Modeh Ani
Modeh Ani (Hebrew: מודה אני; "I give thanks") is a Jewish prayer that observant Jews recite daily upon waking, while still in bed.
Text
- Hebrew: מוֹדֶה אֲנִי לְפָנֶֽיךָ מֶֽלֶךְ חַי וְקַיָּים. שֶׁהֶֽחֱזַֽרְתָּ בִּי נִשְׁמָתִי ,בְּחֶמְלָה. רַבָּה אֱמֽוּנָתֶֽךָ׃
- Transliteration: Modeh ani lifanekha melekh chai v'kayam shehecḥezarta bi nishmahti b'cḥemlah, rabah emunatekha.
- Translation: I give thanks before you, King living and eternal, for You have returned within me my soul with compassion; abundant is Your faithfulness![1]
Tradition
Lamentations states that "The Lord's mercies are not consumed, surely His compassions do not fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness" (Lam. 3:22–23..) From this, the Shulchan Aruch deduces that every morning, God renews every person as a new creation. This prayer serves the purpose of expressing gratitude to God for restoring one's soul each morning.
As this prayer does not include any of the names of God, observant Jews may recite it before washing their hands. According to the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch, one should pause slightly between the words "compassion" and "abundant is Your faithfulness."
In Talmudic times, Jews traditionally recited Elohai Neshamah (Hebrew: אֱלהַי נְשָׁמָה, "My God, the soul") upon waking. The prayer was later moved to the morning synagogue services.[2]
Because of its simplicity, Modeh Ani has become a favorite prayer for small children.