(ג) חֶ֥סֶד וֶאֱמֶ֗ת אַֽל־יַ֫עַזְבֻ֥ךָ קׇשְׁרֵ֥ם עַל־גַּרְגְּרוֹתֶ֑יךָ כׇּ֝תְבֵ֗ם עַל־ל֥וּחַ לִבֶּֽךָ׃
(3) Let fidelity and steadfastness not leave you;
Bind them about your throat,
Write them on the tablet of your mind,
Bind them about your throat,
Write them on the tablet of your mind,
(א) אל יעזבך. אל תהיה נעזב מהם כי אחוז בהם: קשרם. ר״ל בכל עת תהא מדבר בם וחושב בענינם:
(יט) וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהֹוָ֜ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֗ה אֱמֹ֣ר אֶֽל־אַהֲרֹ֡ן קַ֣ח מַטְּךָ֣ וּנְטֵֽה־יָדְךָ֩ עַל־מֵימֵ֨י מִצְרַ֜יִם עַֽל־נַהֲרֹתָ֣ם ׀ עַל־יְאֹרֵיהֶ֣ם וְעַל־אַגְמֵיהֶ֗ם וְעַ֛ל כׇּל־מִקְוֵ֥ה מֵימֵיהֶ֖ם וְיִֽהְיוּ־דָ֑ם וְהָ֤יָה דָם֙ בְּכׇל־אֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם וּבָעֵצִ֖ים וּבָאֲבָנִֽים׃
(1) The LORD replied to Moses, “See, I place you in the role of God to Pharaoh, with your brother Aaron as your prophet. (2) You shall repeat all that I command you, and your brother Aaron shall speak to Pharaoh to let the Israelites depart from his land. (3) But I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, that I may multiply My signs and marvels in the land of Egypt. (4) When Pharaoh does not heed you, I will lay My hand upon Egypt and deliver My ranks, My people the Israelites, from the land of Egypt with extraordinary chastisements. (5) And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I stretch out My hand over Egypt and bring out the Israelites from their midst.” (6) This Moses and Aaron did; as the LORD commanded them, so they did. (7) Moses was eighty years old and Aaron eighty-three, when they made their demand on Pharaoh. (8) The LORD said to Moses and Aaron, (9) “When Pharaoh speaks to you and says, ‘Produce your marvel,’ you shall say to Aaron, ‘Take your rod and cast it down before Pharaoh.’ It shall turn into a serpent.” (10) So Moses and Aaron came before Pharaoh and did just as the LORD had commanded: Aaron cast down his rod in the presence of Pharaoh and his courtiers, and it turned into a serpent. (11) Then Pharaoh, for his part, summoned the wise men and the sorcerers; and the Egyptian magicians, in turn, did the same with their spells; (12) each cast down his rod, and they turned into serpents. But Aaron’s rod swallowed their rods. (13) Yet Pharaoh’s heart stiffened and he did not heed them, as the LORD had said. (14) And the LORD said to Moses, “Pharaoh is stubborn; he refuses to let the people go. (15) Go to Pharaoh in the morning, as he is coming out to the water, and station yourself before him at the edge of the Nile, taking with you the rod that turned into a snake. (16) And say to him, ‘The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, sent me to you to say, “Let My people go that they may worship Me in the wilderness.” But you have paid no heed until now. (17) Thus says the LORD, “By this you shall know that I am the LORD.” See, I shall strike the water in the Nile with the rod that is in my hand, and it will be turned into blood; (18) and the fish in the Nile will die. The Nile will stink so that the Egyptians will find it impossible to drink the water of the Nile.’” (19) And the LORD said to Moses, “Say to Aaron: Take your rod and hold out your arm over the waters of Egypt—its rivers, its canals, its ponds, all its bodies of water—that they may turn to blood; there shall be blood throughout the land of Egypt, even in vessels of wood and stone.” (20) Moses and Aaron did just as the LORD commanded: he lifted up the rod and struck the water in the Nile in the sight of Pharaoh and his courtiers, and all the water in the Nile was turned into blood (21) and the fish in the Nile died. The Nile stank so that the Egyptians could not drink water from the Nile; and there was blood throughout the land of Egypt. (22) But when the Egyptian magicians did the same with their spells, Pharaoh’s heart stiffened and he did not heed them—as the LORD had spoken. (23) Pharaoh turned and went into his palace, paying no regard even to this. (24) And all the Egyptians had to dig round about the Nile for drinking water, because they could not drink the water of the Nile. (25) When seven days had passed after the LORD struck the Nile, (26) the LORD said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh and say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD: Let My people go that they may worship Me. (27) If you refuse to let them go, then I will plague your whole country with frogs. (28) The Nile shall swarm with frogs, and they shall come up and enter your palace, your bedchamber and your bed, the houses of your courtiers and your people, and your ovens and your kneading bowls. (29) The frogs shall come up on you and on your people and on all your courtiers.’”
