Thanksgiving Lesson Plan - A Jewish Perspective

Giving Thanks; A Jewish Perspective Subtitled: Thanksgiving is a Kosher Holiday

Goal:

When given the question, “What is the Jewish viewpoint towards “thanks and the American holiday of Thanksgiving?” The student will be able to demonstrate either through discussion or essay their position citing authentic Jewish sources.

Audience: Age 13 through 18 (for a classroom setting)

Overview: These three lessons are going to explore the meaning of thankfulness, the Jewish viewpoint towards giving thanks, and then to evaluate the American holiday, Thanksgiving, from the Jewish perspective. We will be reading a variety of materials, participating in discussions, and completing several related activities. Three sections containing information, discussion points and worksheet I.

General Concept of Thankfulness

II.

Rituals for Demonstrating Thankfulness in Judaism

III.

Is Thanksgiving Kosher?

Materials: 1. Handouts (all provided)

2. Writer’s journal

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INTRODUCTION: 1. Read the short story “The Hand”, Handout #1

2. Ask students to share something they are thankful for. 3. Share what you, the teacher, are thankful for. 4. Acknowledge that we all have many things to be thankful for. 5. Explain to the students the purpose of the Unit.

Input and Activities (Lesson I- General Concept of Thankfulness ): 1. Pass out Handout #2, the traditional definitions of the related terms. Ask students to complete the bottom portion of the handout, filling in their personal definition for “Nullified to another”, “Pass it on”, and “Pay it forward”. 2. Distribute and read Handout #3, excerpts from Happiness is a Serious Problem, by Dennis Prager and Handout #4, Thanksgiving: Gratitude and Happiness-3 Levels, by Edi Sowers. 3. Pass out “Heart Chart”, Activity #1. Explain and model completing the chart.

Assessing Understanding (Lesson I): Ask students to compose an essay describing a family member who exhibits acts of “thankfulness” in his/her daily life. Remind students to incorporate examples connected to the related terms.

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THE HAND Handout #1 At first it sounded like a Thanksgiving story, but the more I reflected on it, the more appropriate it seemed for any time of the year. The way I heard it, the story went like this: Thanksgiving Day was near. The first grade teacher gave her class a fun assignment -- to draw a picture of something for which they were thankful. Most of the class might be considered economically disadvantaged, but still many would celebrate the holiday with turkey and other traditional goodies of the season. These, the teacher thought, would be the subjects of most of her student's art. And they were. But Douglas made a different kind of picture. Douglas was a different kind of boy. He was the teacher's true child of misery, frail and unhappy. As other children played at recess, Douglas was likely to stand close by her side. One could only guess at the pain Douglas felt behind those sad eyes. Yes, his picture was different. When asked to draw a picture of something for which he was thankful, he drew a hand. Nothing else. Just an empty hand. His abstract image captured the imagination of his peers. Whose hand could it be? One child guessed it was the hand of a farmer, because farmers raise turkeys. Another suggested a police officer, because the police protect and care for people. Still others guessed it was the hand of G-d, for G-d feeds us. And so the discussion went -- until the teacher almost forgot the young artist himself. When the children had gone on to other assignments, she paused at Douglas' desk, bent down, and asked him whose hand it was. The little boy looked away and murmured, "It's yours, teacher." She recalled the times she had taken his hand and walked with him here or there, as she had the other students. How often had she said, "Take my hand, Douglas, we'll go outside." Or, "Let me show you how to hold your pencil." Or, "Let's do this together." Douglas was most thankful for his teacher's hand. Brushing aside a tear, she went on with her work. The story speaks of more than thankfulness. It says something about teachers teaching and parents parenting and friends showing friendship, and how much it means to the Douglases of the world. They might not always say thanks. But they'll remember the hand that reaches out.

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Definitions of Related Terms Handout #2 Gratitude: the quality or feeling of being grateful or thankful: He expressed his gratitude to everyone on the staff.

Acknowledgement: the act of accepting the truth: Every expression of thanks that one person gives to another is really a form of admitting. People sometimes have difficulty saying “thank you” to another person because it implies that the first person needed the second. People who are very arrogant don’t want to admit that they need something from someone else. Thus, thanking someone is related to the idea of admitting something

Appreciation: An expression of gratitude; He expressed his appreciation in a short note." Thankfulness: Noun 1. thanks - an acknowledgment of appreciation acknowledgement, acknowledgment - a statement acknowledging something or someone; "she must have seen him but she gave no sign of acknowledgment"; "the preface contained an acknowledgment of those who had helped her" thank you - a conversational expression of gratitude curtain call, bow - an appearance by actors or performers at the end of the concert or play in order to acknowledge the applause of the audience 2. thanks - with the help of or owing to; "thanks to hard work it was a great success" assist, assistance, help, aid - the activity of contributing to the fulfillment of a need or furtherance of an effort or purpose; "he gave me an assist with the housework"; "could not walk without assistance"; "rescue party went to their aid"; "offered his help in unloading"

.

