(א) מיד כשיעור משנתו, בעודו על משכבו, יאמר:
(ב) מוֹדֶה אֲנִי לְפָנֶֽיךָ מֶֽלֶךְ חַי וְקַיָּם שֶׁהֶחֱזַֽרְתָּ בִּי נִשְׁמָתִי בְּחֶמְלָה, רַבָּה אֱמוּנָתֶֽךָ:
(1) Upon waking in the morning, even before washing your hands, say:
(2) I give thanks to You living and everlasting King for You have restored my soul with mercy. Great is Your faithfulness.
Why do we give thanks? Does it matter to Hashem whether or not we give thanks?
Does the order of events imply that gratitude is more important than cleanliness?
Why is this the first thing we say in the morning? Is gratitude the building block, the ground level from which to start?
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם שֶׁעָשָׂה לִי כָּל־צָרְכִּי:
Blessed are You, Adonoy our God, King of the Universe, Who provided me with all my needs.
In what sense does Hashem provide for our needs? Provides the ability to get the things we need? Provides the community to support each other? Provides for us spiritually?
לְעוֹלָם יְהֵא אָדָם יְרֵא שָׁמַֽיִם בְּסֵֽתֶר וּבַגָּלוּי וּמוֹדֶה עַל־הָאֱמֶת וְדוֹבֵר אֱמֶת בִּלְבָבוֹ וְיַשְׁכֵּם וְיֹאמַר:
A person should always be in fear of God, privately as well as openly, [he should] admit the truth, and speak truth in his heart, and rise early and proclaim:
Should we be afraid of Hashem? Is that a healthy relationship to have? Are you afraid of Hashem