(א) אמר אל אהרן. לְפִי שֶׁהֵגֵן הַיְאוֹר עַל מֹשֶׁה כְּשֶׁנִּשְׁלַךְ לְתוֹכוֹ, לְפִיכָךְ לֹא לָקָה עַל יָדוֹ לֹא בַדָּם וְלֹא בַצְפַרְדְּעִים, וְלָקָה עַל יְדֵי אַהֲרֹן (שמות רבה):
(1) אמר אל אהרן SAY UNTO AARON — Because the river had protected Moses when he was cast into it, therefore it was not smitten by him neither at the plague of blood nor at that of frogs, but it was smitten by Aaron (Exodus Rabbah 9:10). (2) נהרתם THEIR STREAMS — These are the flowing rivers, just like our rivers in France. (3) יאריהם — These are canals which convey water being made by human agency and extending from the river bank into the fields. The waters of the Nile increase in volume and rise by way of these canals and so irrigate the fields. (4) אגמיהם — A collection of waters that neither spring up from beneath the ground nor flow along, but which remain in one spot. In old French they call it étang. (5) בכל ארץ מצרים [THERE WILL BE BLOOD] THROUGHOUT ALL THE LAND OF EGYPT— also in their bathing establishments and in the baths in their houses. (6) ובעצים ובאבנים — the water which happened to be BOTH IN vessels of WOOD AND in vessels of STONE.
(יב) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהֹוָה֮ אֶל־מֹשֶׁה֒ אֱמֹר֙ אֶֽל־אַהֲרֹ֔ן נְטֵ֣ה אֶֽת־מַטְּךָ֔ וְהַ֖ךְ אֶת־עֲפַ֣ר הָאָ֑רֶץ וְהָיָ֥ה לְכִנִּ֖ם בְּכׇל־אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃
(1) And the LORD said to Moses, “Say to Aaron: Hold out your arm with the rod over the rivers, the canals, and the ponds, and bring up the frogs on the land of Egypt.” (2) Aaron held out his arm over the waters of Egypt, and the frogs came up and covered the land of Egypt. (3) But the magicians did the same with their spells, and brought frogs upon the land of Egypt. (4) Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “Plead with the LORD to remove the frogs from me and my people, and I will let the people go to sacrifice to the LORD.” (5) And Moses said to Pharaoh, “You may have this triumph over me: for what time shall I plead in behalf of you and your courtiers and your people, that the frogs be cut off from you and your houses, to remain only in the Nile?” (6) “For tomorrow,” he replied. And [Moses] said, “As you say—that you may know that there is none like the LORD our God; (7) the frogs shall retreat from you and your courtiers and your people; they shall remain only in the Nile.” (8) Then Moses and Aaron left Pharaoh’s presence, and Moses cried out to the LORD in the matter of the frogs which He had inflicted upon Pharaoh. (9) And the LORD did as Moses asked; the frogs died out in the houses, the courtyards, and the fields. (10) And they piled them up in heaps, till the land stank. (11) But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he became stubborn and would not heed them, as the LORD had spoken. (12) Then the LORD said to Moses, “Say to Aaron: Hold out your rod and strike the dust of the earth, and it shall turn to lice throughout the land of Egypt.” (13) And they did so. Aaron held out his arm with the rod and struck the dust of the earth, and vermin came upon man and beast; all the dust of the earth turned to lice throughout the land of Egypt. (14) The magicians did the like with their spells to produce lice, but they could not. The vermin remained upon man and beast; (15) and the magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God!” But Pharaoh’s heart stiffened and he would not heed them, as the LORD had spoken. (16) And the LORD said to Moses, “Early in the morning present yourself to Pharaoh, as he is coming out to the water, and say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD: Let My people go that they may worship Me. (17) For if you do not let My people go, I will let loose swarms of insects-a against you and your courtiers and your people and your houses; the houses of the Egyptians, and the very ground they stand on, shall be filled with swarms of insects. (18) But on that day I will set apart the region of Goshen, where My people dwell, so that no swarms of insects shall be there, that you may know that I the LORD am in the midst of the land. (19) And I will make a distinction between My people and your people. Tomorrow this sign shall come to pass.’” (20) And the LORD did so. Heavy swarms of insects invaded Pharaoh’s