There is additional meaning to this first phrase of thanksgiving. The first time we say, “Thank You,” we use the feminine form for the word “You” (Lach), while the second time we use the masculine form (Lecha). What is the significance of this transition from addressing God using feminine and then masculine pronouns? What difference could gender have when it comes to God, who is beyond all gender? The feminine aspect of Divinity corresponds to God’s power to receive and be affected. The masculine aspect of Divinity corresponds to God’s power to give and to affect. For any relationship to be fruitful there must always be give and take. There cannot be one without the other. Although a married couple is constantly switching roles, at any given moment one plays the giver while the other the receiver. Rabbi Joseph Baer Soloveitchik explains that, at various stages of prayer, God is in the feminine role and we are in the male role, because we are the benefactors and God is the beneficiary. We affect and God is affected. Remember, for God to be manifest in the world, we must want Him present in our lives. With each request—“Blessed are You who bestows knowledge,” “Blessed are You who redeems,” “Blessed are You who heals”—we affect (through our power to acknowledge, intensify our awareness and desire) an increased manifestation of God’s presence. God is described as receiving our prayers because our prayers are a gift to God. When we pray, acknowledge God’s goodness and request that His blessings pour into our lives, we are giving God the opportunity to give to us. Therefore, we use the feminine form of “You” here, because we are thanking God for being feminine—for being receptive to and affected by our prayers. This is quite a phenomenal idea. In fact, during the Hallel service (recited on holidays) we say, “From YHVH, who became a she, it is awesome in our eyes.” However, even though we say, “We thank You” (in the feminine form), we further qualify that, in fact, “You are He” (in the masculine form). In other words, “You, God, are ultimately the benefactor, and we are the beneficiaries. Even our power to affect You in our prayers comes from You. Every moment of our lives we are totally dependent on You, the Rock of our lives.” Interestingly, the word Rock (Tzur) also hints at the word tzayar meaning “artist.” We, therefore, intimate that God is the artist of our lives, God is the true giver, not us.