Rosh Hashanah 2025 (Jewish year 5786) is a time of joy for all G-d has granted us in the past year. Gratitude is a primary theme during these two holy days. But what about the rest of the year?
It’s not always easy to be grateful as life throws all sorts of problems at us. Some days are harder than others, with situations brewing at home or work. Other times, we are bored of the sameness of our lives. At the same time, our tradition urges us to be grateful to G-d for every aspect of our lives, every day.
What is the best way to do this given all the challenges of being human?
Finding a way to be grateful on Rosh Hashana 2025 and every day
Rosh Hashanah 2025 is a time of stock taking and Divine judgment. In so doing, we need to allocate time for praise regarding the mundane benefits and blessings we receive from the moment we open our eyes each day. It’s natural for us to thank G-d for a child’s birth or promotion at work, but more routine events go unnoticed. Sometimes we don’t even realize how fortunate we have been unless our quality of life is threatened.
Fortunately, we have a powerful tool for everyday gratitude, not just on Rosh Hashanah 2025 or major simchas [joyous occasions].
Setting aside time to focus on being grateful
What is our tool to boost gratefulness? Over time, Jewish Sages have developed a solution for a blasé attitude toward life: Setting time aside every day to express gratitude for the simple tasks of daily life. Instead of jumping out of bed and rushing out the door, we make gratitude to G-d a priority.
Expressing gratefulness for the simplest things in life
Our sages were wise in recognizing the all-too-human trait of taking small things for granted. And so, over time they created a system of 15 early morning prayers (Birchot Hashachar). These are based on a passage in the Talmud [Berachot 60B], which lists each prayer according to the usual order of awakening and dressing in the morning.
Here’s how we start. When we open our eyes, we thank G-d, “Who gives sight to the blind.” Upon getting dressed, we thank G-d, “Who clothes the naked.” We take nothing for granted, from sitting to walking and so on. When taken together, Birchot Hashachar provides the opportunity to experience gratefulness every day, not just on special days. It’s a time to recognize the smallest of G-d’s blessings—even just opening our eyes.
This special time in the morning focuses our attention on G-d’s gifts to us, something that is often in the background of awareness. We perceive that which may be otherwise invisible. In the words of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov, “The world is full of the light of G-d, but to see it we must learn to open our eyes.”
A gratefulness prayer that stands alone
All 15 prayers show our gratefulness to G-d. However, one of the prayers is unique:
“Blessed are You, Hashem our G-d, King of the Universe, Who provided me with all my needs.”
Let’s look at four reasons why this prayer is different from the others.
- It’s about what G-d provided ME: The form of the other prayers thanks G-d for doing something for “us,” communally. Only this prayer says what G-d provided “me,” bringing it to a more personal level.
- G-d provided for MY needs: We can’t truly know another’s level of need. Realistically, we can only evaluate our own. Although we must be aware of the overall good G-d bestows on all creation, it is imperative to notice and be thankful for our individualized gifts as well.
- ALL my needs: Rabbi Nissan Mindel shares that the conviction that G-d has provided for all my material needs leaves no room for anxiety and worry, for overexertion and undue mental strain. On the contrary, I can go about my daily business with confidence, with a peaceful mind and joyous heart.
- Who PROVIDED me with ALL my needs: Using the past tense implies that G-d has already provided me with all I need. Yet, it may take effort to “collect” what G-d has set aside for us. R. Mindel’s interpretation is that our “doing” is the “channel” or “vessel,” through which we receive G-d’s blessing.
Rosh Hashanah 2025 is a time to reflect on gratitude
Is it enough to just be grateful and introspective once a year? Of course not. We need to guard against becoming jaded and blind to the blessings in our lives. The point of Birchot Hashachar is that we shouldn’t sleepwalk through our days. Instead, we can awaken with gratitude for all we experience, each and every day.
Birchot Hashachar is a gift from our scholars. Here are just a few reasons why:
- We can relieve anxiety by understanding that G-d has already provided what we need. You and I can reach out to the gifts that await us.
- Jealousy is a wasted emotion. G-d has provided all we need, and for this we should be grateful.
- A positive attitude toward life helps us be more joyful and have greater peace of mind. We also gain confidence to move forward, knowing that G-d will bless us for bringing opportunities into being.
- We are privileged to observe the world with a rich and comprehensive outlook. Every single element in our lives has G-dly value. This perspective kindles our desire to add goodness to the world with every new day G-d gives us.
Being Grateful as We Transition to Rosh Hashanah 2025
Life’s routine can erode our attention from all the good that G-d showers upon us. Without the practice of everyday gratefulness, it’s all too easy to feel empty. A proven Jewish antidote is reciting our 15 early morning prayers. Yes, times are troubling. We may not be able to fix the entire world, but Birchot Hashachar teaches us to be committed to gratefulness for all G-d has provided—each and every day.
From all of us at Elite Roofing, we wish you a Rosh Hashanah filled with health, happiness, and peace. L’Shana Tovah
