Questions tagged [hakaras-hatov]
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13
questions
7
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Should we thank AI the way Moses was thankful to the Nile?
There are sources1,2 that say that Moshe was commanded to not hit the Nile to initiate the plague of blood, or the sand to initiate the plague of lice, because he had benefited from them (and ...
2
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2
answers
115
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Is one obligated to constantly think the natural world good / beautiful / awesome?
I had a rather unpleasant walk to the store today, through heavy wind, rain, mud, et cetera.
During this walk, seeing the goodness of the natural world was a bit challenging.
Is it a mitzvah to ...
5
votes
2
answers
868
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Should I donate money to non-jewish organizations that I've benefited from, or is it better to give that money to Jewish institutions?
I was thinking that on the one hand there may be an ענין to give to a non-Jewish organization that you've benefitted from (e.g. Wikipedia) as a way to train yourself in the middah of הכרת הטוב (...
3
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3
answers
130
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Verse about becoming grateful
Is there any verse in the Tanach which tells/hints on how to become grateful to God for his gifts?
In what sense should one be grateful to God? What I mean is how a person can develop the feeling of ...
4
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1
answer
102
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Why was it necessary for Moshe to show gratitude to things that did not intend to help him?
The חובות הלבבות (in the beginning of the פתיחה to שע�� עבודת אלקים) writes, that one does not need to show gratitude to someone who did him a favor, if the favor was not intended.
ואם תגיע לנו שום ...
3
votes
1
answer
152
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it is for forbidden to do something good for someone who does not acknowledge the good
"it is for forbidden to do something good for someone who does not acknowledge the good"
is this true? what is the source of this? who else holds like this?
at this site it says:
Maharal explains ...
3
votes
2
answers
123
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Egyptian man rescued us from the hand[s] of the shepherds. Who rescued Yisro's daughters?
Shemos 2:19:
They [the daughters of Yisro] replied, "An Egyptian man rescued us
from the hand[s] of the shepherds, and he also drew [water] for us and
watered the flocks."
I once heard an ...
8
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1
answer
95
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How to express thanks for G-d's salvation when others weren't as fortunate
It is customary that one who was miraculously saved from death acknowledge G-d's kindness by making a celebratory meal (Seudat Hoda'ah). See here, here, and the Chayei Adam 154:41
Does anyone discuss ...
10
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2
answers
306
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What did the Or Sameach do for Rabbi Yaakov Ruderman?
I have heard that Rabbi Yaakov Yitzchak Ruderman of Ner Israel quoted Rabbi Meir Simcha (the Or Sameach or Meshech Chochma) in almost every Torah address to the school. I have heard, further, that he ...
2
votes
1
answer
239
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A client of yours finally pays a bill — seven months late. Should you thank him?
You're a freelancer. A client of yours finally pays a bill — seven months late! — via email money transfer.
Should you send him a thank-you email? Or should you simply be silent?
And why?...
6
votes
1
answer
177
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How did Achashverosh not think that Mordechai would be disturbed by the decree to kill all the Jews?
In the book of Ester (6:1), Achashverosh can't sleep and asks to bring the book of records to him. Rashi says that the reason why is in case he was done a favor by someone and didn't repay it and that ...
2
votes
1
answer
456
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The Parameters of Hakaras HaTov?
Hakaras HaTov is generally translated as, or equated with, gratitude. Insofar as it literally means "recognizing the good",are there any sources which explicitly include recognizing good that we do ...
12
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5
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Why can't Moshe hit the water?
As a kid I learned that Moshe wasn't allowed to hit the water because it saved him when he was a child and he had to show hakaras hatov (similar answer for why he couldn't hit the sand that saved him ...