Modeh Ani Rabbi Yaakov Glasser
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 | Modeh Ani – If it is the first tefillah we say each
day, it must hold some intense significance. |
| Although interrelated, the body and soul are separate
and independent entities. When we go to sleep at night, the soul separates
from the body and ascends to the heavens. |
 | Medrash Tehillim – When one deposits money at a
bank, he does not expect to receive the same coins he brought in. Hashem,
however, does not work in this method. He returns each soul to its owner
each morning. |
| When someone lends an object to another person, he
expects that it will be returned with more wear, due to use. Hashem,
however, does not work in this method. He returns each person’s soul
fresh and renewed. |
| One unique facet of “Modeh Ani” is the use of the first
person. We almost never pray in the individual first person, using the
term I or me. |
| Why does the Medrash find Hashem’s practice of
returning souls to their proper owners so remarkable? What is so fantastic
about it? |
| Governments, when making laws, can not take into
account the needs of every individual person. Decisions are made based on
what will do the most good for the majority of people. Hashem, however, deals
with each person on the issues which affect them personally. |
| Furthermore, even if a person goes to bed feeling
that they failed in their spiritual tests, Hashem returns the soul
renewed, ready to try again. |
| We say “Modeh Ani” in the first person because we
must start the day defining who we are. We can only define ourselves based
on our own personalities and potential. If we focus on those around us, we
will have an inaccurate vision of ourselves. Therefore, as we focus on
defining ourselves first thing, we must focus exclusively on ourselves, even
to the exclusion of the rest of Klal Yisrael. |
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Al Netilat Yadaim
| Why do we make the bracha (on washing of hands in the
morning) “al netilas yadayim?” Shouldn’t it be “al rechitzas yadayim?” |
In Aramaic, the word netillah is related to the word for elevation. The hands
are symbolic of work, of accomplishment. Thus, the first thing we do in
the morning is a symbolic elevation of the spiritual status of our hands, in
order to lend a spiritual air to our daily actions.
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Asher Yatzar
| Asher Yatzar is one of the few brachos which is
elaborated upon and explained by the Shulchan Aruch itself. |
| There are a number of questions about this bracha: |
| Why does the bracha mention God’s creation of man
only; there are various other beings and species roaming the earth which
also have the same digestive system. Why, then, when we are trying to
extol the praises of Hashem, do we limit the scope of our exaltation? |
| Why does the bracha use the repetitious wording of
“nekavim nekavim, chalulim chalulim?” |
| Why the strong language of “it is revealed and
known before Your Glorious Throne” in this bracha? Many other things
seem to be just as wondrous, if not more so. Why the grandiose
formulation? |
| Again, the language of “and to stand before
you,” if we have already mentioned that we would not be able to exist? |
| Tur (Orach Chaim 6) quotes a medrash: Like a balloon,
man is a vessel. Should the vessel be punctured, the air would escape and
leave the vessel empty. |
| Rama (Orach Chaim 6:1) explains that the purpose of
this bracha is to extol the wondrous nature of man, that Hashem binds
man’s spiritual and physical attributes, despite their mutually exclusive
characters. |
| That having been said, we can understand the
exclusion of other living beings and the focus specifically on humanity.
Since only homo-sapiens were created with a neshama (higher soul), this
bracha (based on the Rama’s explanation) only applies to mankind. |
| One of the concepts of this bracha is that notion that
the real miracles are not when something goes wrong, but when everything
runs “normally” and smoothly. When a person wakes up in the morning (and
when his body properly removes and expels harmful wastes) and he is healthy
and his body continues to function properly, that is miraculous and
deserving of praise and blessing. |
| (Elokai Neshama – when it
is said and in juxtaposition to what else, and why.) |
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| “Tehorah hee,” “it is pure” – Unlike other
religions, we believe that the soul is inherently pure and holy, despite
what sins we may have performed. We are not sinful beings trying to
transcend that lowliness, but holy beings trying to uplift the otherwise
mundane aspects of this world. |
Meet
Rabbi Yaakov Glasser Rabbi Glasser's
weekly lecture on Tefilla continues on Tuesday nights at the Young Israel of
Passaic County (YIPC) at 8:30 pm. Join us as he shares insights into the concept
of tefillah, as well as elucidations of the tefillot themselves.
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