In Poland, Even Winnie-the-Pooh Has a Holocaust Story
6 min read
Psychology has helped us become more aware that how we think influences our feelings and behavior. Imagine a day in which five good things happen to you, but then you step in a puddle and get your shoes muddy. If you were to consider your day ruined, this would be an example of negativity bias. We have a tendency to focus and dwell on negative experiences, even if they’re relatively trivial. In contrast, when you think back on your day and your mind focuses on the good things that happened—a kind text from a friend, a compliment from your boss, a relaxing walk in the park—that’s your positivity bias in action.
The positivity bias encourages a person to pay attention to the positives in life. Both the positivity and negativity biases influence many aspects of one’s life. Focusing on the positive will enhance one’s overall quality of life and can improve a person’s emotional and mental health.
At the root of a positive attitude is gratitude, the fuel that helps power positive thoughts and actions. The attribute of gratitude is exemplified in the mitzvah of bikkurim, the offering of the first fruits of the Land of Israel. This mitzvah is described in this week’s Torah portion.
When you enter the land which God, your God, is giving you as an inheritance, you shall take possession of it and settle it. Then you shall take the first from every fruit of the ground which you gather in from your land that God, your God, is giving you. You should put it in a basket and go to the place where God, your God, will choose to make His name dwell there.
Notice that the words “God, your God” are stated three times. Perhaps this is to emphasize that everything comes from God: the land, the harvest, and the specific place in which God makes His name dwell. This repetition connects all the good to the same, unified source: “your God.” It fortifies our God-consciousness as a crescendo of recognition that culminates in appreciation.
Rambam proposes an enlightening idea regarding the verbal declaration recited by every farmer when offering his first fruits: “And now, behold, I have brought the first fruits of the land which You, God, have given me.”
Sometimes, when living in material comfort, a person may be more prone to haughtiness and lack gratitude. Acknowledging that God is the primary source of one’s success and blessings is paramount to not becoming arrogant. Entitlement and insolence are the outcomes of not practicing gratitude. The bringing of one’s first fruits serves as a reminder to be grateful.
But what if one’s harvest wasn’t bountiful? What if the farmer sees others who clearly have much more? The Torah states that “you shall rejoice with all the goodness that God, your God, has given you and your household.” A person must focus on the good that he or she has.
Lasting happiness is not determined by the amount of money or possessions we have. Many people with large bank accounts are still unhappy. With all of their wealth, they are disappointed, depressed, and feel that they have nothing. People can squander their lives, convinced that they don’t have enough. Isn’t that a self-imposed curse?
Appreciating the good in one’s life begins with gratitude for life itself. Waking up in the morning means that God has a reason for you to be alive. What is that reason, and how can you best actualize it today?
The unhappiest people are oftentimes self-absorbed. They’ve become constricted by the negative way they perceive their own circumstances. Feeling and expressing gratitude expands us to include and interact positively with others. A positive perspective helps generate gratitude and produces happiness.
Feeling grateful may not come naturally to a person. However, it can be developed, cultivated, and maintained, just like a garden. By emphasizing the good, we’ll come to feel gratitude. A Jew has numerous opportunities each day to practice gratitude and to cultivate his or her awareness of the good. From reciting Modeh Ani, “I am thankful before God,” upon awakening, to mindfully reciting blessings before and after eating—and even after going to the bathroom—we’re taught to express our gratitude to God. The thrice daily prayer services—morning, afternoon, and evening—all focus on being grateful. Why such emphasis on gratitude? Because naturally, most of us can forget to be grateful, and then we fall victim to our negativity bias.
The Torah was given thousands of years before the field of positive psychology emerged at the end of the twentieth century, yet it’s replete with daily rituals and practices that epitomize the benefits of positive psychology. Positive thinking and gratitude are hallmarks of Judaism.
The mitzvah of the first fruits contains life-enriching lessons. Here are two to consider:
The positivity bias generally is stronger in older adults. As people age, they tend to remember more positive than negative information. Perhaps this is due to the wisdom that only age can bring. But why wait until you are older, if you can benefit from increased positivity now? Studying the Torah can help activate and enhance your positivity bias at any age. As stated several times in this book, the Lubavitcher Rebbe was known to say, “Think good and it will be good.” Positive thinking is the Jewish way. Choose to strengthen your positivity bias today.