Complete the following: Personal Definitions: Nullified to another:_________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ “Pass it on”:_______________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ “Pay it forward”:___________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________

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Excerpts from Happiness is a Serious Problem by Dennis Prager Handout #3 ''There is a `secret to happiness,''' Prager writes, ''and it is gratitude. All happy people are grateful, and ungrateful people cannot be happy. We tend to think that it is being unhappy that leads people to complain, but it is truer to say that it is complaining that leads to people becoming unhappy. Become grateful and you will become a much happier person.'' This is a keen observation, and it helps explain why the Judeo-Christian tradition places such emphasis on thanking G-d. The liturgy is filled with expressions of gratitude. ''It is good to give thanks to the Lord,'' begins the 92nd Psalm. Why? Because G-d needs our gratitude? No: because we need it. Learning to be thankful, whether to G-d or to other people, is the best vaccination against taking good fortune for granted. And the less you take for granted, the more pleasure and joy life will bring you. If you never give a moment's thought to the fact that your health is good, that your children are well-fed, that your home is comfortable, that your nation is at peace, if you assume that the good things in your life are ''normal'' and to be expected, you diminish the happiness they can bring you. By contrast, if you train yourself to reflect on how much worse off you could be, if you develop the custom of counting your blessings and being grateful for them, you will fill your life with cheer. It can be hard to do. Like most useful skills, it takes years of practice before it becomes second nature. This is one reason, Prager writes, that religion, sincerely practiced, leads to happiness – it ingrains the habits of thankfulness. People who thank G-d before each meal, for example, inculate gratitude in themselves. In so doing, they open the door to gladness. In a sense, gratitude is an expression of modesty. In Hebrew, the word for gratitude - hoda'ah – is the same as the word for confession. To offer thanks is to confess dependence, to acknowledgment that others have the power to benefit you, to admit that your life is better because of their efforts. That frame of mind is indispensable to civilized society. Be thankful. Don't take the gifts in your life for granted. Remember - as the Pilgrims remembered - that we are impoverished without each other, and without G-d. Whoever and wherever you are this Thanksgiving, the good in your life outweighs the bad. If that doesn't deserve our gratitude, what does?

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Thanksgiving: Gratitude and Happiness - 3 Levels, by Edi Sowers Handout #4 With Thanksgiving right around the corner, it’s time for a check-up to see how our hearts are doing – and I don’t mean cardio-vascular health. I’m talking about the condition of our gratitude heart. The level of gratitude we practice on a regular basis has a direct and specific correlation to our level of contentment and happiness. Take a look at the 3 levels of gratitude to determine your current condition, and decide what steps you can take to improve your "heart health." Level One – Beginner This gratitude level presumes that one has made a bold leap to be intentional about gratefulness on a regular basis. A gratitude beginner is someone who has decided to make a habit of carving out one small slice of each day to focus on and talk about gratefulness. A suggested starting point for a beginner is to develop a family dinner-time tradition where everyone shares one thing from their day for which they are grateful. Level Two – Intermediate The intermediate level is even more focused on the intentional, planned, chosen act of being grateful. It goes beyond selecting one thing out of the day to share with family. This level requires a more indepth commitment to making gratitude a way of life. Many people at this level keep a gratitude journal, and find that the act of writing down the things for which they are grateful develops a heart which is more inclined towards gratefulness throughout the entire day. A good place to start for this level is to make a habit of writing at least 5 items per day that you are grateful to have in your life: a person, a thing, a place, a circumstance, a skill, an experience, etc. By making this a daily habit, your heart will begin to respond more readily towards gratefulness. Level Three – Advanced Your gratitude heart is in tip-top shape when you reach the advanced level. This level is demonstrated by an attitude of thankfulness even in the midst of trouble. Not many people operate at this level on an ongoing basis from day to day. With G-d’s help and strength, we are able to see beyond circumstances and realize that there can be some greater good, even in the midst of difficulty. If you have had the privilege of knowing someone who has reached the advanced level of gratitude, you can attest to how inspiring, humbling, and encouraging it is to have them in your life. The Level One and Two gratitude habits must be maintained and expanded upon in order to reach the Advanced Gratitude level. Only when we are able and willing to look beyond our circumstances, humble ourselves, and maintain a posture of prayer in our heart, will we truly have a life overflowing with the gift of gratefulness. May you begin to experience ever-increasing levels of gratitude in your life, starting today. -6www.parshapages.com

ACTIVITY #1 Students keep a “Heart Chart” for the next week

Gratitude Level 1

Gratitude Level 2

(Share one thing from your (List 5 items per day that day which you are you are grateful to have in grateful) your life)

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Gratitude Level 3 (List people who exemplify the advanced level of gratitude)

Input and Activities (Lesson II-Rituals for Demonstrating Thankfulness in Judaism): 1. Ask students if they think thankfulness is a Jewish concept. Ask students to site

examples of Thankfulness mentioned in Jewish texts. 2. Pass out and read Handout #5, Jewish Sources for the Concept of “Thanks

Giving-Hodaah” and Handout #6, Jewish Sources for “Thankfulness” in Prayer 3. Ask students to analyze the similarities and differences between the Jewish and general concept of “Thankfulness-Hodaah”. Either in groups or individually, students complete the Compare and Contrast Chart, Activity #2 4. Distribute and read handout #7, Thanksgiving in Daily Prayer - Mizmor L’todah

(text of Psalm #100 and explanation by Rabbi Ephraim Epstein) 5. Give out and read the story, A World of Thanks Handout #8 6. On Activity #3, instruct students to write a personal prayer of Thanksgiving.

Make copies of students’ prayers, forming a class “Prayer Book” for each student. 7. Provide each student with a copy of Handout #9, Chassidic Understanding of

Thanksgiving, based on an audio presentation by Rabbi Yitzchak Ginsburg 10/26/06. Explain the five possible roots of the Hebrew word. Clarify the concept of the ten Sefirot and the position of Hod. 8. Activity #4, Fun sheet involving the number 15 (‫)הוד‬

Assessing Understanding (Lesson II): 1. Distribute prepared “Thankfulness Journal” or students can provide their

own writing notebook. Explain to the students that they are to consider their activities at the end of each day; recording in their journal blessings or things they should be thankful for and identifying occasions when they consciously expressed “thank you”. 2. You may assign students to do this activity for one week or more. 3. Determine appropriate goals for individual students or the class.

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Thanksgiving (Hodaah)) Thanksgiving is the Essence of the Jew Handout #5 •

Even the title Jew, stems from the name ‫יהודה‬, Yehudah, so called since his mother Leah expressed her profound thanksgiving to HaShem for his birth

•

Psalm 92, 2 – ‘it is good to thank G-d, and to sing praises to your High name’. Thanking is a vital part of Judaism.

