Going to Sleep and Modeh Ani

AI summary (may contain mistakes)

Waking up like a lion begins with how a person goes to sleep. Each night we deposit our neshama with Hashem, and though we often owe Him more, Hashem returns it in chesed. Modeh Ani thanks Hashem for that chesed and admits it, and the Mishnah Berurah notes it can be said before washing since it holds no name of Hashem.

Key points

• A Chassidishe Rebbe reads the Rama: sleep like a horse, and you won't wake like a lion.
• The Shaarei Kedusha calls sleep a small misa, with a cheshbon hanefesh and teshuva before it.
• Based on the Zohar, a halacha sefer forbids keeping a deposit against a debt, over a lenient view.
• The Baal Shem Tov's mashal: a king wants spoils sent home daily, so sleep secures each day's mitzvos.
• Modeh means admitting dependence on Hashem, not only thanking Him for the neshama.

In this shiur

1. 0:00Starting the Siddur with waking up
2. 2:20The Rama on going to sleep
3. 4:02Krias Shema al hamitah and b'yadcha afkid
4. 8:50A deposit held against a debt
5. 12:16The Zohar on nightly judgment
6. 16:14The Baal Shem Tov's mashal on sleep
7. 19:38Where Modeh Ani comes from
8. 24:15The words of Modeh Ani

Topics

• Modeh Ani
• Tefillah
• Cheshbon HaNefesh