palace and the houses of his courtiers; throughout the country of Egypt the land was ruined because of the swarms of insects. (21) Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “Go and sacrifice to your God within the land.” (22) But Moses replied, “It would not be right to do this, for what we sacrifice to the LORD our God is untouchable to the Egyptians. If we sacrifice that which is untouchable to the Egyptians before their very eyes, will they not stone us! (23) So we must go a distance of three days into the wilderness and sacrifice to the LORD our God as He may command us.” (24) Pharaoh said, “I will let you go to sacrifice to the LORD your God in the wilderness; but do not go very far. Plead, then, for me.” (25) And Moses said, “When I leave your presence, I will plead with the LORD that the swarms of insects depart tomorrow from Pharaoh and his courtiers and his people; but let not Pharaoh again act deceitfully, not letting the people go to sacrifice to the LORD.” (26) So Moses left Pharaoh’s presence and pleaded with the LORD. (27) And the LORD did as Moses asked: He removed the swarms of insects from Pharaoh, from his courtiers, and from his people; not one remained. (28) But Pharaoh became stubborn this time also, and would not let the people go.
(א) אמר אל אהרן. לֹא הָיָה הֶעָפָר כְּדַאי לִלְקוֹת עַ"יְ מֹשֶׁה, לְפִי שֶׁהֵגֵן עָלָיו כְּשֶׁהָרַג אֶת הַמִּצְרִי וַיִּטְמְנֵהוּ בַּחוֹל, וְלָקָה עַל יְדֵי אַהֲרֹן (שמות רבה):
(1) אמר אל אהרן SAY UNTO AARON — The dust did not deserve to be smitten by Moses because it had protected him when he slew the Egyptian, for “he hid him in the sand”; and it was therefore smitten by Aaron (Tanchuma; Exodus Rabbah 10:7).
שאל רבא את רבה בר מרי מה מקור הפתגם באר ששתית ממנה, אל תזרוק בה אבן? א"ל דכתיב (דברים כג, ח) לא תתעב אדומי כי אחיך הוא ולא תתעב מצרי כי גר היית בארצו
The verse states with regard to one diagnosed with leprosy: “And the leper in whom the plague is, his clothes shall be rent, and the hair of his head shall go loose, and he shall cover his upper lip, and he shall cry: Unclean, unclean” (Leviticus 13:45). Not only must the leper suffer from the leprosy itself; he must undergo further embarrassment by publicizing his condition. This is akin to the aphorism that poverty follows the poor. Rava said to Rabba bar Mari: From where is this matter derived whereby the Sages stated: Awaken early and eat, in the summer due to the heat and in the winter due to the cold. And similarly, people say: Sixty runners run and do not reach the man who ate in the morning. Rabba bar Mari said to him that the source is as it is written: “They shall not hunger nor thirst, neither shall the heat nor the sun smite them” (Isaiah 49:10), indicating that one who is not hungry or thirsty will not be affected by the weather. Rava said to him: You said the proof from there, from a verse in the Prophets, and I say the proof from here, from a verse in the Torah. The verse states: “And you shall serve the Lord your God, and He will bless your bread and your water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of you” (Exodus 23:25). Rava explicates: “And you shall serve the Lord your God”; this is referring to the recitation of Shema and prayer. “And He will bless your bread and your water”; this is referring to bread dipped in salt, and a flask of water drunk after the bread, in the mornings. From this point forward the remainder of the verse applies: “And I will take sickness away from the midst of you.” And it is taught in a baraita: “Sickness”; this is referring to bile. And why is its name called sickness [maḥala]? It is called this since there are eighty-three sicknesses in bile. The letters spelling the word maḥala, i.e., mem, ḥet, lamed, heh, have that numerical value of eighty-three. And with regard to all of those sicknesses, eating bread dipped in salt in the morning and drinking a flask of water afterward negates them. Rava said to Rabba bar Mari: From where is this matter derived whereby the Sages stated: If your friend calls you a donkey, prepare a saddle for your back, i.e., do not contest his statement? Rabba bar Mari said to him that the source is as it is written in the conversation between the angel and Hagar: “And he said: Hagar, maidservant of Sarai, from where did