•

We have a value – ‘hacarat hatov’ – appreciating the good. Bereshit – Torah says that there was no one to work the Garden of Eden – Rashi says – ‘no one to recognize the good of rain’.

•

Opposite this is ‘cafui tov’ – lack of appreciation of the good. Good example – Adam eating of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.

•

We thank G-d for His ‘miracles’ – these can be hidden miracles. Book of Esther – things happening at appropriate times in weird ways.

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We call Moshe based on the name given by his “step” mother (daughter of Paroh), and not the name given to him by his parents at birth

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Matzah – model of korban todah, stimulating the concept of thanksgiving inherent in the night of the Seder

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Only if the bnei Yisroel had the characteristic of being grateful to their former host, would Hashem be willing to perform the miracle of splitting the sea, rather than subjecting them to do war with the Egyptians at the Sea

•

Yosef did not want to turn against his hostess with physical force, even at the cost of leaving incriminating evidence in her hands. When the "yam suf" saw the casket which held Yosef, it was willing to cooperate, even against its nature, and split. This avoided having the bnei Yisroel engage in combat with their former hosts, thus enabling them to show their gratefulness

•

Yisro was reluctant to come to the bnei Yisroel as he had been a priest for idol worship in Midyon. He thought that he might be rejected. However, upon seeing a display of gratefulness on the part of the bnei Yisroel, he knew he would not be rejected, as he had given Moshe refuge at the time of his need. Upon hearing of the splitting of the sea he wondered why a miracle was necessary and concluded that the bnei Yisroel did not want to forcefully stand up against their former hosts. This could indicate their gratefulness, although not conclusively. Perhaps they were unable to wage war. When he also heard that they had successfully battled against the powerful Amalek nation, he knew that they were capable of waging war, and the only reason the sea split was because the bnei Yisroel were imbued with the middoh of "hakoras tova." If so, they would not reject him either, and therefore he came to the bnei Yisroel. -9www.parshapages.com

PRAYER Handout #6

•

Gratitude is the essence of life. Upon wakening from sleep (resemblance to death), we say “Modeh Ani”. The Midrash (Bereshis Rabbah 14:11) says that for every single breath we take, we should express our thanks to G-d for the gift of life

•

‫ מודים אנחנו לך‬begins the 17th blessing of Shemoneh Esrei. The numical value of ‫ מודים‬is 100, alluding to the Talumdic dictum (Menachos 43b), that a person is obligated to make at least one hundred blessings very day. King Dovid also placed the Psalm ‫ מזמור לתודה‬as the one hundredth Psalm

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Modim DeRabbanan – Modim of the Rabbis – Talmud asks what do community say when Chazan says Modim – various Rabbis offer different possibilities – finally – we say all of them

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Yerushalmi (Brachos 2:10) states that we must show gratitude to the head, as when one is praying Shmoneh Esrei and reaches the blessing of Modim, the head bows down automatically

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When we bow, we focus on breaking our stubbornness and unwillingness to listen to G-d, who does the ultimately good for us. After breaking our “shells”, we straighten up, with the ability to face G-d, to fulfill our purpose.

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Thanksgiving in Daily Prayer Handout #7 Remember - Tefillah without Kavannah is like a Guf without a Neshama. (Prayer without concentration is likened to a body without a soul) Rabbi Ephraim Epstein http://www.sonsisrael.com/

Mizmor Letodah This short psalm #100 written by Moshe Rabbeinu – Moses was recited by the Levites at the Temple when a thanksgiving offering was being sacrificed. There are four different times when a thanksgiving offering was brought. It was brought by one who was released from jail, one who traveled the ocean, one who was healed from sickness, and one who traveled the desert. Rav Schwab points out in his book that although this prayer refers to korbanot – sacrifices; it nevertheless is not located in our prayers amidst all of the other korbanot. Why not? He explains based on the Midrash Rabbah – Vayikra that in the Messianic era all voluntary offerings will cease except for the Thanksgiving offering. The reason for this is that once the Moshiach – Messiah arrives, there will no longer be a need for personal and/or national requests. However, there will always be the need to be thankful. The Hebrew phrase for thanks is Hakarat Hatov. The literal translation of the words is Recognition of Good. This implies that the way that one comes to gratitude is through the recognition of the good provided by another. How often do we take for granted the good done for us by our spouse, family, friends, and of course G-d Himself? How often do we not even notice the good provided by others? We enjoy food, clothing, health, air, vision, taste…. without even noticing it. HaRav Yechezkel Abramski zt”l would pause as he entered his home in the evening and contemplate anything and everything his wife had done for him that day – and only then did he enter. The Korban of thanksgiving is different than the other Korbanot. It reflects eternity and is relevant in this world and the world to come. So too, expressing thanksgiving is an eternal character attribute that brings joy to the provider as well as the recipient. It is interesting to note that if one arrives late and must skip a prayer or two in order to catch up to the chazzan –Jewish law indicates that one should NOT skip Mizmor Letodah because of its importance. May we all express proper thanksgiving in our prayers and in our personal relationships. And may we soon be able to bring the Thanksgiving offering in the Beit Hamikdash.

