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 see 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!

Let’s go back to the Torah Scriptures in Leviticus (6:1 - 8:36) where we learn about offerings. Let’s start by noticing 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 man

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 translations of the Bible would be better translated as “closeness offerings.” It comes from the Hebrew root קָרַב verb come near, approach. It is most often referred to in Hebrew today as a korban offering.

Shlamim offerings, translated as peace offerings, are unique. Part of it is burnt on the altar, part is given to the priests and their families, and part of it is given to the individual making the offering.

The korban todah

Psalm 107 and 4 Reasons

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.

4 Some wandered in desert wastes,
    finding no way to a city to dwell in;
5 hungry and thirsty,
    their soul fainted within them.
6 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
    and he delivered them from their distress.
7 He led them by a straight way
    till they reached a city to dwell in.
8 Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
    for his wondrous works to the children of man!
9 For he satisfies the longing soul,
    and the hungry soul he fills with good things.

Reason 1 Deliverance from wandering in the wilderness (not only physical)

10 Some sat in darkness and in the shadow of death,
prisoners in affliction and in irons,

Reason 2: Deliverance from illness and
Reason 3: Deliverance from captivity (not only physical)

11 for they had rebelled against the words of God,
    and spurned the counsel of the Most High.
12 So he bowed their hearts down with hard labor;
    they fell down, with none to help.
13 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
    and he delivered them from their distress.
14 He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death,
    and burst their bonds apart.
15 Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
    for his wondrous works to the children of man!
16 For he shatters the doors of bronze
    and cuts in two the bars of iron.

17 Some were fools through their sinful ways,
    and because of their iniquities suffered affliction;
18 they loathed any kind of food,
    and they drew near to the gates of death.
19 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
    and he delivered them from their distress.
20 He sent out his word and healed them,
    and delivered them from their destruction.
21 Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
    for his wondrous works to the children of man!
22 And let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving,
    and tell of his deeds in songs of joy!

23 Some went down to the sea in ships,
doing business on the great waters;

Reason 4: Deliverance from a dangerous situation

24 they saw the deeds of the Lord,
    his wondrous works in the deep.
25 For he commanded and raised the stormy wind,
    which lifted up the waves of the sea.
26 They mounted up to heaven; they went down to the depths;
    their courage melted away in their evil plight;
27 they reeled and staggered like drunken men
    and were at their wits' end.
28 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
    and he delivered them from their distress.
29 He made the storm be still,
    and the waves of the sea were hushed.
30 Then they were glad that the waters were quiet,
    and he brought them to their desired haven.
31 Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,
    for his wondrous works to the children of man!
32 Let them extol him in the congregation of the people,
    and praise him in the assembly of the elders.

(From the English Standard Version)

“our thankfulness is what powers the universe”

— - Chaim Richman

This is the offering, according to the Midrash (an ancient commentary on the Torah) that pleases God the most, because it is an offering made for no other reason than a felt need to express thanks to God.

As with all animal sacrifices, the person making the offering takes the animal taken from the flock or the herd and places his hand on its head. He then recites Psalm 100, written by King David, a psalm 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.

the uniqueness of the korban todah

As mentioned before, the shlamim offerings are unique in that a third is burned up, a third given to the priests, and a third returned to the giver. This offering, the korban todah, has an additional part, an offering of various kinds of bread. Only a very small part is given to the priest and the rest is returned to the one who makes the offering. His part is so big that it requires inviting family and friends to consume it all. Normally, there is a window of the day, a night, and another day to eat all of the offering. But the korban todah offering must be eaten by that night. This is because there is a certain urgency to offer immediate thanks for the deliverance received. So the one making the offering makes a joyous feast and invites everyone to celebrate with him. By doing this, the offering brings all those in attendance into a closer connection to the act of thanksgiving. (Notice no leftovers! Thankfulness should be total, complete, and immediate, not held over for another day.)

Another unique characteristic of the korban todah is that it includes both unleavened bread and leavened bread. The gift of bread that accompanies the offering was the equivalent of 26 kg. or 57.3 lbs. of flour! Since it is the rare person who could eat that much bread in a single day, it is meant to be shared in a communal setting as a joyful meal together. Others therefore share in the thanksgiving for the deliverance of the one who made the offering. Thanksgiving is meant to be shared!

Since leaven symbolizes haughtiness (it puffs up), why is it included in such an offering?

It is because when we can provide an entire festive feast for a communal meal, we might be prone to pride. Offering the leavened bread reminds us that all we have is due to God’s abundant blessings. It is a reminder to remain humble in the face of immense, undeserved blessing.

the truth of thanksgiving

Although the korban todah is presented by a single individual who is overjoyed at his deliverance from adversity or just because he sees God’s amazing abundant blessings in his own life, there is a larger context.

It is an acknowledgment of God’s care and provision for all of humanity.

And that brings us full circle back to Thanksgiving Day. Just don’t wait until November!