What Does Thanksgiving Have To Do With Torah?

By Suzi Wollman

Here in America, we are taught in elementary school that Thanksgiving is a day set apart to give thanks to God for His abundance.
We are told that the first Thanksgiving was spent with the local Indians, who shared their food with us.

Today, we celebrate a huge meal with friends, catch up with family we may not have seen since last year, and watch football.

But did you know that Thanksgiving actually began way back some 3,000 years ago—long before America was a nation?
In fact, it is ordained by God Himself!

Offerings in the Torah

Let’s go back to the Torah Scriptures in Leviticus (6:1–8:36) where we learn about offerings.
Notice that when the Israelites made offerings, they were made in the light of day.

The pagan nations around them served “gods” that controlled them by fear. The sacrifices were to appease these so-called gods who otherwise would blight their crops, cause illness, or even bring death.
Their minds were filled with darkness, and they wanted their deities to stay away from them. These gods were gods of darkness who victimized mankind.

But God—Yahweh, the One True God— asked for the sacrifices made to Him to be done by day. He was gentle, lucid, and perfectly clear that the sacrifices made by the Israelites were to draw His people near to Him.

The Hebrew word translated sacrifice in most English Bibles would be better rendered closeness offering.
It comes from the Hebrew root קָרַב (qarav) — “to come near, approach.”
It is often referred to in Hebrew as a korban offering.

Shlamim and the Korban Todah

Shlamim offerings, translated as peace offerings, are unique:

• Part is burned on the altar.
• Part is given to the priests and their families.
• Part is returned to the individual making the offering.

Among these, the korban todah (thanksgiving offering) stands out.

Psalm 107 — Four Reasons to Give Thanks

1 Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever!
2 Let the redeemed of the Lord say so,
whom he has redeemed from trouble
3 and gathered in from the lands,
from the east and from the west,
from the north and from the south.
(Psalm 107:1–3, ESV)

Psalm 107 gives four reasons to offer thanksgiving to God.

Reason 1: Deliverance from wandering in the wilderness

(Not only physical but spiritual.)

Some wandered in desert wastes, finding no way to a city to dwell in;
hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted within them.
Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.
(Psalm 107:4–6)

Reason 2: Deliverance from captivity

Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death,
prisoners in affliction and in irons...
Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.
(Psalm 107:10–14)

Reason 3: Deliverance from illness

Some were fools through their sinful ways,
and because of their iniquities suffered affliction...
He sent out his word and healed them,
and delivered them from their destruction.
(Psalm 107:17–20)

Reason 4: Deliverance from danger

Some went down to the sea in ships...
Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
and he delivered them from their distress.
He made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed.
(Psalm 107:23–29)

“Our thankfulness is what powers the universe.”
— Chaim Richman

According to the Midrash, the thanksgiving offering pleases God most, because it is made for no other reason than a heart moved to express thanks.

Psalm 100 — A Song of Thanksgiving

1 Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.
2 Worship the Lord with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs.
3 Know that the Lord is God.
It is he who made us, and we are his;
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.
5 For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations.
(Psalm 100, NIV)

When making the korban todah, the person places his hand on the animal’s head and recites Psalm 100 — a psalm of joyful gratitude.

The Uniqueness of the Korban Todah

As mentioned before, shlamim offerings are shared:

• A third is burned,
• A third given to the priests,
• A third returned to the giver.

But the korban todah adds something more — bread offerings.
Only a small portion goes to the priest; the rest returns to the one making the offering.

Because so much is returned, it must be eaten that very day. The person gathers family and friends for a joyful meal — a communal celebration of gratitude.
This immediacy mirrors our need to give thanks right away, not later.

Bread and Humility

The korban todah includes both unleavened and leavened bread.
The bread gift equaled nearly 57 pounds of flour — far too much for one person. It was designed for sharing.

Why include leaven when it often symbolizes pride?

Because when we celebrate abundantly, we might be tempted to think we provided it.
The leavened bread reminds us: all blessing comes from God.
It teaches humility in the face of abundance.

The Truth of Thanksgiving

Although the korban todah is offered by an individual rejoicing in deliverance or blessing, its meaning reaches further.

It acknowledges God’s care and provision for all humanity — not just one person.
Thanksgiving, therefore, is communal.

And that brings us full circle back to Thanksgiving Day.
The heart of Thanksgiving isn’t a date on the calendar but a posture of the soul.

So don’t wait until Thanksgiving.
Give thanks today.