In Parshat Vayetzei (Breisheet 29:35), after Leah gave birth to her
fourth son, she said, “‘This time, let me thank
God (odeh at Hashem)’. Therefore she called him Yehuda…”
Leah was the first person to express openly her feelings of thankfulness
to God as we see in the Talmud, Brachot 7b: Rabbi Yochanan said in the name of
Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai: From the day that the Holy One, Blessed is He, created
His world, there was no person who offered thanks to Him until Leah came and
thanked Him as it is stated (Breisheet 29:35) “this time let me thank God.”
Sforno points out that the name
Yehuda contains the letters of God’s ineffable name as well as the root that
means “thankfulness” and “praise.” Therefore the name connotes thanks to God.
According to Rashi, Leah was
especially grateful because she had been granted more than her rightful share
(as the mother of more than one third of the future total of Yaakov’s sons).
Siftei Chachamim states that “hoda’ah” is the recognition that one has
received excessive benefit, beyond what one thinks that they deserve. Leah was
the first to realize that God had given her something more than could be
expected.
Chidushei HaRim points out that Jews are called Yehudim after Yehuda,
because it is a Jewish characteristic to always be thankful to God.
May we always be appreciative of the blessings that God bestows upon us.
