Rashi (Devarim 26:5) says “He mentions the loving kindness of the Omnipresent saying…” Such is the manner in which a person is obligated, between himself and his Blessed Creator, when He blesses him with some favor or success, the person must praise and thank Him for arranging this matter in His mercy and with an abundance of His loving kindness. (Shlah Parshas Ki Savo Derech Chaim Tochachas Musar)

The Shlah tells us that a person is obligated to verbally thank and praise Hashem for the good that He has bestowed. It is not enough to merely think it in one’s mind – it must be verbalized. But if Hashem knows what one thinks, why does it have to be verbalized?

It seems to me that the answer is obvious. What has more impact on a person: a silent thought or a verbalized statement? Something that is expressed through words certainly has a greater effect on the person who has said it compared to a thought that is not said aloud (See Sefer Hachinuch mitzvah 21 – Sipur yitzias Mitzrayim).

However, the question arises: How much hakaras hatov does one need to have and express?

The gemora in Bava Kama 16a tells us that a person who does not bow down during “modim” will have his spine turn into a snake. The commentators wonder why of all things should it turn into a snake?! An answer that I saw is that the original snake was at the pinnacle of the animal kingdom. But instead of being thankful for all that which it had, it just wanted more. Because of that ingratitude, it was punished that all of its food would be tasteless. So too, a person who is not thankful for that which he has, will eventually have the good taken from him.

Reb Michel Yehuda Lefkowitz was once given a ride by a friend of mine from Ramat Beit Shemesh to Bnei Brak. Upon reaching their destination, Reb Michael Yehuda’s home, he asked the driver to wait just one minute as he ran into his home. He came back and gave my friend a sefer that he himself wrote. Rav Michel Yehuda explained, “This is an expression of my hakaros hatov for the ride.” A year later he returned to RBS, and my friend again gave him a ride home. Upon reaching the destination he said, “Wait a minute”. My friend already knew what was coming, and said, “I already received a gift last year for hakaras hatov. I don’t need another one this year.” To this Reb Michael Yehuda said, “With that one sefer, I did not even fulfill my obligation of hakaras hatov for the favor which you did for me last year, as there is no limit to hakaras harov.”

Indeed, each Shabbos in Nishmas we proclaim that it is not within our power to sufficiently express our gratitude for all the good which Hashem bestows upon us.

I would like to mention another dimension to hakaras hatov. A Chasid once had an unbelievable siyata dishmaya, and it became clear to him that Hashem went out of His way to help him. The Chasid came to the Nesivos Shalom with many ideas of how he might be able to “pay back” Hashem: Open a gemach; Give more tzedakah; etc. The Rebbe listened to his Chasid with his exuberance and earnest desire to repay Hashem. When the Chasid was finished, the Rebbe thought for a moment, and responded, “I suggest that you do absolutely nothing! It seems to me that you would like to repay your debt. But even if you did all those things you suggested, it would not suffice to pay the debt of gratitude that you must feel towards Hashem.” His message is that it is better to do nothing and know that you owe Hashem, rather than do something and think you paid off your debt of gratitude.

Not only is just “thinking” hakaras hatov insufficient, but even after verbalizing hakaras hatov, a Jew still has not fulfilled his obligation. For to truly fulfill this obligation, A Jew must remain cognizant of this debt of gratitude throughout his entire life.