Reply To: Hakaros Hatov

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The little I know
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Here’s a thought. When Eliezer received agreement from Besuel and Lavan to take Rivka for Yitzchok Avinu, the posuk tells us that Eliezer bowed to HKB”H, to which Rashi explains “Mikan shemodim al besuroh tovah”, from here we learn that we are to be grateful for good news. Obvious question – do we mimick everything that Eliezer did? What was remarkable that Rashi points this out? A simple explanation is that the gratitude we might have expected should be to Besuel and Lavan for permitting Rivka to go, thus fulfilling the obligation Eliezer committed to Avrohom. However, the posuk relates that Eliezer bowed to Hashem. The message is that the ultimate gratitude is due to HKB”H, which is why the posuk spells it out, and Rashi draws attention to this.

Following from this thought, there is much that requires us to be grateful, and we do so in Modim each tefiloh. If someone wronged us, perhaps the only gratitude is to Hashem, which we accomplish at our next tefilloh (if we daven properly). The one who hurt us may not be due that gratitude.