Parshat Ki Savo: Being Grateful – A Jewish Way of Life

This week’s parshah, Ki Savo, opens with an outpouring of blessings that Hashem promises to bestow upon klal Yisrael for observing His commandments. One verse stands out:

“U’vau alecha kol ha’berachos ha’eleh v’hisigucha”—“All these blessings shall come upon you and reach you” (Devarim 28:2).

But the final word—v’hisigucha, “and reach you”—seems redundant. If the blessings come upon you, of course they’ve reached you. Why add this phrase?

I heard a beautiful insight from my father, Rav Yitzchok Fingerer shlit"a, quoting Rav Shaul Yedidya Taub zt”l, the Modzitzer Rebbe. He explains that v’hisigucha can also be understood as hasagah—comprehension, insight, awareness. The Torah is teaching us something profound: It's not enough to be blessed—we must also recognize our blessings.

One can have health, a loving family, a secure job, a warm home—but take it all for granted. Without gratitude, even the most abundant blessings lose their power. The Modzitzer Rebbe teaches that the true blessing is not just receiving, but perceiving. V’hisigucha means that the blessing reaches not just your hands—but your heart. When you’re aware of the gift, and grateful for it—that’s when you’re truly blessed.

Gratitude is central to Jewish life. We start each day with Modeh Ani. We thank Hashem before and after we eat. We recite Birkat HaGomel, Shehechiyanu, Hallel. A Jew is called a Yehudi, from the root hoda’ah—thankfulness.

A powerful story illustrates this beautifully.

 

A Blanket That Changed the World

It was a cold, rainy day in Bnei Brak when Rav Elazar Menachem Man Shach ztk”l, then quite elderly, asked his grandson to drive him to a funeral in Haifa. The drive was long, the weather miserable, and the funeral was for a woman few seemed to know—only four other people were present.

After the burial, Rav Shach lingered at the gravesite in the rain. His grandson, puzzled and concerned, asked, “Who was this woman? Why did we come? And why did you wait in the cold?”

Rav Shach quietly explained: “When I was 11 years old, I came to learn in the Ponevezher yeshivah in Lithuania. I had nothing—no blanket, no pajamas, and I slept on a freezing floor. I received a letter from my uncle, a blacksmith, offering me an apprenticeship. It was tempting—I was cold, hungry, and exhausted. I resolved to leave the yeshivah.

But the next morning, a widow arrived at the yeshivah. Her husband had been a blanket salesman. She came to donate his leftover stock to boys in need. I received one of those blankets.

That night, for the first time, I slept warmly. I decided not to leave. I stayed. I became who I am because of that act of kindness. That woman saved my future. She changed the course of my life.”

Then, Rav Shach added with emotion: “I stood in the rain to remember what it felt like to be cold, to remember what it means to be grateful.”

Gratitude isn’t just a feeling—it’s a practice. It shapes our identity and transforms how we relate to others and to Hashem. V’hisigucha means having the clarity to know just how blessed we are.

Let’s take the time to notice the small blessings. Let’s express thanks to those who help us—whether with a blanket, a kind word, or a warm meal. And let’s train ourselves to live with hakaras hatov—because in that awareness lies the greatest berachah of all.

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Aryeh Fingerer is a passionate Jewish speaker who connects with readers around the world through his meaningful and relatable divrei Torah. He’s dedicated to spreading positivity and strengthening our bond with Yiddishkeit through stories, insights, and timeless Torah values.
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