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STORY

Handout #8 A World of Thanks Rabbi Yisrael Salanter once visited Paris to influence the assimilated Jews to return to Torah. One day he went to an elegant restaurant to meet some Jews that frequented that establishment. All Rabbi Salanter ordered was water. When he was ready to leave, the waiter presented him with a bill for the large sum of 40 frances. “Why did you charge so much for a glass of water?” asked Rabbi Salanter. The waiter replied, “Monsieur, you must realize that you are not merely paying for a simple glass of water. You are paying for the surroundings, the ambience. You are paying for the gorgeous furniture, tableware, carpeting, and chandeliers, not to mention the view!” The answer struck a chord in Rav Yisrael’s heart. He hastened back to his lodging and wrote a letter to his disciples. “For a long time I have puzzled by the fact that we recite a very lofty and all-inclusive blessing for a plain glass of water saying, Blessed are You, HaShem, our G-d, King of the universe, ‫שהכל נהיה בדברו‬, through Whose word everything came to be. But from the words of waiter in Paris I learnt that we are not merely thanking G-d for the glass of water. We are also expressing our appreciation for the magnificent surroundings in which G-d serves the water to us. We are thanking G-d for the fresh air we breathe as we drink the water, and for the sun which gives us light and for the tree which shades us. In short, whenever we thank G-d for one thing, we should use it as an opportunity to thank G-d for everything.

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Chassidic Understanding of Thanksgiving Based on audio 10/26/06 from Rabbi Yitzchak Ginsburgh

Handout #9 Giving thanks is expressed in Hebrew ‫ תודה מודה יודה‬etc. What is the root meaning? Five possibilities ‫ ידה‬3) ) thanksgiving; acknowledgment; or confession ‫הוד‬

Splendor (majesty)

‫הדד‬

Echo – thanks provides a response to another party

Spiritual source – level of Hod (one of the 10 sefirot)

A

sefirah (pl. sefirot) is a channel of Divine energy or life-force. This most fundamental concept of Kabbalah is that in the process of creation an intermediate stage was emanated from G-d's infinite light to create what we experience as finite reality. These channels are called the Ten Sefirot, Ten Divine Emanations, Ten Divine Radiances, Ten Divine Eluminices, or Ten Divine Powers which are the basic terms and concepts of the inner wisdom of the Torah which is called Kabbalah (more information, see http://www.inner.org/sefirot/sefirot.htm)

Binah "Understanding"

Chochmah "Wisdom" Da'at "Knowledge"

Gevurah "Might"

Chesed "Loving-kindness" Tiferet "Beauty"

Hod "Splendour"

Netzach "Victory" Yesod "Foundation" Malchut "Kingdom”

Hod is the eight of the 10 Sefirot Its position is eight from the top (‫ )ח‬or third from the bottom (‫)ג‬ the word ‫( חג‬festival) -13www.parshapages.com

Within each sefirah, exists each of the ten levels. Thus, there are 10 levels of Hod within Hod 15 = (4) ‫( ד‬6) ‫( ו‬5) ‫ה‬

Chochmah "Wisdom"

15) ‫( תקון לגאוה‬15) ‫)הוד‬ Giving thanks can fix the negative attribute of haughtiness

Binah "Understanding"

A sick person has closed or clogged “pours”; Giving thanks opens one’s mind and heart

Da'at "Knowledge"

Chesed "Loving-kindness"

"‫ "ד‬is the one consonant in all the roots; poor person characterizes "shiflut," "lowliness," the consciousness of possessing nothing of one's own ‫ דע לאמר תודה‬door to enter G-d’s dwelling place below Gratis gift; underserved action of giving

Gevurah "Might"

Release from prison of one’s negative inclinations

Tiferet "Beauty"

Compassionate act of giving another an additional opportunity

Netzach "Victory"

Being victorious by freeing oneself from loss of consciousness from negative energy

Hod "Splendour"

To thrust, to put out positive vibes into the world

Yesod "Foundation"

Procreate is the power of creation; potent ability to “pass it on” to others

Malchut "Kingdom”

Concept of echo – spontaneous thanks, doing it over again and again

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ACTIVITY #4

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‫( הוד‬thanks) – numerical value is 15 24 hours in the day Decide which of the following concepts are from 15 or from 24:

________

Number of years the three Avos were together in this world

________

Verses that Avrohom, Yitzchak and Yaacov are listed in order

________

Steps in the Bais HaMikdash from the Ezras HaNashim to Ezras Yisrael

________

Number of “Books” in Tanach

________

Waters of the Flood of Noach rose this number of Amos above the highest mountain top

________

Number of hours that the Avos were involved in thoughts of heavenly matters

________

Stages in the Hagadah and in the Divine Kindnesses of Dayainu

________

Number of Gifts to the Cohanim

________

Number of Mishmarin of Cohanim (serve a week in Bais HaMikdash)

________

Years added to the life of Chizkiyahu HaMelek after doing Teshuvah

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Number of generations from the Golden Calf to the destruction of the First Bais HaMikdash

________

Favors done by G-d to the Jews in Mitzraim (‫יג‬-‫ ט‬,‫;)יחזקאל טז‬ materials donated to the Mishkah by the Jews (in response)

________

Number of times that the Cohanim are referred to as Leviim

________

Years that the Baal Shem Tov, The Maggid and the Alter Rebbe were alive in this world together

________

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ANSWER SHEET ___15___

Number of Years The Three Avos Were Together in this World

___24___

Verses that Avrohom, Yitzchak and Yaacov are listed in order

___15___

Steps in the Bais HaMikdash from the Ezras HaNashim to Ezras Yisrael

___24___

Number of “Books” in Tanach

___15___

Waters of the Flood of Noach rose this number of Amos above the highest mountain top

___24___

Number of hours that the Avos were involved in thoughts of heavenly matters

___15___

Stages in the Hagadah and in the Divine Kindnesses of Dayainu

___24___

Number of Gifts to the Cohanim

___24___

Number of Mishmarin of Cohanim (serve a week in Bais HaMikdash)

___15___

Years added to the life of Chizkiyahu HaMelek after doing Teshuvah

___15___

Number of generations from the Golden Calf to the destruction of the First Bais HaMikdash

___15___

Favors done by G-d to the Jews in Mitzraim (‫יג‬-‫ ט‬,‫;)יחזקאל טז‬ materials donated to the Mishkah by the Jews (in response)

