Dedicated to the hatzlocha and teshuva of Jenya Tzvi Hirsch ben Anna Chaya Leah and Noah Daniel & Moshe b’nei Leah Chana among all of Klal Yisrael, Amen!
Why Gratitude? Why 40 Days?
What type of glasses do we put on each morning?
How do we choose to look at the world?
Do we look for the blessings in our lives –
Or do we blind ourselves by focusing on what we are lacking?
The essence of being a Jew is gratitude. The Hebrew word for Jewish is Yehudim, which describes an outpouring of giving thanks. 40 days is how long it takes to change a habit. If we each work actively on cultivating gratitude in our lives for 40 days – rather than complaints and entitlements – what a different world we would live in!
Come join the GRATITUDE REVOLUTION! Increasing your appreciation in life will increase your emuna!
As the world is waking up after the cold, dark winter and getting ready to blossom – let us cultivate within ourselves the trans formative power of gratitude – within ourselves, and within our world. By changing ourselves, and joining together with people all over the globe, we can change the world.
Here’s how:
- Beginning 20th of Adar Alef, Feb. 29th, until Rosh Chodesh Nissan, April 9th, 5776/2016 pick any gratitude fostering activity that resonates with you – and commit to one (or a combination) for 5 minutes a day for these 40 days.
- Say Nishmat Kol Chai once a day for these 40 days. This is one of the most beautiful poetic adoration’s in all of liturgical literature, recited as part of the Shacharit (morning) service on Shabbos and Yom Tov immediately following Shirat Ha-Yam (“Song at the Sea”). It is also said at the Pesach Seder. It is a tefillah of praise and appreciation to Hashem for all of the goodness that He endlessly bestows upon His beloved people. The first paragraph was known in Mishnaic times, the second was composed during the Talmudic period and the concluding part was added during the Geonic period. Of unknown authorship. You can find the tefillah in every siddur as part of Shabbat Shacharit or on the following link in English: click here
Please note the Jewish day goes from sundown to sundown – so, for example, anytime between when the sun sets on Monday evening and when the sun sets on Tuesday evening counts as one day.
- If it’s too much to do both, choose either #1 (a gratitude building exercise) or #2 (saying Nishmat) for these 40 days. The combination of prayer and action is very powerful. But we are all human, with busy lives. We can do whatever we can do. Every little bit makes a difference. Better to take on something very small for these 40 days, and actually do it. Nothing is too small.
- To sign up click here on the ‘Google Doc’ link. You will receive little doses of inspiration and tips/ideas on gratitude leading up to and throughout the 40 days.
- For any questions or comments, please be in touch: OritRiter@gmail.com,
Please share with friends, family, co-workers, whomever…
WE WANT THIS TO BE GLOBAL SPREAD IT TO EVERYONE!
Here are a few ideas for cultivating gratitude:
Start a gratitude journal. Every day spend 5 minutes writing down things that you feel grateful for;
- Make your family mealtime a regular time for sharing the (little and big) miracles you each experienced throughout your day;
- Any time you catch yourself complaining, ‘pay a fine’ of immediately saying 3 blessings you have in your life;
- Create a wall of miracle pages – tape up pages to your wall, and each night write 3 little, ‘every day’ miracles you experienced that day;
- Gratitude Jar – place a jar on your table where you (or each family member) regularly write something they appreciate or value in the other. Then, once a week, pull them out and read out loud as a family;
- Make a ‘Noticing-the-Good’ notebook – choose a significant person in your life (or a person that maybe annoys you a bit but you want to improve your relationship with) and every day write down one positive trait you see in them.
