Community Torah Corner, Nov. 22, 2024

Rabbi Ari Lucas
Congregation Agudath Israel
Caldwell, NJ
Parashat Chaya Sarah

May the Merciful bless all who are gathered here, us and all that is ours, as our ancestors were blessed “bakol,” “mikol,” “kol” - in every way. 
                       (Birkat Hamazon - Grace After Meals)

When we used to chant this at my Jewish summer camp, people would put air quotes around “bakol, mikol, kol” because that’s how this part was printed in our benchers (little booklets with the Grace After Meals). It was fun, but I doubt many of us at the time (including me) knew why these words were put in quotation marks, let alone where they came from. 

The answer is that the word “kol" (all/every) appears in the Torah in connection to each of the three patriarchs.

In this week’s Torah portion, we read a description of Abraham, advanced in years, and “God blessed him bakol - in all things.” (Genesis 24:1) 

Regarding Isaac, we will read next week that he ate “mikol (from all) (27:33) that Jacob brought him and blessed him. 

When Jacob reunites and reconciles with his brother Esau, he will say “yesh li kol" (I have everything) (33:11), meaning more than enough. 

“Bakol (Abraham), mikol (Isaac), kol (Jacob)”

The author of Birkat Hamazon cleverly connects the dots between these three quotations and puts their words in our mouths as we thank God for a meal we have just consumed. 

We say these words with the hope that our mindset will follow. Each of the patriarchs had their share of challenges and disappointments, yet all of them mustered the courage to thank God for all their blessings. They were grateful for all of it, even when it wasn’t all good. I often think of the insight of author Heidi Barr who wrote, “Gratitude is not the Tylenol of life…it doesn’t change what’s wrong…[instead] gratitude means acknowledging what is still good even alongside the mess.”

Perhaps we can strive to follow the example of our ancestors - feeling blessed in every way, not only when things are smooth and good, but also alongside the difficult moments of life.
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