Va'eira - Gratitude of Attitude

Gratitude and Attitude

 Tevet 25/26,5775  January 16/17,2015

In this Torah Portion (Parsha),we experience the beginning of the 10 plagues. We can incorporate an ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE,and for some, a lack there of, as G-d instructs Moses that he should speak and share with Aaron and tell him to take his staff and strike the Nile River; the same exact river that helped save Moses' life as a very little baby!  Moses was thankful and full of gratitude!   One may say, the plague was not done by 'his' own hand,as he followed G-d's instruction,with assistance.

The notion also holds true for the plague of lice.  Moses was not to strike the Earth to bring on the plague because that very land had saved his own life when he struck and killed the Egyptian Slave-Master,as he buried him.  We can now see clearly that The Torah is teaching us how deeply we must feel gratitude, not only for other human beings who come to help us, but also to inanimate objects such as our natural surroundings.

Moses was a VERY grateful person,and NEVER forgot his upbringing,and his past.  For example, in Bamidbar, Moses is commanded to take vengeance on the land of Midyan,and YES, he does not hesitate to go into war, but he will not lead the troops, because many years back, he had lived in the land and called it home.  Therefore, it he felt gratitude and would not personally lead/fight this battle.   

On another hand, one may also show IN-gratitude. During the mass exodus from Egypt, there were loud complaints about the conditions of the Sinai Desert!   Sand,lack of _______,extreme heat is enough to make ALL of us be agitated and some what ungrateful!  What they (and all of us) must hold close to our hearts and souls is the appreciation of being "Let Go" from slavery.  Through-out history, we are confronted with opportunities to show our gratitude or to deny it to another of to G-d!

If we take a look at today, some of our personal 'issues' or worries can be traced to a failing ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE,especially towards family and friends.  A person who develops an ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE is a much happier person and certainly sees more satisfaction in his/her relationships.

Good Shabbos/Shabbot Shalom/שבת שלום