2986 —אמירת מודה אני מיד עם ההתעוררות, לפני נטילת ידיים

B"H, 28 Tishrei, 5715.

Brooklyn.

Haraha"g vaharaha"ch iy"a nu"n oseik b'tzt"z Moreinu HaRav Ephraim Eliezer HaKohen

Shalom u'Vrachah!

I received your letter from the 27th of Tishrei. Before my trip to the holy Ohel, as you requested, I will mention you while there as you wrote.

Regarding what you mentioned in your letter about reciting Modah Ani: Since our master the Alter Rebbe in his Siddur places this before the matter and order of netilas yadayim (ritual hand washing), it is clear that his view is to say it before netilas yadayim, as is also evident from his wording there: "to say immediately upon awakening." Even without this explicit instruction, as above, it would be strange to delay saying it since it has precedence*. And apparently it can be said even without netilas yadayim. Also, in the Siddur of Reb Kapil based on the ten sefiros, since it is not explicitly mentioned there, see in Sefer Maasef LeChemah"ch ^[2] Orach Chaim I:23 and in Sefer Shaarei Tefillah Sefardi p.1b where a group of later authorities are gathered who explicitly write that netilas yadayim is not required. Of those who disagree he brings only Rachav Eliyahu and Minchas Aharon who write to say it after pouring water once over the right hand; and in Amudei Shamayim and Siman Yaavetz that one should think it in his mind before netilas yadayim; and in Sefer Kesher Godel which brings two opinions: that one does not need [netilas yadayim], and some say one does.

With blessing.

* And after all, netilas yadayim is because one acknowledges before Him.

** I have now seen that this is also written there explicitly.

Reciting Modah Ani: Although the Alter Rebbe rules in his Siddur that "there is no prohibition to say [Modah Ani] before netilas yadayim," nevertheless perhaps ideally it is better to say it after netilas yadayim. For so he writes there: In Siman Kol Yaakov by R. Kapil: As soon as one awakens from sleep he should say this immediately even without washing hands since it does not contain any of the holy names and is based on all ten sefiros.

Summary

The Rebbe clarifies that Modah Ani should be recited immediately upon waking up—even before netilas yadayim—based on the Alter Rebbe’s Siddur and many halachic authorities. While some prefer saying it after washing hands, the main practice follows reciting it right away.