Siddur Chabburah (with notes)

Modeh Ani

• This is all about recognizing that we did not have to wake up from our sleep

• G-d had no obligation to us to have us wake up every morning, so we need to say Modeh Ani as a way of reminding ourselves of that fact

Netillat Yadayim

• General idea in Judaism that we cleanse ourselves before entering a new part of the day, etc.

• Here, I think the idea is that we are entering into a new part of our day here as well. Sleeping to a certain is a loss of consciousness. Before delving into the reality that while we are asleep, and unconsciousness, our thoughts and actions can veer off into realms that would not be considered appropriate, it’s also just this change of state that calls for a washing of the hands. While sleeping we can’t fulfill the things that G-d commanded us to do, so as we wake up, we must cleanse ourselves because we are coming from a state of inability to serve G-d, to one that enables us to serve G-d.

• There are definitely other reasons that relate to the fact that both our bodies and thoughts may have gone to inappropriate places while asleep.

• The Mitzvah is done before the Bracha, something that is interesting, and probably related to the innapropriate aspect.

• The end of the day-- Mitzvah is so that we can recognize that we are coming back into a state of being able to serve G-d and washing is there to highlight this fact for ourselves

Asher Yatzar

• This is a prayer all about getting ourselves to recognize the magnificence of the human body

• After using the bathroom is an incredible time to focus on our body and how perfect the creation of it by God must have been in order for it to work as it does

• It’s something that we must bring our attention to in order to recognize how incredible G-d is. Going to the bathroom is something that almost everyone does soon after starting their day, and the experience does have a certain splendor to it in how it reveals the complexities of how the human body works. So, just after seeing the human body operate naturally in a complex way, we remind ourselves of how unbelievable our bodies are, and hence G-d in his ability to create such.

Elohai Neshama

• Again this is a perfect time to appreciate what God has given us as we are about to start a new day

• We think about, and say to ourselves a prayer that bring our focus to the soul that G-d gave us. The part of us that separates us from animals and makes us human.

• Most Poskim place this Bracha before or after Bircot Hatorah. However, the placement beforehand makes a lot of sense. Having it before zeroes us in on the natural processes. Before we can think about the Torah that we were given, and that we must study, we must first recognize that we have the ability to do all of this because of our humanity.

Birkot Hatorah

• These Brachot help us come to appreciate how special it is that we were given the Torah

• The Torah is something that is supposed to be a guide to our lives. It’s supposed to show us not only the truth about the world and G-d, but also how we should go about living our lives in order to make the most of them. It only makes sense that the start of every day includes a way for us to recognize this for ourselves.

Tzitzit/Tallit

• The Bracha related to wearing Tzitzit or a Tallit isn’t as important as the action itself, we just need some way of qualifying it

• The idea of tzitzit is supposed to be of including G-d on something as simple as our clothing. It used to be that Tzitzit were connected to our shirts. Over time, the practice of wearing a seperate Beged developed. The idea is to recognize that G-d is completely involved in our lives. It doesn’t matter that it is just a shirt, G-d is “present” there too. It helps us come to this recognition that G-d is totally apart of our lives. Our shirts are something that we are always wearing, so it’s a way of keeping G-d there with us at all times.

• The Tallit might be there as an addition to have so that we recognize how during prayer we are supposed to see ourselves as specifically being before G-d, even more so than the rest of our lives. While I don’t think that we are actually standing before G-d as we don’t really have any right to be standing before G-d, our presence of mind needs to be more “G-d-focused” during prayer than at any other time.

Tefillin

• Again, here, I think the Bracha is less important than the action

• The action of wearing Tefillin, placing important chapters from within the Torah next to our heart and our eyes, is the integral idea

• It may be related to this idea of seeing and experiencing G-d. While we don’t physically experience the sensation of “seeing G-d”, we are supposed to strive to find and see G-d in our world.

• Many people feel that the relationship between man and G-d is one of love. The idea of placing G-d’s Torah, at least a part of it, is supposed to help us recognize that the Torah was given to us from a place of love. The Torah was given to us so that we could come to experience life in its fullest. G-d could not have given us the Torah but from a place of love, and we are both recognizing this and potentially trying to make Torah something that is close to our hearts, in the non-physical sense. We are trying to make our hearts be driven by the Torah, and physically placing the Torah there will hopefully allow us to mentally place the Torah there as well.

• The other potential idea here is that our heart is what sustains us physically. The Torah is there to give our physical lives meaning. Maybe the idea is that by placing the two next to each other physically, it will help us realize that our physical existence must go in tandem with the Torah in order for it to be most meaningful.

Introduction to Birkot Hashachar

• Each of these things used to be said as the things that are being mentioned were done (not necessarily so clear for some of them)

• Each of the things we discuss are supposed to bring us to a further recognition of G-d’s world somehow

• We’re focusing ourselves on the fact that we are able to feel differences between night and day.

• Night and day provide structure to our lives. Being able to recognize that there are differences between the two play a vital role in helping shape our lives in a way that keeps it organized.

• If we were unable to recognize the difference then we would be missing out on one of the first levels of structure that G-d provided us with for our lives.

• This one is about the fact that as Jews, with the Mitzvot that we were given, we are able to see more of G-d. The Mitzvot that we were given by G-d are supposed to help us see Him in our world. One of our purposes in this world, if not our ultimate purpose, is to come to see G-d. By being Jewish, and having the Mitzvot, we have been given this ability to see more of G-d.

