Happy Thanksgiving! - CHRONICLE Online/The WORD 11/27/25

Weekly On-line Rabbi's D'var-Torah

November 27, 2025

7 Kislev 5786

Parashat Vayetzei

In October 1863 (that’s eight score and two years ago!), right in the middle of the US Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln issued a proclamation designating the final Thursday of November as a day of thanksgiving.

It’s really remarkable. As President Lincoln himself noted, despite the ongoing war, there were still blessings for which people should give thanks. He went on to say:

“I do, therefore, invite my fellow-citizens in every part of the United States... to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next as a Day of Thanksgiving and Praise.... And I recommend to them that, while offering up the ascriptions justly due to [God] for such singular deliverances and blessing, they do also...fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty hand to heal the wounds of the nation, and to restore it, as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes, to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility, and union (Thanksgiving Proclamation, October 3, 1863).”

It reminded me of our patriarch Jacob in this week’s Torah portion, who was forced to leave the only home he had ever known in order to escape his brother Esau’s wrath. He was on his way to live with people whom he had never met in a place that he had never seen. And yet, he stopped on his way to offer up a prayer acknowledging God. He woke up after his famous ladder dream and said: “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the abode of God, and that is the gateway to heaven (Genesis 28:17).” Jacob was able to look past his difficulties and see the possibility of a better day.

We may not be in the middle of a civil war, and we may not have to move away from our family for twenty years, but we are certainly living in a challenging and contentious time. There is a great divide in our country. There are rifts within the Jewish community. It would be easy to despair. It would be easy to forget that we still live in a land of many blessings.

Fortunately, both Jacob and President Lincoln set an example for the rest of us to follow. We should not ignore the problems of our time. We should not forget about the challenges that we face. However, for at least one day, let’s focus on all that is right and good in the world. Let’s envision how we can make our community and our country better.  And then, let’s give thanks. Happy Thanksgiving!

Shalom, 

RAF.

PS - Our daily Zoom minyan will take place at 4:30 p.m. today. Regular Zoom link is down below.