___24___

Number of times that the Cohanim are referred to as Leviim

___15___

Years that the Baal Shem Tov, The Maggid and the Alter Rebbe were alive in this world together

___24___

Years that the Alter Rebbe, The Mitteler Rebbe and the Tzamech Tzedek were alive in this world together

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Thankfulness Journal (Assessment Lesson II) Things I Am Thankful For

Things I Said Thank You For

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18

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Input and Activities (Lesson III - Is Thanksgiving Kosher): 1. Ask the students for their initial reaction to the question, “Is Thanksgiving a

Kosher holiday to celebrate?” 2. Pass out and have the students read to themselves Handout #10, The History of

the American Thanksgiving. 3. Ask students to share their opinions regarding the current celebration of

Thanksgiving in America. Is the holiday of Thanksgiving essentially a religious holiday, a secular holiday, or an ambiguous one? 4. Distribute and have the students read Handout #11 “A Kosher Holiday

Thanksgiving – one Rabbi’s viewpoint” and Handout #12 “A review of Halacha”

Assessing Understanding (Lesson III):

Students should write a one-page statement to be recited at the family meal on Thanksgiving (or a nearby family meal). The student should express if Thanksgiving can (or should) be observed by Jews. They should include examples from Jewish sources to support their point of view.

Closure – Handout #13, Poem in honor of Thanks Giving

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The History of American Thanksgiving Handout #10 Thanksgiving is a uniquely American holiday. It is no longer (and perhaps never was) a celebration affiliated with any particular religion or faith, although some in America celebrate with religious ceremonies. On a social level, it is celebrated by Americans of a broad variety of religious backgrounds. One witnesses different forms of celebrating (1) Thanksgiving currently in America. Is the holiday of Thanksgiving is essentially a religious holiday, a secular holiday, or an ambiguous one. (2)

The History of American Thanksgiving

(3)

Before any halachic analysis can be done, it is necessary to place the observance of the holiday of Thanksgiving in America in the proper historical context. The first Thanksgiving day celebration was held in response to the survival by the pilgrims of the particularly harsh winter of 1622/3. Not only did the colonists themselves celebrate, but food was sufficiently plenty that even the Indians with whom the colonists were at peace with were invited. This celebration took place on July 30, 1623 (in the middle of the summer). Similar celebrations occurred throughout the New England area throughout the 1600's. (4) However, they were only local (rather than national or even regional) celebrations of Thanksgiving -- and only to mark the end of a particularly difficult winter -- until 1789. (5) In 1789, Congressman Elias Boudinot of New Jersey proposed in Congress a resolution urging President Washington to: •

Recommend to the people of the United States a day of public Thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of the Almighty G-d, especially by affording them an opportunity to establish a Constitution of government for their safety and happiness. (6)

After quite a debate, President Washington issued the first National Thanksgiving Proclamation, assigning November 26, 1789 as Thanksgiving and a national holiday. Washington stated in his proclamation: •

Now, therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday, the 26th day of November next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favorable interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed; for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted; for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and, in general, for all the great and various favors which He has been pleased to confer upon us. (7)

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Notwithstanding the religious eloquence of Washington's words (and even perhaps because of their overtly religious theme (8)) Thanksgiving did not become a national holiday. From 1790 to 1863 there were no national celebrations of Thanksgiving. Indeed, while proclamations of thanks were issued by some presidents, all of the presidents for more than the next seventy years chose to ignore the day as a national holiday of thanksgiving. (9) It was not until 1846, when the unity of the country was again in controversy because of the Missouri Compromise and the problems of slavery that the celebration of Thanksgiving as a national holiday returned to the national agenda. From 1846 to 1863, Ms. Sara Joseph Hale, the editor of Gdey's Lady Book (10) embarked on a campaign to turn Thanksgiving into a national holiday during which workers would not be required to go to work. Her campaign culminated in President Lincoln's Thanksgiving proclamation of 1863 -- the first such proclamation of a national Thanksgiving holiday since 1789. Since 1863, Thanksgiving has been celebrated as a national holiday and a day of rest at the end of November, either the fourth or fifth Thursday of the month. (11) One might ask whether Jewish law should simply defer to the American law determination here that Thanksgiving is a "secular" and not a religious holiday. Once this conclusion is reached, the claim is made, little controversy remains. The simple answer is that American law adopts a definition of "secular" that clearly is "religious" in the eyes of Jewish law. For example, in Cammack v. Waihee,(12) a court determined that the holiday called "Good Friday" was a "secular" holiday. So too, the Supreme Court has ruled that both Christmas and Channukah are "secular" holidays and have "secular" displays that lack a religious theme. (13) Certainly Jewish law views neither of them as "secular" and would not accept American law's definition of "secular" as binding on adherents of halacha. (14)

FOOTNOTES 1. Two different types of "celebration" are discussed. The first, and most significant, is the eating of a festive holiday meal with turkey and other forms of activity directly celebrating the day (such as attending a parade). The second is a lesser form of celebration: the intentional scheduling of other types of celebratory events -- such as weddings -- on Thanksgiving to take advantage of the fact that many do not work. Similar to that is the practice of changing the time of daily prayer service to acknowledge this day as one in which people do not normally work. 2. Other articles discuss if turkey is a kosher bird fit for consumption throughout the year. 3. The celebration of Canadian Thanksgiving is a different issue from that of its American cousin. Canada celebrated its first Thanksgiving in 1572, but the date of its modern Thanksgiving observance was not fixed until 1957, when the second Monday in October (the same day as American Columbus day) was agreed on. There still is no common agreement on the appropriate food to eat, and large numbers of individuals simply do not celebrate the holiday, even in Canada. Indeed, there are some provinces that do not treat it as a holiday. For more on this, see Julianne Margvelashvili, "Thanksgiving, the Canadian Way," Philadelphia Inquirer, November 9, 1994 at section B1. The halachic issues involved are thus different. 4. Such as the Boston Thanksgiving celebration of February 22, 1630. As will be discussed in text accompanying note 63, the question of whether it would have been permissible for a Jew to join with the colonists in these spontaneous celebrations is an issue different from whether one may celebrate Thanksgiving now. 5. This history of Thanksgiving is taken from R. & A, Linton, We Gather Together: The Story of Thanksgiving at pages 72-85 (1949). 6. 1 Annals of Cong. 914 (1789).

