What Reduces Physical Pain, Makes Us Happier, And Brings Us Closer to Hashem?

Good morning! One of the things done at the start of the day is reciting the morning blessings. In these blessings, we express gratitude for things that seem natural and taken for granted, thereby showing our appreciation to Hashem for granting them to us. This gratitude connects us to Hashem and expresses our recognition that everything we have is a gift from heaven, renewed every day. When we acknowledge all the good in our lives and attribute this to Hashem, we awaken ourselves to see how surrounded we are by His kindness, thus creating a sense of closeness with Him.

Giving thanks to Hashem elevates our spiritual level, and also can positively affect physical health such as lowering blood pressure, balancing cholesterol levels, improving sleep quality, and reducing aches and pains. Professor Robert Emmons, one of the world's leading researchers in positive psychology, cites in his book several studies that found practicing gratitude contributes to mental health and increases happiness levels by 25%.

The Torah and its commandments care for our spiritual wellbeing, but they also benefit us mentally and physically, with many examples to illustrate. Today, however, we focus on Jewish gratitude in the morning – the morning blessings.

What is the significance of the morning blessings? Following is a brief explanation, and for those who wish to delve deeper into the meaning of different parts of the prayer, I recommend reading the wonderful book by Rabbi Shimshon Pincus of blessed memory, "Nefesh Shimshon – Siddur of Prayer."

My God, the soul you have given me is pure– gratitude for human existence, composed of two opposing parts: the body and the soul, and for each moment that Hashem leaves the soul within us, giving us life.

Who gives the rooster intelligence to distinguish between day and night– gratitude for the creation of the world and the differentiation of day and night. Another layer of this blessing is gratitude for human wisdom (in Scripture, the heart is referred to as 'rooster'), since human intellect separates us from beasts.

Opens the eyes of the blind– gratitude for vision, for being able to see our children's smiles, seeing the beauty around us, and being able to pick up a book and read.

Releases the bound– gratitude for the ability to move and use our body parts. One doesn't need to see a person in a wheelchair to remember how it's not to be taken for granted.

Raises those who are bent– gratitude for being able to stand upright.

Clothes the naked– gratitude for the clothes that preserve human dignity.

Gives strength to those who are weary– gratitude for entrusting our soul to our Creator at night when it's tired, and for returning it to us anew.

Grounds the earth on the waters– gratitude for Hashem's preservation of the ground's stability beneath our feet.

Prepares the steps of man– gratitude for Hashem's creation of organs and joints in our bodies, enabling us to walk.

Who provides me with all my needs– gratitude for all the details in our lives, even the fact that we have shoes to wear.

Girds Israel with strength– gratitude for Hashem giving us the strength to overcome the evil inclination. Another explanation is that we're grateful that only the Jewish nation combines the secular and sacred, with a partition between them, unlike other nations where the material world is the only reality, and unlike angels for whom only the spiritual world exists.

Crowns Israel with splendor– gratitude that Hashem adorned the Jewish people with a yarmulke, creating a partition that allows the Divine presence to dwell above their heads.

Who has not made me a non-Jew (Sephardic women bless' who has not made me a non-Jewess') – gratitude for being part of the chosen Jewish people.

Who has not made me a slave (Sephardic women bless 'who has not made me a maid') – gratitude for not being born as servants exempt from time-bound commandments, such as wearing tzitzit, donning tefillin, and more.

Who has not made me a woman– gratitude of a man for being required to fulfill all 613 commandments, unlike a woman who is exempt from time-bound commandments. Sephardic women say without mentioning the name of Hashem 'Blessed for having made me according to His will', while Ashkenazi women bless with Hashem's name 'for having made me according to His will'– gratitude for being created inherently inclined to fulfill Hashem's will, and for the privilege of fulfilling their enormous role in building the home in the generational chain of Israel.

The one who removes sleep from my eyes and slumber from my eyelids... Who bestows good deeds unto His people Israel– gratitude for Hashem removing the heavy feeling of sleep, and for all the kindnesses He does for the people of Israel.

The Weekly Challenge

Take a minute daily for gratitude, and say the morning blessings.