you come and to where are you going? And she said: I am fleeing from the face of my mistress Sarai” (Genesis 16:8). Though Hagar was no longer the maidservant of Sarai, since the angel referred to her as such, she responded in kind. Rava said to Rabba bar Mari: From where is this matter derived whereby people say: If you are aware of a derogatory matter that is found in you, say it first before others say it about you? Rabba bar Mari said to him that the source is as it is written with regard to Eliezer: “And he said: I am Abraham’s servant” (Genesis 24:34), immediately proclaiming that he is a servant. Rava said to Rabba bar Mari: From where is this matter derived whereby people say: The goose stoops its head as it goes along, but its eyes look afar to find food for itself? Rabba bar Mari said to him that the source is as it is written with regard to Abigail’s statement to David: “And when the Lord shall have dealt well with my lord, then remember your maidservant” (I Samuel 25:31). Although Abigail spoke with humility in her request that David spare her husband’s life, she made reference to deriving future benefit from David. Rava said to Rabba bar Mari: From where is this matter derived whereby people say: Sixty discomforts come to the teeth [lekhakha] of one who hears the sound of another eating and does not eat? Rabba bar Mari said to him that the source is as it is written with regard to what Nathan the prophet said concerning the coronation banquet of Adonijah, to which he was not invited: “For he is gone down this day, and has slain oxen and fatlings and sheep in abundance, and has called all the king’s sons…But me, even me your servant, and Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and your servant Solomon he has not called” (I Kings 1:25–26). Rava said to him: You said the proof from there, from a verse in the Prophets, and I say the proof from here, from a verse in the Torah. As it is written: “And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her, and Isaac was comforted for his mother” (Genesis 24:67). And it is written immediately afterward: “And Abraham took another wife, and her name was Keturah” (Genesis 25:1). After seeing his son marry, Abraham was disquieted by the fact he was not married. This is akin to one who sees another eating and does not eat. Rava said to Rabba bar Mari: From where is this matter derived whereby people say: While the wine belongs to its owner, the gratitude is given to the one who pours it? Rabba bar Mari said to him that the source is as it is written with regard to God commanding Moses to transfer his authority to Joshua: “And the Lord said unto Moses: Take you Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is spirit, and lay your hand upon him…that all the congregation of the children of Israel may hearken” (Numbers 27:18–20). And it is written: “And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom; for Moses had laid his hands upon him; and the children of Israel hearkened unto him, and did as the Lord commanded Moses” (Deuteronomy 34:9). Although the spirit of God was not given to Joshua by Moses, as Moses was only a conduit, he was given credit for it. Rava said to Rabba bar Mari: From where is this matter derived whereby people say: A dog, in its hunger, swallows even dung? Rabba bar Mari said to him that the source is as it is written: “The full soul loathes a honeycomb; but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet” (Proverbs 27:7). Rava said to Rabba bar Mari: From where is this matter derived whereby people say: A bad palm tree strolls and goes to be among a grove of barren trees, i.e., bad people seek out other bad people? Rabba bar Mari said to him: This matter is written in the Torah, repeated in the Prophets, and triplicated in the Writings, and we learned it in a mishna, and we learned it in a baraita. Rabba bar Mari explains each of the sources. It is written in the Torah, as it is written: “And so Esau went to Ishmael” (Genesis 28:9). It is repeated in the Prophets, as it is written: “And there were gathered vain fellows to Yiftah, and they went out with him” (Judges 11:3). And it is triplicated in the Writings, as it is written: All fowl will live with its kind, and men with those like him (Book of Ben Sira 