Spencer Mandell: Cultivating Gratitude for God's Daily Blessings

This article first appeared in our Mar/Apr '25 edition of The Bulletin

Every day is an opportunity to begin again. Each morning we wake up with the chance to renew ourselves and transform the world. Jewish tradition teaches that every sunrise is a blessing. A traditional section of Jewish liturgy, Nissim B’chol Yom (נסים בכל יום), consists of fifteen blessings that praise God for daily miracles.

The first of these blessings thanks God for distinguishing day from night. The blessings that follow acknowledge miracles such as opening the eyes of the blind, freeing the captive, and clothing the naked. These prayers, meant to be recited at home, have taught generations of Jews how to begin each day with gratitude. By remembering and reciting God’s blessings, we honor both the grand and subtle miracles of daily life.

As Reform Jews, we are encouraged to cultivate gratitude in ways that resonate personally. Blessings come in many forms and it is up to each of us to recognize and appreciate the goodness in our lives. Thankfully, there are endless ways to express gratitude. For some, traditional Hebrew blessings offer meaning. For others, a morning cup of coffee or completing the New York Times Wordle or crossword puzzle serves as a daily ritual for cultivating deeper mindfulness. Whatever grounds you in gratitude, I hope it provides a moment to reflect on the blessings in your life.

Another powerful Jewish prayer for gratitude is Modeh Ani (מודה אני), which thanks God for returning our souls to our bodies after sleep. The Hebrew root for gratitude, י־ד־ה (yud-dalet-heh), appears in Modeh Ani and also in the name of our ancestor, Yehuda (יהודה), leader of one of the twelve tribes of Israel. Transliterating Yehuda’s name into English, dropping the “h,” and adding “-ism” forms the familiar name of our religion and of our people - Judaism. In many ways, Jewish tradition is about helping Jews cultivate a deeper sense of gratitude.

Our personal, communal, and social rituals help us grow in gratefulness for all the blessings in our lives. As Jews, particularly as Reform Jews, we are given the freedom and responsibility to choose how we engage with meaningful moments. Each day we are renewed and we begin each day by acknowledging God’s presence in our lives - through words of blessing and meaningful rituals. By embracing gratitude in our Jewish lives, we can be a blessing to others, deepen our connection with sacred tradition, and transform our personal and our collective worlds.

Spencer Mandell, Rabbinic Intern