"We give thanks to you and recount your praises, for our lives which are delivered over to your hands, and for our souls which are entrusted unto you."

The commentators find a source for this idea in the book of Psalms. There (Psalm 31:6), David says to Hashem, "In your hand I entrust my spirit; you redeemed me, O Hashem, Lord of truth." In this psalm, David speaks of how he had placed his trust in others, and how they had ultimately turned out to be deceitful connivers. So he turns to Hashem and says, "In your hand alone, Hashem, I place my spirit. For you always redeem me from whatever difficulties I encounter."

The Midrash writes, "Each evening the spirit of man leaves him, and it is given over to the Master of Trust. In the morning it is returned to him again, as it is written, 'In your hands I entrust my spririt; you redeemed me, Hashem, Lord of truth.'" The Midrash takes this verse, which was spoken by David of his own particular circumstances, and applies it to what each and every one of us goes through each night of his life. We are tired from the day's labors, and our strength has ebbed. We must sleep. But now when vulnerable, who will protect us? The answer, says the Midrash, is found in this verse. Hashem, the master of trust, will always be there for us, and will always provide us with that security.

During the daytime, man sees himself brimful with strength, filled with vigor. He thinks that he can rely upon his own resources, and need not resort to another. But when the nighttime comes, and we feel our strength ebbing away from us, then we see how defenseless we really would be, were it not the security which Hashem provides for us. And in fact, each night before we go to sleep we repeat this verse from Psalms. We affirm to Hashem that it is to Him, and to Him alone, that we entrust our souls when we go to sleep at night.

So in this blessing of Modim, before we speak of all the countless miracles which Hashem has always performed, and still continues to perform, for His people, Israel--before that, we begin with the stark affirmation that our souls and our very lives are entrusted to Him alone. That in itself is a sufficient reason to offer this Modim blessing: the blessing of thanks.

Copyright (c) 1998 by Rabbi Levi Langer

Courtesy of www.JewishAmerica.com
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