Rabbi Sandra Lawson received ordination from the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College in June 2018. She holds a Master’s degree in Sociology with a focus on environmental justice and race, is an Army veteran, and an Interfaith America Racial Equity Fellow.

Modah Ani is said immediately upon rising essentially before we get out of bed and should be the first words we utter every morning. When we recite Modah Ani we are essentially thanking God for giving us another day. We wake up grateful instead of thinking about what may have happened the previous day and our first conscious thoughts are spent expressing, “thank you.” The blessing of Modah Ani is a nice way to wake up and remind ourselves to be thankful instead of thinking about the stuff that weighs us down. Basically, if we wake up with a sentiment of gratitude, we feel grateful, and we can continue with a more positive day.

CC:

Hi my name is Rabbi Sandra Lawson I believe that when we wake up in the morning we’re presented with a choice, we can say “This day sucks!” or we can say “Wow! How awesome is this day?” And even if we believe that this day sucks, that can be changed into an awesome day with a blessing of gratitude. And in my tradition, the Jewish tradition we have a ton of blessings of gratitude that we offer to the Divine every morning and one of them is a blessing called Modah Ani. And it basically means..the prayer is basically…I give thanks to You the Divine Source of All for You have restored my breath, my life to me and You the Divine Source are awesome. So I’m gonna offer my version of our prayer Modah Ani, so here goes:

Modah ani Lefanecha ruach chi V’chayam

Modah ani Lefanecha ruach chi V’chayam

Every Morning when I awake I thank you for another day

I give thanks to you, my God You have returned my soul to me

As I start the beginning of my day I thank you for the joy you bring

And I know you’ll be with me all the way with compassion mercy and grace

Modah ani Lefanecha ruach chi V’chayam

Modah ani Lefanecha ruach chi V’chayam

she-he-chezarta bee nishmatee b’chemla, raba emunatecha

Modah ani Lefanecha ruach chi V’chayam

she-he-chezarta bee nishmatee b’chemla, raba emunatecha

All of that to say thank you God, Thank you the Divine Source of All

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