Giving Thanks

One final point worth mentioning about פרשת ויצא is Leah’s response to giving birth to a fourth child, Yehuda. She said הפעם אודה את ה׳, this time I will give thanks to Hashem.

The Talmud says in the name of רבי שמעון בר יוחאי that from the time Hashem created the world, there was nobody who thanked Hashem as Leah did. Rashi explains that Leah understood that Yakov had four wives and he was to have twelve sons. She realized that she received more than expected as she thought each wife was to have three sons. She now had four.

Rav Elazar Abuchatzeira זצ״ל once said that others gave thanks for things that were למעלה מן הטבע, above nature or miraculous. Leah was the first to realize that even טבע, what is natural like having a baby is really למעלה מן הטבע, above nature, and a miracle.

Leah taught us that we must give thanks for everything and nothing should be taken for granted.