Last class we discussed the first blessing of our final section of Shemoneh Esrai, the section focusing on our gratitude to HaShem. Next week, we will turn our focus to the next blessing, the seminal expression of thanks found in the bracha known as Modim. We’ll have plenty to say for that bracha (and may even divide it into multiple classes) but I wanted to take a break before we do to refocus on our goals for this section of Shemoneh Esrai and share a practice that I try to use during prayer.

This third section, as we’ve detailed in previous classes, is focused on expressing gratitude to HaShem after we previously sang His praises and formulated all of our requests. We’ll of course continue our usual textual analysis of the blessings in our next class but I also think here in our prayer is an opportune time to ensure we truly are thanking HaShem for all of the blessings in our life.

We all, no matter our circumstances, have reason to be grateful. To be sure, this can be hard to do when things aren’t always going our way. But even then, we don’t have to think too hard to realize there’s much to be thankful for. On an everyday basis, even waking up every morning is a miracle. Making it through the day, every breath that we take, is a miracle. If nothing else, we can be thankful for that, to say nothing of everything else we should be thanking G-d for.

To that end, I usually try to pause before reciting Modim (which we’ll discuss next class) to simply thank HaShem for the good in my life. I don’t try to run through an exhaustive list (as noted above, if we truly tried to do this it would take hours) but I do try to highlight a few things that I am thankful for, and I silently express that before moving on in my prayers.

If you decide to try and implement this practice, I recommend starting small, with just a few things. Perhaps it’s your spouse, or your children, or success in your job. Perhaps, as we noted above, it’s a thank you for successfully waking up this morning, or for the very breaths we take while praying. If you’re struggling to think of anything concrete, perhaps just run through the various bodily systems of yours that are working correctly, from your ears down to your toes.

With enough thought, we all have things to truly be grateful for. What better time to express that thanks, in our own way, before we continue with our prayer.