The eighteenth blessing of Shemoneh Esrei is the all-important Modim, where we give thanks to Hashem. Perhaps it is the eighteenth blessing for the number 18 is the gematria of chai, life. And, in this very blessing we thank Hashem for our very lives as we say, “Al chayeinu hamesurim b’yodecha – For our lives which are in Your Hands.”
The Mishna Berurah (103:3) teaches that one should, in the first instance, concentrate on the meaning of every word in this blessing just like is expected in Avos, the first blessing of Shemoneh Esrei. The Steipler Gaon, zt”l, zy”a, writes in his Kehillos Yaakov on Berachos (Chapter 26) that the Rokei’ach has a novel opinion. He says that it is mandatory for one to especially concentrate either on the first blessing, Avos, or on Modim. Therefore, he recommends that if one slipped up when he was saying the first blessing, he should make extreme effort to concentrate when he says Modim.
We start the blessing with the declaration Modim anachnu Lach, which simply translated means we thank You, as in the phrase Mizmor l’sodah, a song of thanks. Our first point of thanks is Hashem Elokeinu, that Hashem is our G-d, granting us a special relationship to Him, as it says, Beni b’chori Yisrael, My firstborn son Yisrael. We then add v’Eilokei Avoseinu, that He is the G-d of our Fathers and thus remembers their merits, and rewards us because of our ancestor’s merits even up to two millennia, as it says, Notzeir chesed l’alofim.
And then we say L’olam vo’ed, forever. The Eitz Yosef interprets this to mean that Hashem promised that He would never switch us for another nation. Thus, He will always be Hashem Elokeinu, Hashem our G-d. This is one of the interpretations of the name of our holiday Shavuos, which means Oaths, for we took an oath to obey Hashem and Hashem took an oath not to exchange us for any other nation.
The phrase L’olam vo’ed is also a thanks that we will benefit from the ziv haShechina, Hashem’s Presence, for all eternity. In the future, Tzaddikim yoshvin v’atroseihen b’rosheihen, v’nehenin m’ziv haShechina, the righteous will sit with crowns upon their heads, and enjoy the radiance of the Shechina.
The Da’as Zekeinim, Avudraham, and Kolbo reveal that the gematria of the word modim is 100, referring to the one hundred blessings where we thank Hashem every day. With this allusion, we make reference to the multiple favors that we mention throughout the day such as chonein hada’as, granting us our ability to think, oseh shalom, enabling us to live in harmony, v’rofei kol basar, and keeping us healthy, and so forth.
Rav Avigdor Miller, zt”l, zy”a, recommends a thrice daily preparation for this blessing. He suggests that before saying Shemoneh Esrei, we should think of at least one thing that we could thank Hashem for, something that He did for us since our last Shemoneh Esrei. Rav Miller says that it doesn’t have to be something huge. It could be that we found parking, that the right word came to mind while we were talking, that we enjoyed our lunch, or that someone gave us a smile. He says that this will greatly enhance the quality of our Shemoneh Esrei.
The Iyun Tefillah has a different interpretation of Modim anachnu Loch. He translates it as Maskimim anachnu Lach, interpreting it to mean we admit to this and acknowledge it to be true, as in the phrase, modim hachachamim l’Reb Meir, the sages admit to Reb Meir. Thus, he explains the beginning of the blessing to mean modim anachnu Lach, Hashem Elokeinu, we affirm to You that You are Hashem our G-d. This means that we don’t believe the world was always here or that it was created by a big bang. Rather, as we say at the end of Krias Shema, Hashem Elokeichem Emes, that Hashem our G-d is Truth. Although we cannot see Him, we believe in Him because of the empirical evidence that nature didn’t come from an accident without a Creator. And also, because Elokei Avoseinu, He is the G-d of our Ancestors, which gives us further cause to believe in Him since we trust the sagacity of our great predecessors, such as Rav Moshe Feinstein, the Chazon Ish, the Chofetz Chaim, the Chasam Sofer, Rambam, Rashi, and their even greater predecessors.
We then also affirm that we believe the existence of Hashem l’olam vo’ed, forever and ever. That He will be our G-d for the Afterlife and the resurrection.
As we thank Hashem, we should remember the sage advice of the Chovos HaLevovos. “Devarim sherotzeh l’hasmid bah, al tiftach bah – Things that you want to continue, don’t take them for granted.” Rather, one should appreciatively and perpetually thank Hashem for the largess that He showers upon him.
In the merit of our more deeply thanking Hashem, may He continue to bless us with long life, good health and everything wonderful.
(To be continued)
Transcribed and edited by Shelley Zeitlin.