13:17). We learned it in a mishna (Kelim 12:2): All that is attached to that which is ritually impure is ritually impure; all that is attached to that which is ritually pure is ritually pure. And we learned it in a baraita: Rabbi Eliezer says: Not for naught did the starling go to the raven but because it is its kind, as it too is a non-kosher bird. Rava said to Rabba bar Mari: From where is this matter derived whereby people say: If you called to your friend and he did not answer you, throw a large wall and cast it at him, i.e., do not attempt to help him anymore? Rabba bar Mari said to him that the source is as it is written: “Because I have purged you and you were not purged, you shall not be purged from your impurity anymore, until I have satisfied My fury upon you” (Ezekiel 24:13). Rava said to Rabba bar Mari: From where is this matter derived whereby people say: If there is a well that you drank from, do not throw a stone into it? Rabba bar Mari said to him that the source is as it is written: “You shall not abhor an Edomite, for he is your brother; you shall not abhor an Egyptian, because you were a stranger in his land” (Deuteronomy 23:8). Since you dwelled in their lands, you may not cause them harm. Rava said to Rabba bar Mari: From where is this matter derived whereby people say: If you lift the load with me I will lift it, and if you will not lift it with me I won’t lift it? Rabba bar Mari said to him that the source is as it is written with regard to Barak and Deborah concerning the war of Sisera: “And Barak said to her: If you will go with me, then I will go; but if you will not go with me, I will not go” (Judges 4:8). Rava said to Rabba bar Mari: From where is this matter derived whereby people say: When we were small, we were considered to be men; now that we are old, we are considered to be children [ledardekei]? Rabba bar Mari said to him that the source is that initially, it is written with regard to the Jewish people traveling in the wilderness: “And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light” (Exodus 13:21). God Himself guarded over the Jewish people. But at the end, after some time passed and it would be expected that the Jewish people were considered more important, it is written:
(ב) לא תתעב מצרי. מִכֹּל וָכֹל, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁזָּרְקוּ את תִּינוֹקוֹתֵיכֶם לַיְאוֹר. מַה טַּעַם? שֶׁהָיוּ לָכֶם אַכְסַנְיָא בִּשְׁעַת הַדְּחָק.
(1) לא תתעב אדמי THOU SHALT NOT ABHOR AN EDOMITE utterly, although it would be proper for you to abhor him because he came out against thee with the sword (Numbers 20:18—20). (2) לא תתעב מצרי THOU SHALT NOT ABHOR AN EGYPTIAN all in all (utterly), although they cast your male children into the river. And what is the reason that you should not abhor him utterly? Because they were your hosts in time of need (during Joseph’s reign when the neighbouring countries suffered from famine); therefore although they sinned against you do not utterly abhor him, but —
הצעה משלי (מיקי פרנקל):
*ראיתי לנכון לצרף את זה למרות שאני משוכנע שאין לזה מקום במסגרת המפגש עם הנער. זו אבחנה דקה למדי שלא ישׂים להעביר אותה לנער צעיר בפרק זמן קצר. אבל אמרתי לא אמנע טוב מבעליו ולכן אני מניח זאת כאן להעשרת הלומד.*
המצפון מדרבן אותנו לומר תודה למי שהטיב עמנו; ההטבה יוצרת סוג של מחויבות כלפי המטיב, ואמירת תודה היא מעין פרעון של החוב הזה. אנו מכבדים את מי שהטיב לנו באמירה זו, והכבוד הוא כמו תשלום על ההטבה.
ההבנה שאמירת תודה מכבדת את המטיב מדרבנת להודות גם למי שהטיב איתנו ממניע שאיננו שאיפת חסד צרופה - נהגי אוטובוס, עובדי ניקיון, מלצרים - אלו אנשים שקופים בעיני רוב החברה, ואמירת תודה מחזקת את תחושת הערך העצמי שלהם ומעניקה להם אושר (במקרה שהם נתנו שירות מסור ואדיב, אמירת התודה נובעת מתחושת חוב כלפיהם וכמו בפסקה הראשונה).
עד כה דיברנו על ערך אנושי של *אמירת תודה*.
במקורות היהודיים מצאנו דגש עניין של הכרת הטוב לחפצים דוממים. מפליא לראות שבמקורות בהם דנו חז"ל בהכרת הטוב לא מצאנו מקרה פשוט של אמירת תודה למי שהטיב, אלא רק מקרים שהשכל הישר לא היה מחייב בהם אמירת תודה - מחויבותו של משה לַיְאוֹר ולֶעָפָר, הכרת הטוב לַמִצְרִיּם על שהרשו לנו לגור בארצם (תוך שהם משתעבדים בנו). גם על גדולי ישראל יש סיפורים מעין אלו של הערכה לדומם (רבי יוחנן שהכניס את בגדו לתבשילים מאחר והבגדים מכבדים אותו; או בדור האחרון על הרב גוסטמן זצ"ל שהיה משקה את העציצים בנצח ישראל). איך ניתן להסביר זאת?
