Being grateful to God is one of the hardest things to do when we are successful. That is why there is a special commandment in the Torah to remind us of this.
This week’s parsha, Ki Tavo, begins with the mitzvah of Bikkurim, the bringing of the first fruits.
A farmer has worked an entire season. He planted. He watered. He cared for his fields. Finally, after all that effort, he sees the first fruits of his labor.
But instead of simply enjoying his success, the Torah tells him to take those first fruits to the Temple and make a declaration.
And what does he talk about?
He talks about our history. He remembers our beginnings, our suffering in Egypt, how God took us out of slavery, and how God brought us into the Land of Israel — “a land flowing with milk and honey.” Then he says, in effect: Here are the first fruits of the land that You, God, have given me.
That is a remarkable statement.
The farmer could easily say, “What do you mean God gave me this? I did the work! I planted the seeds. I watered the fields. I worked from morning until night.”
And that is all true.
Judaism does not tell us to sit back and wait for miracles. We are expected to work. We are expected to make an effort. We are expected to do everything we reasonably can to succeed.
But after we have done all that, we must recognize that the final result is not entirely in our hands.
There is a famous story about a printer in Bnei Brak who, for many years, essentially had a monopoly on the local printing business. Then another printer came to town and opened a competing shop.
Everyone expected trouble. Surely the established printer would be furious about this new competition.
Instead, one evening, the established printer knocked on the new printer’s door.
He handed him a list.
“These are the customers who pay on time. These are the customers you may have to chase for payment. These are the reliable suppliers, and these are the ones you need to be careful with.”
The new printer was astonished.
“Why are you helping me? We’re competitors!”
The older printer answered with a profound idea:
“My livelihood is ultimately in God’s hands. If God wants me to succeed, you cannot take that success away from me. And if God does not want me to succeed, keeping this information from you will not save me.”
That does not mean he stopped working hard. Of course he worked hard. But he understood the difference between effort and outcome.
And perhaps that is one of the great lessons of Bikkurim.
We have an obligation to plant. We have an obligation to water. We have an obligation to work hard and make wise decisions.
But when the fruit finally appears, we should have the humility to say:
I worked for this — but I did not accomplish it alone.
Whether our success is in business, our profession, our family, or anything else in life, Ki Tavo reminds us not to fall into the trap of believing, “My strength and the power of my own hand made me successful.”
Work hard. Make the effort. Do everything you can.
But when you succeed, remember to say two very important words:
Thank God.
Something to think about.
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