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7. See J. Richardson, Messages and Papers of the Presidents, 1:64. Washington continued, stating: •

And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations, and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions; to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shown kindness to us), and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally, to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as He alone knows to be best.

8. Indeed, Thomas Jefferson strongly objected to these pronouncements. He wrote: Fasting and prayer are religious exercises; the enjoining them an act of discipline. Every religious society has a right to determine for itself the times for these exercises, and the objects proper for them, according to their own particular tenets; and this right can never be safer than in their own hands, where the Constitution has deposited it. A. Lipscomb ed., Writings of Thomas Jefferson 11:429 (1904). 9. New York State attempted to revive the holiday of Thanksgiving in 1795. However, this attempt failed because of a basic disagreement between various commercial interests over when the holiday should be celebrated. Southern states, for many years before 1846, issued Thanksgiving day proclamations, many of which were overtly Christian, and which raised considerable protests from the Jewish community. For example: When James H. Hammond, governor of South Carolina, announced a day of "Thanksgiving, Humiliation, and Prayer" in 1844, he ... exhorted "our citizens of all denominations to assemble at their respective places of worship, to offer up their devotions to G-d their Creator, and his Son Jesus Christ, the Redeemer of the world." The Jews of Charleston protested, charging Hammond with "such obvious discrimination and preference in the tenor of your proclamation, as amounted to an utter exclusion of a portion of the people of South Carolina." Hammond responded that "I have always thought it a settled matter that I lived in a Christian land! And that I was the temporary chief magistrate of a Christian people. That in such a country and among such a people I should be, publicly, called to an account, reprimanded and required to make amends for acknowledging Jesus Christ as the Redeemer of the world, I would not have believed possible, if it had not come to pass". M. Borden, Jews, Turks, and Infidels 142 n.2 (1984). Such overtly Christian proclamations have not been signed since 1860. 10. Roughly parallel to the modern Ladies Home Journal. 11. There was some controversy concerning the proper date for Thanksgiving, as in 1934 President Roosevelt switched the day of Thanksgiving from the last Thursday in November to the second-to-last Thursday in November when November has five weeks. This was done to change the nation's shopping pattern and increase spending. While some objected to this mercantile approach to the holiday, Roosevelt -- and mercantilism -- triumphed and Thanksgiving has been celebrated in the second to last week of November since that year. 12. 673 F.Supp. 1524 (D. Haw. 1987) 13. Lynch v. Donnelly, 465 U.S. 668 (1984); Allegheny v. American Civil Liberties Union, 492 U.S. 573 (1989). 14. This is noted quite clearly by Rabbi Menashe Klein, Mishnah Halacha 10:116, discussed infra.

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A Kosher Holiday Thanksgiving

Handout #11 I was born into a modern American religious family on my father's side. I was especially proud to be a fourth-generation American Jew. I played a great game of baseball, enjoyed reading the Sunday funnies and celebrated American holidays. My mother's family was the complete opposite. They all came from Europe and had no appreciation for baseball or any American pastimes. Growing up in the '50s I went to a small cheder, a Jewish school. Almost all of my classmates were children of refugees. One year I was introduced to a very strict, no-nonsense Jewish teacher - called a rebbe. This rebbe had very little patience for me, as I was very different from his European students. I was an American - a Yankee boy. According to my rebbe's thinking, all American customs were taboo. They were considered "traif," non-kosher. Easter, Halloween, Thanksgiving and the Fourth of July were all jumbled into one big no-no. They were American and were out of bounds! He claimed that a Bible law forbids the Jewish nation to emulate the ways of other nations. He would quote the biblical verse Leviticus 18:3: "Neither shall ye walk in their statutes; do not follow their social customs." However, not all Jews think that way, as we shall see. A week before Thanksgiving my father called up my European grandparents and told them that he had received an 18 pound turkey from his synagogue's caterer. This was a gift to our large family for Thanksgiving. On Thursday we would have a Thanksgiving repast. That Monday the rebbe made a speech. "Thanksgiving is forbidden. It is a pagan holiday. No Jewish boy is allowed to eat turkey." Now I was in trouble. I thought that if I ate turkey my teeth would fall out. What would I do? I told my rebbe about the early Indians and the first Thanksgiving. I thought he would realize that Thanksgiving could be considered a good deed for both Jews and Gentiles. I tried to tell him about the friendly Indians; how they saved the starving Puritans; that the Thanksgiving meal reminds us of the foods the Indians showed the settlers and it taught them how to survive through the rough winters in the new world. This was a mitzvah, a good deed, to share and give thanks to G-d. "Yingele (sonny boy), I told you we don't celebrate these holidays. It is forbidden to even listen to your bubbemeises (tall tales)." That night I told my dad that I wouldn't participate in a pagan holiday. "It's against the Bible," I said. He flew into a rage. I thought he was going to clobber me.

