Modeh Ani (Hebrew:מודה אני; "I give thanks") is aJewishprayer that observant Jews recite daily upon waking, while still in bed.
| Gender of speaker | Hebrew | Transliteration | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| Male | מוֹדֶה אֲנִי לְפָנֶֽיךָ מֶֽלֶךְ חַי וְקַיָּים. שֶׁהֶֽחֱזַֽרְתָּ בִּי נִשְׁמָתִי ,בְּחֶמְלָה. רַבָּה אֱמֽוּנָתֶֽךָ׃ | Modeh ani lefanekha melekh cḥai vekayam sheheḥezarta bi nishmati b'ḥemlah, rabah emunatekha. | I give thanks before you, King living and eternal, for You have returned within me my soul with compassion; abundant is Your faithfulness. |
| Female[1] | מוֹדָה אֲנִי לְפָנֶֽיךָ מֶֽלֶךְ חַי וְקַיָּים. שֶׁהֶֽחֱזַֽרְתָּ בִּי נִשְׁמָתִי ,בְּחֶמְלָה. רַבָּה אֱמֽוּנָתֶֽךָ׃ | Modah ani lefanekha melekh cḥai vekayam sheheḥezarta bi nishmati b'ḥemlah, rabah emunatekha. |
Lamentations states that "The Lord's mercies are not consumed, surely His compassions do not fail. They arenew every morning; great is Your faithfulness."[3] From this, theShulchan 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.
The specific prayerModeh Ani, however, is not mentioned in theTalmud orShulchan Aruch, and first appears in the workSeder haYom by the 16th century rabbiMoshe ben Machir.[4]
As this prayer does not include any of the names of God, observant Jews may recite it before washing their hands. According to theKitzur Shulchan Aruch, one should pause slightly between the words "compassion" and "abundant".
In Talmudic times, Jews traditionally recitedElohai Neshamah (Hebrew:אֱלהַי נְשָׁמָה, "My God, the soul") upon waking. The prayer was later moved to themorning synagogue services.[5]
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