Waking Up: Modeh Ani

I gratefully thank You, O living and eternal King, for You have returned my soul within me with compassion- abudnant is Your faithfulness! (Artscroll Siddur)

Every morning we wake up and thank the Ribbono shel Olam for restoring our neshamot to our bodies with the tfillah of Modeh Ani. Of course, like anything else, this can unfortunately develop over time into a habitual act. When we take the time to think about it, we should really be wondering what to have in mind while saying it. 

The Shulchan Aruch writes that one should arise in the morning like a lion to serve Hashem (1:1).  The Rama (ibid) also writes that immediately upon awaking, a person should get up with zrizut to serve Hashem. The Mishnah Berurah comments that as he gets up, it is good to say: "Modeh ani lifanecha, Melech Chai v'Kayam, she'hechezarta bi nishmati b'chemela, Rabbah Emunatecha." He quotes the Yad Efraim that one should pronounce "b'chemla" with an etnachta (as the end of the sentence or phrase), and then say the words "Rabbah Emunatecha" together. It's not problematic to say this tfillah before netilat yadayim since there is no mention of Hashem's name. Interestingly, R' Yaakov Emden tz"l disagrees and maintains that one should not even say this before washing his hands, but should rather contemplate the words and this is sufficient (Siddur Beit Yaakov). 

The Gemara in Brachot (60b) actually lists the brachot one should make upon waking up; the first being "Elokai Neshama" to thank Hashem for returning our neshamot. Rabbeinu Yonah has a problem with this, that Chazal set up to say berachot like this in the Gemara becasue they were so holy and made sure to get up and wash their hands in a careful way so as to be able to say the berachot then. But for us today, we are not on such a level and therefore can't say brachot until after netilat yadayim. So the Seder HaYom writes that today, we say Modeh Ani first. 

"Modeh Ani Lifanecha"- Wefulfill that which the Rama writes to uphold the pasuk "Shiviti Hashem L'negdi Tamid."  We must make sure to realize what we say as we say it. We thank Hashem because He is before us and is the source of everything. "Melech Chai V'Kayam"- Just as we thank Hashem, our Melech, the Melech Malchei HaMelachim, for returning our neshamah, we must remember that we are his servants, and use our returned neshamot for His avodah! When one says "b'chemla," he should have in mind that it refers to compassion over something that it was not lost. How fortunate are we that HaKadosh Boruch returns our neshamot to our bodies every morning! "Rabbah Emunatecha"- The way of man is that when one gives his a freind something new to watch, he will get it back tattered & dirty. But when we give our neshamot to Hashem every night, dirty and worn out, He returns them as if they were new! Furthermore, this does not necessarily pertain only to the neshamah, but to the entire world. At night, the world is as if it is not there but in the hand of Hashem, and He renews it every day. (Siddur Maharal M'Prauge) Hodu La'Hashem Ki Tov Ki L'Olam Chasdo!  

 

(Picture from www.Judaica18.com)