In, what is for me, one of the most heart wrenching scenes in this week's portion, Toledoth, Esau, goes before his father Isaac to get his firstborn blessing. Esau did not know that moments earlier Jacob had already deceived their father, and gotten the blessing from Isaac. Isaac was also upset, but there was nothing he could do. He had already given Esau's blessing away. But Esau insisted, with tears in his eyes, he cried "Don't you have another blessing, father? Bless me too!" At which point Isaac offers Esau a blessing as well.

I think we can all relate to how Esau must have felt in that moment. We may get frustrated when we perceive others to have been blessed, especially when it is with things that we want for ourselves, leaving us seemingly empty handed. I am not justifying Jacob's actions in any way. But I think it's important to remember that while at times our situation may seem to be upsetting, and even hopeless, there are plenty of blessings to go around. It may be hard, in the moments of disappointment, to recognize these blessings,  but often times all we have to do is be patient, and look a little harder.

Which is why it is my hope and prayer for all of us on this Shabbat before Thanksgiving, that while at times some of the blessings in our lives may be harder to see than others, that we may all be able to appreciate the many blessings that come our way and things in our lives for which we have to be thankful.