There is an important characteristic in Judaism called hakaras ha’tov, being grateful. Every Yid must develop an awareness and a mindset that recognizes all the good that one receives and appropriately thank the Giver/giver. One of the ways in which we demonstrate our thanks to Hashem is by reciting Psalm 100 – Mizmor L’Sodah – in our weekday morning prayer service.
Psalm 100 – A Psalm of Thanksgiving – is a song to be sung upon the sacrifices of the “Todah” (“Thanksgiving”) offering. The Sages explain that a person would bring a “Todah” offering upon emerging from one of four life-threatening situations: imprisonment, grave illness, a sea voyage, or desert travel. Psalm 100, which accompanied the “Todah” offering, is a tribute to the Todah, the Thanksgiving offering.
Psalm 100 famously declares: “Ivdu es Hashem b’simchah, bo’u l’fanav bir’nanah – Serve Hashem with happiness and joy throughout your life; enter His gates with thanksgiving, His courtyards with praise!” This phrase imbues us to perform Hashem’s commandments in a state of happiness. Radak and Sforno explain that one should express joy while serving Hashem to show that it is not a burden to do Hashem’s work. The importance of simchah is expressed by a verse in the Tochachah (Rebuke) that describes the terrible calamities that will befall the Jewish people if they fail to heed the word Hashem. In Sefer D’varim 28:47, it explains that terrible curses of Hashem befall klal Yisrael “...because you did not serve G-d with happiness and a full heart…”
Psalm 100 – a Psalm of Thanksgiving – is a directive to serve Hashem with joy.
If a person serves Hashem and abides his mitzvos without happiness, the person may begin to act by rote and his prayers will lack meaning. The person may also begin to view the mitzvos as burdens and believe he is doing Hashem a favor by performing them.
In order to serve Hashem with happiness, every Yid needs to develop an awareness and acknowledge Hashem’s daily miracles and kindness. When we begin to recognize that all the good comes from Hashem, then we can begin to translate that happiness into a daily expression of gratitude.
Rabbi Avigdor Miller teaches us that “You should make a career of counting your blessings; it should be a career!” If we spend each day thinking of just ten things that we are grateful for, we will be able to serve Hashem with more happiness. Happiness is living with gratitude!
List of People Who Need a r’fuah sh’leimah (a complete recovery)
Please recite Psalms 20, 30, 88, 121, and 130.
Yitzchak Shlomo ben Gittel
Yosef Chaim ben Ilana
Arkady Avraham ben Mazal
Chaim Shaul ben Esther
Yaakov Yisrael ben Chanah
Yosef Chaim ben Larrisa
Shmuel Nechemiah ben Hinda
Menachem ben Miriam
Yosef Yechiel Ben-Tzion ben Rivkah Beila
Binyamin Yehudah ben Leah
Esther Hadassah bas Devorah
Mitali Naomi bas Gilah Farcha
Chayah Sarah Leah bas Brachah
Heleni Orna bas Chein Chanah
Esther Brachah bas Chayah
Sima Frieda bas Chayah Rachel
Miriam bas Basya
Gila Raizel bas Gittel
Sally bas Rozy
Rachel bas Leah
Anna bas Roza
Chayah bas Regina
Angela bas Sarah
Rivkah Hila Hodayah bas Rachel
Ariellah bas Hila
Leah bas Esther
Israeli Soldiers (Please recite Psalms 25, 26, 46, 83, 142.)
Yehoshua ben Aliza Esther
Menachem ben Aliza Esther
Gavriel Efraim ben Chanah Yafah
Netanel Akiva ben Chanah Yafah
Yonatan Ezra ben Chanah Yafah
Chaim Aba Menachem ben Naomi Beila
Daniel Moshe ben Devorah
Gavriel Yehudah ben Yaakov
Shmuel ben Aharon
Moshe ben Shoshanah Esther
Yehoshua ben Tzvi
Dvir Moshe ben Dinah
Oriel ben Dinah
Dor ben Zehavah
Daniel ben Rachel
Shalev David ben Revital Renanah
Daniel ben Orli
Tal ben Ilana Ilanit
Mordechai Daniel ben Leah Rachel
Yotam ben Efrat Michal
Michael ben Naomi Sarah
Moshe Eliyahu ben Dinah Yehudis
Yosef ben Shlomis
Yosef ben Sarit
Yosef Daniel ben Anat
Yosef Chaim ben Hadassah
Ron ben Ahuvah
To add names of individuals who need a r’fuah sh’leimah to next week’s T’hilim column, please email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and complete the Google form.
