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 G-d 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 will 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.
Michael Rachamim ben Mazal
Yosef Yosi ben Simchah
Chaim Avraham ben Shifrah Zissel
Chaim ben Adinah Eidel
Matan ben Devorah
Noam ben Adi
Moshe Shlomo ben Orah Sarah
Mazal bas Rivkah
Odelya bas Mahbubeh Yocheved
Zhenya bas Zoya
Esther Hadassah bas Devorah
Mitali Naomi bas Gilah Farcha
Zoya bas Rachel Raya
Rachel bas Leah
Israeli Soldiers (Please recite Psalms 25, 26, 46, 83, 142.)
Avraham Yaakov ben Devorah
Binyamin Shlomo Yitzchak ben Rivkah Avivah
Shmuel ben Rachel
Avraham Yitzchak ben Chayah Sara
Aharon Yehudah ben Rivkah Zlata
Chaim Yair ben Miriam Devorah
Yitzchak ben Chanah Brachah
Levi Yitzchak ben Dinah Miriam
Meir Moshe ben Gittel
Yehoshua Elyakim Getzel ben Devorah
Naftali ben Devorah Sharon
Yisrael Mordechai ben Chanah Gittel
Shmayah ben Chanah Zelda
Avraham ben Ilanah Tovah
Yehudah Chaim ben Mina Chayah
Ohr Moshe ben Alizah
Elya Akiva ben Chavah Leah
Yisrael Yehudah ben Elisheva Rachel
Baruch Tzvi ben Shoshanah Raizel
Meir Simchah ben Adinah
Aharon Mordechai ben Kresel Baila
Avraham Mordechai ben Tiferes
Eliyahu ben Chayah Tamar
Yitzchak Issac ben Freida
Shlomo Zalman ben Tziporah Alitah
Netanel Meir ben Esther
Tuvia Nissim ben Yehudis
Yonah ben Tziporah
Yehudah Aharon ben Tziviah
Yehudah ben Nurit
Daniel ben Nurit
Roy ben Ronit
Amit ben Janet
Danny ben Chavah
Elya ben Merav
Dvir ben Granit
Avihu ben Anat
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.
