Torah Tidbits - No matter what, do not forget to be Grateful - By Rabbi Adam Ruditsky
In this week's parsha, Eikev, we read a familiar verse that can also be found in the Birkat HaMazon: “When you have eaten your fill, thank God for the good land that has been given to you” (Deut. 8:10). At first glance, it sounds like a polite spiritual reminder not to forget to thank God for the bounty before you, but it is really a prayer of gratitude, humility, and social responsibility. It's so much more than food, it really is.
First, the verse begins in the most human of places, at the table: “You shall eat…” Eating is the universal human act. It crosses time, geography, and culture. In Torah, eating is not just biological; it is covenantal. Adam and Eve’s first moral choice is about eating. The Israelites’ dependence on manna in the wilderness is about eating. And now, in this verse, God speaks of eating as a spiritual practice that doesn’t end with the last bite.
The second word, v’savtah,’ (and be satisfied), takes the verse beyond survival. It is not just about the bare minimum; we eat so we are satisfied, more so than here it implies fullness, both physical and emotional. In our tradition, satisfaction is not about excess; it’s about enoughness. Ramban points out that the Torah commands blessing only after we are “full” because the most authentic gratitude comes when we feel complete, not when we are scrambling for more.
Then comes the command: and you shall bless the LORD your God. Notice the sequence: eat → be satisfied → bless. Gratitude in Torah is not theoretical; it is embodied. You experience a blessing in your body, and it is not just saying thanks, but it is about recognizing the source of all provision, from the land to the rain, from the sun to the food itself. So, regarding that land, when we recite this prayer, we are reminded that the land is just not real estate but is a gift that includes the responsibility to nurture and care for it.
In saying the Birkat HaMazon (blessings of the food), called “benching,” it flips a common human instinct. Often, people cry out to God when they are in need, but forget God when they are content. Here, God says: When you have more than enough, that is precisely when you must remember Me. It is easy to forget that way too many in our community, country, let alone in our vast world, still suffer from food insecurity and are unsatisfied. True satisfaction cannot be complete while others remain hungry, which is why we must act to feed others in our tikkun to help make our world a better place. Saying Birkat HaMazon can be a spiritual training ground, sensitizing us to the reality that every meal links us to fields, farmers, rain, justice, and God, all of which we show our gratitude for.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Adam Ruditsky