I am a rich man and let me count the ways

I am constantly amazed how frequently I reference Naikan in my life. Greg Krech in his book Naikan: Gratitude, Grace, and the Japanese Art of Self-Reflection writes, “To live a life of gratitude is to open our eyes to the countless ways in which we are supported by the world around us. Such a life provides less space for our suffering because our attention is more balanced. We are more often occupied with noticing what we are given, thanking those who have helped us, and repaying the world in some concrete way for what we are receiving and have received in the past.” (Page 58) All we need to do is answer the first Naikan question “What benefit did I receive from…” In today’s daf TB Berachot 58 Ben Zoma instinctively applies the Nikan principles in his life.

 "(Ben Zoma) would say: How much effort did Adam the first man exert before he found bread to eat: He plowed, sowed, reaped, sheaved, threshed, winnowed in the wind, separated the grain from the chaff, ground the grain into flour, sifted, kneaded, and baked and only thereafter he ate. And I, on the other hand, wake up and find all of these prepared for me. Human society employs a division of labor, and each individual benefits from the service of the entire world. Similarly, how much effort did Adam the first man exert before he found a garment to wear? He sheared, laundered, combed, spun and wove, and only thereafter he found a garment to wear. And I, on the other hand, wake up and find all of these prepared for me. Members of all nations, merchants and craftsmen, diligently come to the entrance of my home, and I wake up and find all of these before me." (Sefaria.org translation)

Just think how many people it took to put that bagel on your breakfast dish. Here is my incomplete list.

1.       The salesperson who sold the seed to the farmer.

2.       The salesperson who sold the farmer the vehicle to transport the seed back home.

3.       The truck driver who transported the farmer’s vehicle to the car showroom.

4.       All the different people who built that car and truck.

5.       All the different people who manufactured all the different parts of the car and truck like tires, bumpers, engines, exhaust pipes, radio and other electronic devices, etc.

6.       All the different people who created or mined the raw material needed for the car and truck like rubber, iron, aluminum, plastic, and etc.

7.       We enumerate the same amount of countless people who helped create the tools that the farmer needs like plows, tractors, rakes, and etc.

8.       Certainly one farmer can’t do all the work by himself so he has hire hands.

9.       They all need places to live so we have to think of all the people who create homes, architects, carpenters, plumbers, and etc.

10.   We can’t forget all the people who harvest, create, transport and materials needed to build a home.

11.   After the farmer harvest is his wheat, he sells the grain off to be processed by other people who transport it and do all the work and machines that is needed to change the grain into flour.

12.   The flour needs to be packaged and we can forget all those people who are responsible for that material and the packaging of the grain.

13.   Nor can we forget all the people who work at all the various jobs in the warehouse that stores the grain.

14.   The Baker needs to buy the flour and transported to his bakery.

15.   The Baker needs all the different kinds of people who created, transported, installed his ovens, sinks, refrigerators counters, cash registers, and etc.

16.   Bagels are boiled before they are baked. I can’t even guess how many people it took so the Baker can have water.

17.   The Baker needs salespeople to sell you that bagel.

18.   Somebody had to buy the bagel for you and transported it home.

19.   Think about what it took to make, transport, and sell you the plate and utensils you need for that bagel.

20.   Do you like bagels toasted? Just think about how many people went into making your toaster or toaster oven.

21.   What kind of bagels do you like? Just think about how many people went into making the raisins, sesame seeds, onions, garlic, and etc. that favor your bagel. What do you like on your bagels? Just think about how many people went into making that butter, margarine, cream cheese, lox, and etc.

I’m sure you can add more people and materials who made that bagel appear on our plate possible. As you can see, countless people enable us to enjoy that bagel. (Talking about enjoying the bagel, let’s not forget our dentists, their assistants, and everything that goes into making toothbrushes and toothpaste.) If we apply Ben Zoma and Naikan approach to life, we would never take anything for granted and appreciate whatever we have. No wonder Ben Zoma taught in Pirke Avot 4:1 “Who is Rich? One who rejoices and what he has…”

Ben Zoma gives us a different example of the same principle when he “would say: A good guest, what does he say? How much effort did the host expend on my behalf, how much meat did the host bring before me. How much wine did he bring before me. How many loaves [geluskaot] did he bring before me. All the effort that he expended, he expended only for me. However, a bad guest, what does he say? What effort did the host expend? I ate only one piece of bread, I ate only one piece of meat and I drank only one cup of wine. All the effort that the home owner expended he only expended on behalf of his wife and children.” (Sefaria.org translation)

No matter what the situation we find ourselves in, we just can’t say “thank you enough.” With Purim not so far away and Passover on its heels, there’s no better time to inculcate a gratitude attitude for all of God’s miracles, for all that God has done for us through his human angels, partners, and for all we have.