Intentional Thanks and Wisdom from the Father of the Polio Vaccine

It’s almost like the movie Groundhog Day, and “deja vu all over again.” Yes, another year and another opportunity to hear responses to the same assignment for our students. 

From Nursery through Middle School, mid November is that time--the time for the “What I am Thankful For” essay or bulletin board to come out of the files.  And while it may seem repetitive and trite, an insight from this week’s parsha reminds us, once again of why it’s necessary for all of us to articulate and specify the parts of our life for which we must give thanks.

In this week’s parsha, Sarah dies and Avraham goes to Kiryat Arba.  The Torah tells us:
וַתָּ֣מָת שָׂרָ֗ה בְּקִרְיַ֥ת אַרְבַּ֛ע הִ֥וא חֶבְר֖וֹן בְּאֶ֣רֶץ כְּנָ֑עַן וַיָּבֹא֙ אַבְרָהָ֔ם לִסְפֹּ֥ד לְשָׂרָ֖ה וְלִבְכֹּתָֽהּ׃
Sarah died in Kiriath-arba—now Hebron—in the land of Canaan; and Abraham proceeded to mourn for Sarah and to bewail her. (Gen. 23:1)
Why does the Torah tell us that Avraham was mourning for Sarah?  It is obvious given the context that Sarah is the subject.  R. Dr. Tzvi Hersh Weinreb points out that, as opposed to the often uncontrollable emotional element of the crying, the eulogy is the moment where mourners can gather their thoughts and “plan intentionally.” It is the opportunity for people to share the legacy of the particular person--conveying memories specific to the deceased and articulating the unique lessons that can be learned from their lives. It is for this reason, says R. Weinreb, that Avraham’s was uniquely a Sarah eulogy.
This lesson is also important when it comes to thanks. Simply saying “thank you” is kind, but it does not allow an articulation and internalization of the specific pieces of our lives for which we are grateful.  By specifying and naming the reasons why, and the people to whom we are grateful, we make the feeling come alive.  Not only does the thanks give well-deserved recognition, it perpetuates the legacy of those deserving of our thanks, and it also becomes part of our story and our legacy. 
Sarah had passed on a legacy to Avraham and to all of her survivors--a legacy so clear that Avraham easily knew how to recount it.  And the same is true for us.  Every moment of our lives we have the opportunity to construct our legacy.  Jonas Salk, the father of the Polio vaccine, once said, “Our greatest responsibility is to be good ancestors.”  And good ancestors know that the most precious commodity is their legacy.
Our legacies will rise or fall on how we act, how we give and forgive, how we learn and live, how we love, how we prioritize and yes, how we thank. 

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