Hakkarot Hatov: Judaism, Gratitude, and You

In Judaism, the middah (Jewish value) of hakarat hatov is used to emphasize the importance of recognizing the amazing things God has blessed us with in our lives. Not only is hakarat hatov about gratitude; it is also about our attitude toward the world around us. Translated from Hebrew, the term means “recognizing the good.” Traditional Judaism implores us to focus on the message of hakarat hatov by finding one hundred things to be grateful for every day. If you look even deeper into the prayers that are said daily, they are infused with millions of thankfulness blessings for God, for waking up, for our ability to breathe, and for anything else you can think of. The core of Jewish teaching is being thankful for everything around us.

The essence of hakarat hatov isn’t just to express thankfulness to those around you and the objects you possess in your life; it also is to truly feel the gratitude deep in your heart and soul. In order to do so, you must practice gratitude every day. The feeling of gratefulness stems from the intention of finding the good in everything you do, which can be measured easily through writing and keeping a log of the things you are thankful for. Day by day, hakarat hatov can change your mindset into more positive thinking, which is a breath of fresh air for those whostruggle with mental health.