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Needless to say, the subjects discussed in the Torah are boundless and inexhaustible. We will
attempt to explain only one topic in the Torah as it is interpreted according to Peshat, according to Remez, according to Drush, and according to Sod, - and then consider it in light of the
vitality, illumination, and depth that Chassidus brings to each of these four approaches. From
the analysis of this one topic, we will learn that all of the conclusions also hold true for the
rest of the Torah.
The topic we will choose as an example is Modeh Ani Lefanecha
I admit before You, a living and Eternal King, for having restored my soul within me with mercy; Your faithfulness is great.

The reasons for the choice of Modeh Ani are the following:
1) Since it is incumbent upon every person to accustom himself to say Modeh Ani immediately upon awakening from sleep, and thereby to remember G-D Who stands over him, and
arise with zeal, this statement is the foundation and beginning of a persons avoda (which
is the fulfillment of all the teachings of Torah), and of his life, for the rest of the entire day.
2) The idea behind this saying is that one should contemplate immediately upon awakening
before Whom he lies - before the King of all kings, the Holy One Blessed be He, as it is
written, behold the heavens and the earth I fill. of this should one be aware during all
his dealings and affairs. This is a great principle in the Torah, and a distinguishing quality
of the righteous who walk always before Hashem, as it is written, I place Hashem constantly before me. That is to say, the whole day should be conducted in the same manner.
3) All of the preceding - the service of man to his Maker - first comes through mans awakening from his sleep, his slumber in the vanities of the world, to use the well-known expression of the Rambam.
(And in light of all the foregoing, we can also understand the proverb with Rabbi Shalom
DovBer said in his youth: that we must spread out the dot (i.e., the period which is after the
word bechemlamercy ) in Modeh Ani over into the entire day - because the service of
Modeh Ani is required at every moment of the whole day.)

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To begin, then, our analysis: The subject of Modeh Ani according to Pshat is giving thanks to
Hashem for having restored my soul within me. Though we make the blessing of Elokai
Neshama for the restoration of the soul, it is still also necessary to say Modeh Ani, because the
obligation to give thanks for the return of the soul applies immediately upon awakening from
ones sleep.
For just as the blessing for the enjoyment of food is obligatory immediately when pleasure is
derived, (and even before one benefits), likewise, the blessing of thanksgiving for the restoration of the soul (which is the greatest pleasure/benefit of all, and includes all specific worldly
pleasures and benefits) is obligatory immediately upon awakening from ones sleep.
And inasmuch as the blessing of Elokai Neshama contains mention of Hashems Name and so
it cannot be said (in our times) before the morning washing of the hands, one must therefor
give thanks for the restoration of the soul immediately upon awakening at lest through saying
Modeh Ani. (Nevertheless, it is still necessary to say the blessing of Elokai Neshama later, for
not only does the blessing of Elokai Neshama contain certain details not found in Modeh Ani,
but also in Modeh Ani there is no mention of Hashems Name, and any blessing which doesnt
contain the Name and attribute of Hashems kingdom is not truly a Bracha.)
All of the above will help us understand why in Talmudic times Modeh Ani in fact was not said,
and only the blessing of Elokai Neshama was recited for in Modeh Ani there is nothing new
or additional to the blessing of Elokai Neshama (on the contrary as explained before). Saying
Modeh Ani is required in our times only in order that the thanks may be given immediately
upon awakening from ones sleep. In the Talmudic era, they said Elokai Neshama immediately
upon awakening from their sleep, and had, therefor, no need to say Modeh Ani.
Proceeding to the level of Remez, the idea of Modeh Ani is that the restoration of the soul
each morning alludes to Techias Hameisim. For sleep is called one sixtieth of death; and
hence, the restoration of the soul upon waking up is of an order of Techias Hameisim. That is
the meaning of for having restored my soul within me great is Your faithfulness; from this
restoring of my soul within me, we know that great is Your faithfulness to Techias
Hameisim.
Continuing the analysis further, according to Drush, the interpretation of Modeh Ani is that
through the restoration of the soul each morning, - They are new every morning - Hashem
return to a person the soul which was entrusted to Him, and does not withhold it for the
debts which the person owes Him. This act shows the great faithfulness of Hashem - Great
is Your faithfulness. From this we expound and learn that a person should also be faithful and

trusting in the same manner, and not withhold an article entrusted to him by another, because of the debts owed to him.
And according to the esoteric part of the Torah, Modeh Ani is explained in the following manner: The words Living and Eternal King refers to Malchus united with Yesod.
Living and Eternal King Who has restored my soul within me means that the restoration of
the soul comes from the level of Malchus as it unites with the level of Yesod.

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The preceding exposition, which is based on the 4 levels of Pardes - the Nefesh, Ruach, Nashama,
and Chaya of the Torah - elaborates upon various particular ideas in the thanksgiving of Modeh
Ani (in contrast to the great general principle). Chassidus - the Yechidah of the Torah - comes
forth to articulate the general, comprehensive explanation, by elucidating the quintessential
point of Modeh Ani, which comes from the level of the Yechidah within the person.

According to Chassidus, the explanation of Modeah Ani is as follows: We begin in the order of
the day with Modeh Ani, which we say before washing in the morning, and even with hands
which are tamei (ritually unclean), because all the impurities of the world cannot contaminate
the Modeh Ani of a Jew. It is possible that a person may be lacking in one respect or another but his Modeh Ani always remains perfect.
And this perfection and purity are solely to the Yechidah: the 4 categories of NaRaNaCh allow
for imperfection and even inpurities, but he Yechidah of the soul which is constantly united
with the Essence of Hashem has no connection to defects and impurities G-D forbid. It always
remains perfect and whole.
This is the inner reason why Modeh Ani has no mention of any of Hashems Names in it it
comes from the level of Yechidah which is the essence of a persons neshama - the thanksgiving from the Yechidah is to the Essence of Hashem, which is beyond Namescant be contained in a Name.
This explanation is given specifically by Chassidus, for NaRaNaCh doesnt explain the idea of
Yechidah. Thus, on one occasion the Zohar does not even list Yechida when enumerating the
levels of the soul. It is included, instead, in the category of "Neshama of Neshama," which is
the level of Chaya. It is specifically in the teaching of Chassidus that the concept is explained.
In Chassidus - which is the Yechida of Torah - the subject of Yechida is explained and elaborated, and at great length. And since the Yechida is the category of the essence of the soul, from
which the other four levels of NaRaNaCh are drawn, the explanation of Chassidus (which elucidates the quintessential point of Modeh Ani that comes from the level of Yechida) thus also
invigorates and sharply illuminates the four interpretations of Pardes discussed above (which
themselves elaborate the specifics of Modeh Ani), as will now be explained.