Core Prayers #6: Modeh Ani Part 2 - Permission to Be Yourself

Core Prayers with Rabbi Ari Herzog

In this profound episode of "Core Prayers," Rabbi Ari Herzog delves deeper into the Modeh Ani prayer, exploring its spiritual significance and how it relates to our authentic selves:

• The custom of placing hands together and bowing slightly while reciting Modeh Ani
• Recap of Modeh Ani as a prayer of gratitude and admission
• The Kabbalistic concept of the five levels of the soul: Nefesh, Ruach, Neshama, Chaya, and Yechida
• The Lubavitcher Rebbe's teaching on why Modeh Ani can be recited before ritual hand-washing
• Understanding the Yechida - the essence of the soul that remains pure and untouchable
• How connecting to our Yechida allows us to live authentically, beyond external validation
• The importance of self-reflection and identifying our true desires in life
• Why Modeh Ani doesn't mention God's name, reflecting our essence speaking to God's essence
• A touching Chassidic story illustrating the concept of the soul's essence
• How Modeh Ani empowers us to start each day connected to our truest self

Rabbi Herzog illuminates how the simple morning prayer of Modeh Ani contains profound teachings about our spiritual essence. He explains that by connecting to the deepest part of our soul - the Yechida - we can transcend negative emotions, external pressures, and self-doubt to live more authentically.

Join us to discover how this daily prayer can be a powerful tool for self-discovery, helping you start each day with a renewed connection to your truest self and to the Divine.