesach is not just about emunah, believing that Hashem both formed and controls the world. The chag also includes raising such feelings higher by accepting to come closer to Hashem through a deeper performance of mitzvot accomplished by understanding and feeling how much He really does on our behalf. Once you constantly dwell on the incredible good Hashem has given you, do you begin to feel, “Wow, now I really need to give back to the Ribono Shel Olam.”

The Sifsei Chaim writes that the feeling of hakarat hatov is built into our fabric. Throughout Pesach we attempt to accomplish the notion that the more we recognize Hashem's action on our behalf, and the more we focus on the gift's details, then we naturally desire with a great desire to return the favor during the rituals of Seder night as we discuss the nuances that happened in Mitzrayim, all the miraculous occurrences witnessed, the specific detail that Hakadosh Baruch Hu crafted the makot and the Yam Suf experiences leads us to say, “Wow, Hakadosh Baruch Hu undertook so much on my behalf, now it is my turn to give back.

This Pesach, let’s try to tap into the powerful force of hakarat hatov and think of all Hashem did and continues to do for us. In the year ahead, b'ezrat Hashem, we will feel a renewed sense of inspiration in our Torah learning and mitzvot performance.

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 Rabbi Yaakov Moskowitz is a motivational speaker who has inspired Jews around the world through his engaging lectures and videos on a wide array of practical Jewish topics. To receive Rabbi Moskowitz’s short clips, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..