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"You are an American, a fourth generation American. Be happy that you have a country that believes in G-d. If anything, Thanksgiving is a Jewish idea." He told my mother that if this continues he will take me out of that cheder, the Jewish school. For the next few years my father bought a large turkey for Thanksgiving and we had two turkey meals: one on the American Thanksgiving and one on the following Shabbos. We now celebrated Thanksgiving on the Jewish holy day of Sabbath. I thought that my dad had a point. Thanksgiving, indeed, was a holiday that fit into the Jewish idea of remembering G-d's goodness in providing us with our needs. Thus, we could have Thanksgiving every Sabbath. I don’t remember if Thanksgiving became a kosher holiday or not, but we solved our family dilemma. On Oct. 3, 1863 Abraham Lincoln signed the original Thanksgiving Proclamation. In it he stated, "We have been the recipients of the choicest bounties of heaven; we have been preserved these many years in peace and prosperity; we have grown in numbers, wealth and power as no other nation has ever grown. "But we have forgotten G-d. We have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us, and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own. Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the G-d that made us. "It has seemed to me fit and proper that G-d should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged, as with one heart and one voice, by the whole American people. I do, therefore, invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November as a day of Thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens." I think if my Rebbe would have seen this wonderful proclamation, then he might have joined us in prayer at the Thanksgiving meal. Rabbi Eli Hecht, Chabad of South Bay Vice-President, Rabbinical Alliance of America Phone:(310) 326-8234 Fax:(310) 326-1555, Cell:(310) 528-4812, E-mail [email protected]

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Is Thanksgiving Kosher? Applying Jewish law to turkey day By Rabbi Michael Broyde

Handout #12 To most American Jews, even most Orthodox Jews, there is no question about the appropriateness of celebrating Thanksgiving; to them, it is a secular holiday that represents values important in Judaism and in American culture. To many traditionalist Jews, however, commemorating any non-Jewish holiday raises questions about biblical and rabbinic law forbidding Jews to imitate non-Jewish customs and traditions. In the following article, the author looks at the question from this vantage point, demonstrating how one would apply halakhic (Jewish legal) reasoning to the issue of whether it is permissible for Orthodox Jews to celebrate Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is a uniquely American holiday. It is no longer (and perhaps never was) a celebration affiliated with any particular religion or faith, although some in America celebrate with religious ceremonies…. The first and most significant issue in discussing whether it is halakhic [acceptable according to Jewish law] to celebrate Thanksgiving is whether it is permissible to eat a Thanksgiving meal, with the classical foods that American tradition indicates one should eat at this meal: turkey and cranberry sauce. Among the authorities of the previous generation, three different positions have been taken on this topic, and these three positions have each been accepted by various halakhic authorities of the current generation. The Legal Background However, before these three positions can be understood, a certain background into the nature of the prohibition against imitating Gentile customs must be understood. Tosafot [a medieval Talmud commentary] understands that two distinctly different types of customs are forbidden by the prohibition of imitating Gentile customs found in Leviticus 18:3. The first is idolatrous customs and the second is foolish customs found in the Gentile community, even if their origins are not idolatrous. Rabbenu Nissim and Maharik disagree and rule that only customs that have a basis in idolatrous practices are prohibited. Apparently foolish--but secular--customs are permissible so long as they have a reasonable explanation (and are not immodest). Normative Halakhah follows the ruling of the Ran and Maharik. The Approach of Rabbi Feinstein Rabbi Moshe Feinstein has four published responsa [rabbinic rulings] on the issues related to celebrating Thanksgiving, all of which conclude that Thanksgiving is not a religious holiday but a secular one. The first responsum, written in 1953, discusses the deliberate scheduling of weddings and the like on religious holidays of other faiths. Rabbi Feinstein states: "On the question of celebrating any event on a holiday of Gentiles, if the holiday is based on religious beliefs [by the Gentiles], such celebrations are prohibited if deliberately scheduled on that day; even without intent, it is prohibited because of marit ayin . . . The first day of year for them [January 1] and Thanksgiving is not prohibited according to law, but pious people [balai nefesh] should be strict." Rabbi Feinstein reinforces his understanding that Thanksgiving is not a religious holiday in a responsum published in 1980. He states:

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"On the issue of joining with those who think that Thanksgiving is like a holiday to eat a meal: Since it is clear that according to their religious law books this day is not mentioned as a religious holiday and that one is not obligated in a meal [according to Gentile religious law] and since this is a day of remembrance to citizens of this country, when they came to reside here either now or earlier, halakhah [Jewish law] sees no prohibition in celebrating with a meal or with the eating of turkey. One sees similar to this in Kiddushin 66 that Yanai the king made a party after the conquest of kochlet in the desert and they ate vegetables as a remembrance. "Nonetheless it is prohibited to establish this as an obligation and religious commandment [mitzvah], and it remains a voluntary celebration now; in this manner--without the establishment of obligation or religious commandment--one can celebrate the next year too with a meal. But, I think, nonetheless it is prohibited to establish a fixed day in the year for the celebration and it is only in the first year of the event, like when Yanai conquered, and then they had a party, and not for permanence. There is also a problem of adding commandments . . . Even though one can question the source, it is still a real prohibition." Thus, Rabbi Feinstein appears to rule that Thanksgiving is not a religious holiday, and there is no problem of "Gentile holidays" while observing it. Nonetheless he prohibits its ongoing celebration as an obligation on a particular day because he feels that it is a prohibited addition to the Jewish calendar or creates a problem of adding commandments. It is clear that he sees no problem in Thanksgiving's celebration as a Gentile holiday, and he appears to see no problem with eating a turkey meal on that day as a matter of choice, and not obligation. Rabbi Feinstein, in a recently published teshuva also written in 1980, seems to state that in fact there is a prohibition to celebrate Thanksgiving, even though he acknowledges that Thanksgiving has no religious content. In this teshuva he views such celebratory activity on Thanksgiving as irrational, and thus prohibited as a form of imitating secular society. However, a close examination of that letter reveals that the only time Rabbi Feinstein would consider that conduct prohibited is if it was done with celebratory rituals associated with actually celebrating Thanksgiving, (perhaps reciting a text or singing a song), and not merely eating a meal Indeed, Rabbi Feinstein, in his fourth teshuva on this topic, clearly recognizes that even this is a stricture, as it is predicated on the approach which argues that secular rituals that have no religious origins are prohibited by the prohibition of imitating Gentiles, which he states is not the normative halakhah, but a mere stricture. In this teshuva, he states that the responsa quoted above is to be considered the normative one. The Approach of Rabbi Soloveitchik Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik also agreed that Thanksgiving was not a Gentile holiday, and ruled that it was permissible to eat turkey on Thanksgiving. Rabbi Hershel Schachter, in his intellectual biography of Rabbi Soloveitchik, Nefesh HaRav, writes: "It was the opinion of Rabbi Soloveitchik that it was permissible to eat turkey at the end of November, on the day of Thanksgiving. We understood that, in his opinion, there was no question that turkey did not lack a tradition of kashrut and that eating it on Thanksgiving was not a problem of imitating gentile customs. We also heard that this was the opinion of his father, Rabbi Moshe Soloveitchik." Others have also recounted that Rabbi Soloveitchik ruled this way, and that he found it difficult to comprehend how one could consider Thanksgiving a Gentile holiday or that it was prohibited to celebrate it. Indeed, there were instances when Rabbi Soloveitchik implied to his students that he and his family celebrated Thanksgiving, although shiur [class] was always held on Thanksgiving. -25www.parshapages.com

