דעֶר סֵדֶר פוּן טאָג הוֹיבְּט זִיך אָן מִיט מוֹדֶה אֲנִי, אוּן דאָס זאָגט מעֶן פאַר נעֶגעֶל וואַסעֶר אֲפִילוּ בְּיָדַיִם טְמֵאוֹת, וואָרוּם כָּל הַטּוּמְאוֹת שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם זַיינעֶן נִיט מְטַמֵּא דעֶם מוֹדֶה אֲנִי פוּן אַ אִידעֶן. עֶר קעֶן זַיין אַ חָסֵר בָּזֶה אוֹ בָזֶה, אָבּעֶר דעֶר מוֹדֶה אֲנִי בְּלַייבְּט גַאנץ.

[A Jew’s] day begins with Modeh Ani. This is recited before washing negel-vasser,1 even though one’s hands are [still] impure, for there is no impurity in the world that can taint a Jew’s Modeh Ani, [his grateful acknowledgment of G‑d].He may lack this or that [element in his Divine service], but his Modeh Ani remains intact.2

Probing Beneath the Surface

A name delimits and defines. That is why G‑d’s Name does not appear in Modeh Ani, because that prayer relates to a level of G‑dliness that transcends any definition.3 It is simply the essence of a Jew connecting to the Essence of G‑d.