דומני שבעוד השכל האנושי מורה על *אמירת תודה* מהטעמים שציינו לעיל, היהדות מדרבנת דווקא *הכרת הטוב*. הכרת הטוב היא עצם תחושת המחויבות למי שהטיב עמנו, עוד לפני המחשבה על אופן הפרעון. על אדם להתפעם מהטוב שהוא חווה ולדעת להעריך אותו. באמירת תודה, מילות ההערכה למטיב או החזרת הטובה לו היא מימוש הערך, בעוד בהכרת הטוב החזרת הטובה היא אופן להעצים את תחושת הכרת הטוב.
היכולת להעריך על זה שקמת בבוקר, שהשמש זרחה, שיש לך משפחה אוהבת, מה ללבוש נובעת מ*הכרת הטוב* והמבט על הצדדים החיוביים בחיים.
*ראיתי לנכון לצרף את זה למרות שאני משוכנע שאין לזה מקום במסגרת המפגש עם הנער. זו אבחנה דקה למדי שלא ישׂים להעביר אותה לנער צעיר בפרק זמן קצר. אבל אמרתי לא אמנע טוב מבעליו ולכן אני מניח זאת כאן להעשרת הלומד.*
המצפון מדרבן אותנו לומר תודה למי שהטיב עמנו; ההטבה יוצרת סוג של מחויבות כלפי המטיב, ואמירת תודה היא מעין פרעון של החוב הזה. אנו מכבדים את מי שהטיב לנו באמירה זו, והכבוד הוא כמו תשלום על ההטבה.
ההבנה שאמירת תודה מכבדת את המטיב מדרבנת להודות גם למי שהטיב איתנו ממניע שאיננו שאיפת חסד צרופה - נהגי אוטובוס, עובדי ניקיון, מלצרים - אלו אנשים שקופים בעיני רוב החברה, ואמירת תודה מחזקת את תחושת הערך העצמי שלהם ומעניקה להם אושר (במקרה שהם נתנו שירות מסור ואדיב, אמירת התודה נובעת מתחושת חוב כלפיהם וכמו בפסקה הראשונה).
עד כה דיברנו על ערך אנושי של *אמירת תודה*.
במקורות היהודיים מצאנו דגש עניין של הכרת הטוב לחפצים דוממים. מפליא לראות שבמקורות בהם דנו חז"ל בהכרת הטוב לא מצאנו מקרה פשוט של אמירת תודה למי שהטיב, אלא רק מקרים שהשכל הישר לא היה מחייב בהם אמירת תודה - מחויבותו של משה לַיְאוֹר ולֶעָפָר, הכרת הטוב לַמִצְרִיּם על שהרשו לנו לגור בארצם (תוך שהם משתעבדים בנו). גם על גדולי ישראל יש סיפורים מעין אלו של הערכה לדומם (רבי יוחנן שהכניס את בגדו לתבשילים מאחר והבגדים מכבדים אותו; או בדור האחרון על הרב גוסטמן זצ"ל שהיה משקה את העציצים בנצח ישראל). איך ניתן להסביר זאת?
דומני שבעוד השכל האנושי מורה על *אמירת תודה* מהטעמים שציינו לעיל, היהדות מדרבנת דווקא *הכרת הטוב*. הכרת הטוב היא עצם תחושת המחויבות למי שהטיב עמנו, עוד לפני המחשבה על אופן הפרעון. על אדם להתפעם מהטוב שהוא חווה ולדעת להעריך אותו. באמירת תודה, מילות ההערכה למטיב או החזרת הטובה לו היא מימוש הערך, בעוד בהכרת הטוב החזרת הטובה היא אופן להעצים את תחושת הכרת הטוב.
היכולת להעריך על זה שקמת בבוקר, שהשמש זרחה, שיש לך משפחה אוהבת, מה ללבוש נובעת מ*הכרת הטוב* והמבט על הצדדים החיוביים בחיים.