Bible references

Key NT Scriptures

• Colossians 1:3
• Ephesians 5:20
• Matthew 23:39

Key OT Scriptures

• Deuteronomy 8:6-18
  Click to retrieve Deuteronomy 8:6-18
  Jewish Commentary
• Deuteronomy 10:8
  Jewish Commentary
• Psalms 34:2
  Jewish Commentary
• Psalms 50:23
  Jewish Commentary
• Psalms 100:4
  Jewish Commentary

Supportive NT Scriptures

• Colossians 2:6-7
• Colossians 3:15
• 2 Corinthians 2:14
• James 3:7-10
• Matthew 26:26-27
• Philippians 4:6
• Romans 1:20
• 1 Thessalonians 5:18
• 2 Timothy 1:3

Supportive OT Scriptures

• 1 Chronicles 29:20
  Jewish Commentary
• Daniel 2:19-20
  Jewish Commentary
• Exodus 18:10
  Jewish Commentary
• Genesis 9:26
  Jewish Commentary
• Judges 5:2-3
  Jewish Commentary
• Psalms 9:1-2
  Jewish Commentary
• Psalms 16:17
  Jewish Commentary
• Psalms 28:6
  Jewish Commentary
• Psalms 41:14
  Jewish Commentary
• Psalms 50:14
  Jewish Commentary
• Psalms 63:5
  Jewish Commentary
• Psalms 68:20
  Jewish Commentary
• Psalms 72:18-19
  Jewish Commentary
• Psalms 92:2
  Jewish Commentary
• Psalms 95:2
  Jewish Commentary
• Psalms 96:2
  Jewish Commentary
• Psalms 97:12
  Jewish Commentary
• Psalms 100:1-5
  Jewish Commentary
• Psalms 103:1-2
  Jewish Commentary
• Psalms 104:1-2
  Jewish Commentary
• Psalms 105:1
  Jewish Commentary
• Psalms 115:18
  Jewish Commentary
• Psalms 118:1
  Jewish Commentary
• Psalms 118:28-29
  Jewish Commentary
• Psalms 134:1-2
  Jewish Commentary
• Psalms 135:19-21
  Jewish Commentary
• Psalms 136:1-3
  Jewish Commentary
• Psalms 145:21
  Jewish Commentary
• Ruth 4:14
  Jewish Commentary

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Commentary

Rabbi Michael Rudolph

It should be apparent from the many Scriptures quoted above, that both the Tanakh and the Kitvey B'rit Chadasha enjoin us to be thankful to God, giving thanks to Him who created all and who continues to provide for our every need. There exists, however, only one place in the Torah that specifically commands thankfulness - Deuteronomy 8:6-18 , verse 10 , which is the basis for the traditional Grace after Meals, the Birkat Hamazon . Notwithstanding that single occurrence, being thankful and giving thanks to God are deeply ingrained in Judaism and in Jewish practice. They are addressed in various places in the Talmud (e.g. in B'rakhot and Avot ), and appear in the Siddur as the first blessing that is said upon awakening ( Modeh Ani ), as the next-to-last benediction of the Sh'moneh Esreh (" Modim anachnu lach ... "), and as the central theme of the Aleinu prayer (" Va'anachnu korim umishtachavim umodim "). They are also implicit in the multitude of blessings that begin " Baruch atah adonai, eloheynu melech ha-olam ... " ("Blessed are you Lord, our God, King of the universe, who ..."). There are essentially two ways in which we can bless God. The first is by expressing thankful praise to Him for the blessings He bestows on us. It may be emoted spontaneously or recited ritually in what is termed a " b'rakhah ". The second way is by loving Him as our Heavenly Father, Messiah savior, and Holy Spirit, and by fulfilling His highest expectation of us, which is to be unswervingly obedient to His Word and to walk in His ways. The totality of Scripture makes it plain that our being thankful to God and our blessing Him should not be only for His provision of food, but for all of His provisions and blessings that He bestows upon us, not the least of which is His unconditional love. There is therefore a deeper way to understand and employ the Birkat Hamazon than as merely "grace after meals". It is that, in the fullness of our having eaten, we should allow its words to permeate our soul while contemplating our blessings, and thankfully remembering that God is our provider and sustainer, and not we ourselves.

Classical commentators

None of the commentators (Maimonides, Meir, or HaChinuch) wrote general mitzvot commanding that we be thankful to God. That is no doubt because they only sought to codify commandments they found in the Torah , and concluded that Deuteronomy 8:10 is the only Scripture in the Torah that commands thankfulness. Two English translations for Deuteronomy 8:10 are included in the Scripture list above. None of the commentators worked in the English language, of course, but the way the New King James Version translates Deuteronomy 8:10 must have been close to how all three of them understood the Hebrew. I conclude this because all three of their mitzvot command that we bless God after we have eaten a meal (i.e. say Grace). Although the context of the Scripture is the Israelites having come into the Promised Land, Maimonides, Meir, HaChinuch and all of Judaism interpret it broadly to mean that, after we have eaten and are satisfied, we are to remember God who brought us out of Egypt. That is the purpose of the Birkat Hamazon . Meir states that we are also to bless God before eating. Using the logic of kal va-chomer (less to more), he states that if we are to bless God when we are satisfied, how much more is our obligation to bless him when we are hungry. The logic seems a little backwards, but that is his logic. As with thanking God, none of the commentators wrote mitzvot on "blessing God" either.

Copyright © Michael Rudolph and Daniel C. Juster, The Law of Messiah, Torah from a New Covenant Perspective, Volume 1 & 2

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Based on The Law of Messiah - Torah from a New Covenant Perspective by Michael Rudolph and Daniel C. Juster.

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