• There is obviously something incredible to freedom. In saying this Bracha, we are supposed to be focusing on the fact that we could have easily been born without freedom. Born being subservient to someone other than G-d. Life on your own is a much more fulfilling one, and that is something that is one unbelievable thing that we must thank G-d for.

• There may also be an idea here about more Mitzvot applying to a non-slave, which would again play into the idea of being able to understand G-d further.

• This one is obviously often viewed as controversial--however, I don’t know how controversial it is if it’s viewed in the light that we are trying to focus on the Mitzvot that we were given.

• Men were given Mitzvot than women. So for men, it makes sense that they would want to be thankful for having those Mitzvot that allow them to build a deeper understanding of G-d, according to how they see the way of getting to a comprehension of G-d.

• I’m not sure about women, however. Maybe women are able to reach that point in a “more natural way”. They don’t necessarily need the Mitzvot to affect them to the point of reaching G-d. Rather, they see G-d because of the inherent psychological differences between men and women.

• Each side is thanking G-d because they see their side as the best possible way. For men, they wouldn’t be able to get to where they are without the Mitzvot, and for women, they don’t need the Mitzvot in order to reach G-d.

• This is probably a Bracha just about how G-d gives sight to people, and it’s getting us to focus on the importance, and helpfulness of such.

• However, the wording is strange. Maybe this is something that’s about being blind to G-d, and we are thanking G-d for helping us see him. This one seems more aligned with the words, however, it seems a little bit more out there.

• This Bracha seems to be getting us to focus on the idea of clothing, however, I’m not sure it is literal.

• In our world, the idea of clothing brings about ideas of privacy, and possibly even respect. Maybe this Bracha is supposed to get us to recognize how lucky we are to be able to have privacy and space between each other. I think it’s inciting this idea that we need to have our space in order to operate as the best possible form of ourselves.

• The idea of it being clothing doesn’t necessarily make so much sense because society survived for a solid period of time without clothing. And I don’t think that today’s society is necessarily of higher form because of that change.

• This Bracha to me seems to be about how G-d gives people the ability to do anything. Without G-d giving us the strength, we’d be unable to move any part of our body.

• This one really doesn't align at all.

• ​This could be a physical idea, however, I think it's more about people who aren't on a “straight path”. We are bringing our focus to the fact that through Mitzvot we are able to reach a concept of G-d and set ourselves on a good path for life.

• Here, it seems we are expressing a thankfulness for how the physical structure of the world. The world with only water would not be suitable for human life. At least not life as we know it. Therefore, we are thanking G-d for giving us life as we know it. We are trying to focus on how spectacular our lives as we know them are.

• This is seemingly the most wide spreading. We aren't thanking G-d for something specific in our lives, rather we are thanking him for everything in life. We are getting ourselves to this point of recognizing that without G-d, we literally have nothing.

• It seems that we are trying to focus on the gift in our ability to walk. Walking is freeing. It's something that gives us an incredible amount of ability and power. We are trying to focus on how lucky we are that G-d gave us this ability

• This Bracha used to be said as man put on his belt

• The strength that this is referring to is the responsibility that we have as Jews to separate our animal side, or at least control it, far more than than the other nations of the world.

• We are recognizing how great it is that we were commanded to control this aspect of ourselves.

• I think this idea of Israel having splendor is making us recognize that there is some special sensation that comes about from us following G-d’s commandments. By following G-d, we are able to have this “special” thing about us. So we are not inherently crowned with splendor, rather, through following commands we are able to gain it.

• There is something special about Mitzvot. This Bracha is getting us to focus on the reality of Mitzvot being something that can uplift someone and raise them up from a place of sadness or lack of strength.

• As we wake up, we want to think about how lucky we are to have the ability to sleep and rejuvenate to the point of having strength to do things. To live our lives and to follow the Mitzvot that will help us fulfill our purpose in this world.

• This Bracha is getting us to focus on the reality that if we want to stay on the path of the good and G-d then we need G-d’s help. We only have control of so much in our lives, this Bracha is getting us to recognize that fact, and the reality that G-d is really in control of the rest.

• This Bracha is also bringing our focus to the fact that we need G-d’s assistance to keep things that will lead us astray. G-d has control over all that surrounds us. And the previous Bracha and this Yehi Ratzon are getting us to focus on that.

• This Pizmon is about the idea that existing in this world is reason to be uplifted

• G-d put us on this world and we must recognize that inherent in existence there are reasons to be thankful

• For David, he is obviously referencing a specific event, however, there is a universal message in that we need to be thankful for our existence each and every day. Despite the fact that we may not know we were on the verge of death, or if we never were, G-d could have put us there and we could have been killed, so we need to have that self recognition.

• This Bracha is all about recognizing G-d’s glory and greatness. We are bringing our focus onto all that G-d is capable of and all that G-d does for us

• We are trying to remind ourselves of G-d’s power.

• Our blessing of G-d isn’t important to him, however it is important for us. We need to recognize that we should be blessing G-d because of all that he does for us, despite the fact that our blessings are not meaningful to him.

• Ashrei is going through all of the unbelievable thing that G-d does for us and the rest of humanity.

• It’s all a discussion of the good that G-d openly gives to people. How the good that G-d gives us is unlimited

• We are trying to fovus on how important it is for us and for all Jews to think about the good that G-d gives us because of how spectacular that good is.

• This is a discussion about how we should focus on making sure that G-d has a good name in this world

• We have the ability to affect how people see G-d, how people view G-d. In order for us to have an effect on other people’s view of G-d, we must first have a good and positive view of G-d

• By repeating these ideas every day, we are ingraining in our head the reputation that we should have for G-d, and the one that we should spread.