In this week’s Torah portion, Ki Tavo, Moses instructs the people of Israel: When you enter the land that G‑d is giving to you as your eternal heritage, and you settle it and cultivate it, bring the first-ripened fruits (bikkurim) of your orchard to the Holy Temple, and declare your gratitude for all that G‑d has done for you.

Now hold on…

You mean to tell me that after I plant my orchard, and I water the trees, and I sweat, day after day cultivating the land…finally, it yields some fruit, and I have to bring it to the Temple?! Can’t I just take a break and enjoy my fruit? Maybe a smoothie?

When I looked at Moses’ instructions in the parsha, I remembered some wisdom from my Bubby…

My Bubby (Lea bas Asher Zelig HaLevi, of blessed memory) taught me many important lessons, including: Remember the true source of your success. 

Bubby would say, “When you have success, don’t think to yourself ‘It’s because of me; it’s because of my efforts that things went well’.

“If Hashem wants you to succeed in your efforts, you will. If He doesn’t want you to succeed, you won’t”. 

We do our best; Hashem does the rest. 

Have you ever noticed that when we succeed, our first inclination is often to say “Go me!”

But when we fail (or suffer), our first inclination is often to say “G-d, why did you make this happen?!”

When we work hard to cultivate the land, and we are blessed with our first fruits, we have to remember where they truly come from. By having to take their first fruits to the Temple and express gratitude, Hashem was helping the Jewish people to remember the true source of our success.

So the next time something goes well, remember to pause and thank G-d…

Because a connection with your Creator – the One who is truly in charge of blessing us with success – will make the fruit of your efforts taste that much sweeter. 

Good Shabbos,

Danielle Altonaga