Dear TBZ Community,
Every year, as I return to this parasha (Torah portion), I am moved by the same verse:
וַיִּיקַץ יַעֲקֹב מִשְּׁנָתוֹ וַיֹּאמֶר אָכֵן יֵשׁ יְהֹוָה בַּמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה וְאָנֹכִי לֹא יָדָעְתִּ
Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely Adonai is present in this place, and I did not know it!” (Genesis 28:16)
Jacob had run away from his brother and his home, and he comes to rest, his head upon a stone for a pillow. As he sleeps, he dreams of angels ascending and descending a stairway to heaven. He wakes from his dream with awareness and amazement.
The sweetness and power of that moment are captured in these few words:
“Achen, yesh Adonai bamakon haze, va-ani lo yedati.”
“Surely, God is present in this place, and I did not know it.”
There are two inspiring messages here, which today I link to the practice of gratitude:
יֵשׁ יְהֹוָה בַּמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה – God is present in this place
This reminds us that the Divine is with us always, here and now. Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel taught us to live in “radical amazement,” to see the world as phenomenal, to treat life as sacred, and to never take it for granted. Gratitude, too, begins with this awareness: noticing the presence of the Divine and the goodness that surrounds us, even in ordinary moments.
וְאָנֹכִי לֹא יָדָעְתִּ – And I did not know it
Jacob’s awakening is a moment of realization. Gratitude often works the same way: we wake up to the gifts in our lives, sometimes unexpectedly. In the difficult and overwhelming times we live in, this practice of gratitude is more essential than ever. It helps us recognize the good, the sacred, and the enduring blessings that surround us even amid challenges.
The Biblical commentator Sforno explains the words ויפגע במקום (“He came upon a certain place”) from Genesis 28:11:
קרה לו שהגיע אל מקום שלא כיון אליו
It happened that he came to a place he had not intended to go to at all.
Life often leads us to unexpected places.
Some are difficult, some are joyful, some are simply surprising.
Every place holds potential for encounters with the sacred. Our gratitude deepens when we recognize that even the unexpected can carry blessings.
Last Sunday, I felt an immense sense of Divine Presence at our annual Interfaith Thanksgiving Service at All Saints Parish. As we worshiped together with people from Brookline’s different faith communities, I was reminded of how urgent and meaningful it is to show up for one another across our traditions. In a time when division feels so prevalent, these encounters show us that differences are opportunities, diversity is to be cherished, and presence in relationship with one another is a profound blessing. Just as Jacob awoke to notice the Divine, we are invited to wake up to one another – and to the sacredness in each life and each community we encounter.
May this Shabbat and Thanksgiving week bring renewal and a deep awareness of the Divine in our lives.
May we awaken to the sacredness that surrounds us and practice gratitude in all circumstances.
May we find strength, courage, and patience.
May all those who are ill find healing, and may our hearts overflow with gratitude, generosity, and joy.
Shabbat Shalom, and a Happy Thanksgiving,
Rav Claudia