The Approach of Rabbi Hutner An exactly opposite approach to the rulings of Rabbis Feinstein and Soloveitchik appears to have been taken by Rabbi Yitzchak Hutner. Rabbi Hutner argues that it is obvious and apparent that-whatever the merit of celebrating Thanksgiving the first time in the 1600s--the establishment of an annual holiday that is based on the Christian calendar is, at the very least, closely associated with idol worship and thus prohibited. Rabbi Hutner argues that such a celebration becomes a "holiday" through the creation of an annual observance and celebrating Gentile holidays is obviously wrong. Rabbi Hutner concludes: "In truth, one must distance oneself from these types of customs and even from those events that are similar to these types of customs . . . The truth is simple and obvious."… Conclusions Three conclusions to this article are worth noting: Three basic approaches are taken by contemporary decisdors (poskim) on the question of celebrating Thanksgiving. Some rule that Thanksgiving is not a Gentile holiday, but yet limit "celebration." They would, apparently, permit eating a turkey meal. Others prohibit any form of involvement in Thanksgiving, as they rule it a Gentile holiday. Yet others view the day no different from Independence Day and allow any celebration appropriate for a secular observance. Indeed, there remains a basic dispute that permeates this review and divides contemporary American halachic authorities of the last 75 years. The relevant issue is whether it is appropriate to distinguish between "secular society," "Gentile society," and "idol-worshiping society" in modern American culture. The validity of this distinction--which was not generally made by the decisors of Eastern Europe 200 ago for the society of that time and place--is extremely relevant to a broad variety of halachic issues related to contemporary American society. Like many areas of Jewish law where there is a diversity of legitimate approaches, individuals should follow the practices of their community, family or rabbi, all the while respecting and accepting as halachicly permissible other community's practices. It is for the ability to respect and accept as legitimate the conduct of fellow observant Jews--sanctioned by rabbinic authority--that true thanksgiving to the Almighty is needed. This article has so far avoided any discussion of normative halacha. Such cannot, however, be avoided, at least in a conclusion. It is my opinion that this article clearly establishes that: 1) Thanksgiving is a secular holiday with secular origins; 2) While some celebrate Thanksgiving with religious rituals, the vast majority of Americans do not; 3) Halacha permits one to celebrate secular holidays, so long as one avoids doing so with people who celebrate them through religious worship; and 4) So long as one avoids giving the celebration of Thanksgiving the appearance of a religious rite (either by occasionally missing a year or in some other manner making it clear that this is not a religious duty) the technical problems raised by Rabbi Feinstein and others are inapplicable. Thus, Halacha permits one to have a private Thanksgiving celebration with one's Jewish or secular friends and family. For reasons related to citizenship and the gratitude we feel towards the United States government, I would even suggest that such conduct is wise and proper. Michael Broyde is law professor at Emory University, rabbi of the Young Israel in Atlanta, and a dayan (judge) in the Beth Din (religious court) of America. -26www.parshapages.com

Handout #13 Poem in honor of Turkey Day When I was a young turkey, new to the coop, My big brother Mike took me out on the stoop Then he sat me down, and he spoke real slow, And he told me there was something that I had to know; His look and his tone I will always remember, When he told me of the horrors of..... Bleak November; "Come about August, now listen to me, Each day you'll get six meals instead of just three," "And soon you'll be thick, where once you were thin, And you'll grow a big rubbery thing under your chin;" "And then one morning, when you're warm in your bed, In'll burst the farmer's wife, and hack off your head;" "Then she'll pluck out all your feathers so you're bald 'n pink, And scoop out all your insides and leave ya lyin' in the sink;" "And then comes the worst part" he said not bluffing, "She'll spread your cheeks and pack your rear with stuffing". Well, the rest of his words were too grim to repeat, I sat on the stoop like a winged piece of meat, And decided on the spot that to avoid being cooked, I'd have to lay low and remain overlooked; I began a new diet of nuts and granola, High-roughage salads, juice and diet cola; And as they ate pastries, chocolates and crepes, I stayed in my room doing Jane Fonda tapes; I maintained my weight of two pounds and a half, And tried not to notice when the bigger birds laughed; But 'twas I who was laughing, under my breath, As they chomped and they chewed, ever closer to death; And sure enough when Bleak November rolled around, I was the last turkey left in the entire compound; So now I'm a pet in the farmer's wife's lap; I haven't a worry, so I eat and I nap; She held me today, while sewing and humming, And smiled at me and said; "Ess Ess little birdy, Chanuka is coming..."

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