How we begin our day often shapes the way the rest of it unfolds. Jewish tradition therefore places great emphasis on the first moments after awakening. Before our feet touch the floor, we acknowledge G‑d’s presence, thank Him for returning our soul, we then purify our hands, and recite blessings that cultivate gratitude for the countless gifts we often take for granted. These morning practices are more than a routine; they set the tone for the entire day, helping us begin with faith, mindfulness, and a sense of purpose.

In this article, we will focus on what you need to know about starting your day like a Jew.

Reciting the Modeh Ani

Immediately upon awakening, even before washing the hands, it is proper to recite Modeh Ani.1 This serves as an immediate expression of gratitude to G‑d for returning one’s soul, and reminds us that G‑d stands before us, inspiring us to rise with eagerness and purpose.

מוֹדֶה אֲנִי לְפָנֶיךָ מֶלֶךְ חַי וְקַיָּם, שֶׁהֶחֱזַרְתָּ בִּי נִשְׁמָתִי בְּחֶמְלָה. רַבָּה אֱמוּנָתֶךָ

Mo-deh ah-nee leh-fah-neh-kha meh-lekh khai veh-kah-yahm, sheh-heh-kheh-zahr-tah bee nish-mah-tee beh-khem-lah, rah-bah eh-moo-nah-teh-khah. (Click here for audio of a Modeh Ani song.)

I offer thanks to You, living and eternal King, for You have mercifully restored my soul within me; Your faithfulness is great.

Modeh Ani should be recited while still in bed, either sitting or lying down.2 If you sit up, you should do so without placing your feet on the floor. The Chabad custom is to place one hand against the other and lower the head while reciting it.3

For more on this see The Modeh Ani Prayer

Washing Your Hands Upon Waking

As soon as you wake up in the morning, after reciting Modeh Ani, you should wash your hands—netilat yadayim in Hebrew, or negel vasser (literally “nail water”4) in Yiddish.5

The Zohar teaches that you should not walk more than four cubits before washing your hands.6 Before this washing, you should avoid touching your mouth, eyes, nose, ears, or any bodily opening, as well as any food, drink, or clothing.7

Since most people don’t have a sink within four cubits of their bed, one should prepare a cup of water and a basin near one’s bed before going to sleep in order to follow the Zohar’s injunction.8

After washing netilat yedayim in the morning, you don’t say the blessing right away. First, rinse your mouth9 and take care of any bodily needs. After using the bathroom and getting dressed, you wash netilat yadayim again, and only then say the blessing.10

If you were up all night, you should still wash netilat yadayim after daybreak, even if you were careful and wore gloves all night.11

If you woke up before dawn, you should wash upon waking.12

How to Do It

Ideally, use a cup or vessel.

Lift the cup with your right hand, then pass it to the left before pouring.13 Wash the right hand first, then the left, alternating hands for a total of three washings each.14 If you’re left-handed, lift the cup with your right hand, and wash your left hand first.

The water must reach between the fingers.15 Ideally, wash up to the wrists. If water is limited, washing up to the end of the fingers is sufficient.16

If there’s no cup available, in extenuating circumstances, you can wash without a vessel. However, there is a disagreement over whether a blessing can still be recited. While some Ashkenazic communities still recite a blessing,17 many authorities,18 including Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi in his final ruling in the Siddur,19 maintain that the blessing is omitted. This is the Sephardic custom as well.20

The Blessing

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה אֱלֹקינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, אֲשֶׁר קִדְּשָׁנוּ בְּמִצְווֹתָיו וְצִוָּנוּ עַל נְטִילַת יָדָיִם

Transliteration:

Bah-rookh ah-tah ah-doh-nai eh-loh-ynoo meh-lekh hah-oh-lahm ah-shehr kid-shah-noo bi-meetz-voh-tahv vi-tzi-vah-noo ahl ni-tee-laht yah-dah-yeem.

Blessed are you, L‑rd our G‑d, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us concerning the washing of the hands.

What if No Water Is Available?

If no water is available when you wake up, you should not delay learning Torah or reciting blessings. Instead, you should clean your hands with whatever is available (such as a cloth, a rock, or a similar object), and you may then learn Torah and say other blessings. However, you must avoid directly touching bodily orifices and must certainly avoid directly touching food or drink until proper washing is possible.21

If a small amount of water is available, you should wash your hands as best as you can. If you have a revi’it (approximately 3 oz.), you recite a blessing after washing. After this minimal washing, you may learn Torah and say blessings and may also walk or touch clothing, but you should still avoid directly touching bodily orifices and avoid directly touching food until you are able to wash each hand properly three times.22

Morning Blessings

The sages instituted the morning blessings, Birchat Hashachar, as a daily expression of gratitude for the many benefits G‑d provides and as a means of helping fulfill the obligation to recite one hundred blessings each day.

The Talmud associates each blessing with a specific morning experience, leading to debate regarding whether they are recited only when one personally experiences that benefit or as general praise for the natural order established by G‑d even if one has not experienced that specific benefit personally.23

While the Rambam24 and Rabbi Yosef Caro25 adopt the former view, the accepted practice among both Ashkenazim26 and Sephardim27 is that all of the Morning Blessings are recited daily, even if one has not personally experienced the specific benefit mentioned in a particular blessing.

When Can Morning Blessings Be Recited?

If you slept during the night, the earliest time to recite Morning Blessings is from halachic midnight (chatzot).28 If you did not sleep, you should wait until dawn (alot hashachar). The blessing Hanoten lasechvi binah (Who gives the rooster understanding) should only be recited from dawn onward.29

If you awaken before dawn and plan to go back to sleep, you may recite the Morning Blessings, but you should recite Elokai Neshamah (My G‑d, the soul You placed within me) and Hama’avir Sheina (Who removes sleep from my eyes) without mentioning G‑d’s Name, repeating them later with G‑d’s Name when getting up for the day.30

Ideally, the Morning Blessings should be recited before the fourth halachic hour of the day,31 but they may be recited until midday. If that is missed, then they can be recited until the night.32

Should Morning Blessings Be Recited With the Congregation or as an Individual?

The morning blessings from Hanoten lasechvi binah (Who gives the rooster understanding) through Hagomel chassadim tovim (Who bestows goodness and kindness) were originally instituted to be recited upon experiencing the benefit for which one thanks G‑d. However, since one often experiences these benefits before washing the hands nowadays, and many are not familiar with all the blessings by heart, the custom developed in many Ashkenazic communities to have them recited by the prayer leader in the synagogue, together with the other morning prayers.33

The exception would be the three blessings: Al Netilat Yadayim (“Upon Washing the Hands”), Asher Yatzar (“Who Created the Human Body”), and Elokai Neshamah (“My G‑d, the Soul You Placed Within Me”) which are recited immediately upon awakening.34

The Chabad custom is to recite all of the Morning Blessings, including Birchat Hatorah (“Blessings over Torah Study”), at home before going to the synagogue. This follows an intermediate approach: rather than reciting the blessings immediately upon becoming obligated in them, or waiting until reaching the synagogue, one first gets dressed and then recites the Morning Blessings at home.35

How Should Morning Blessings Be Recited?

The Morning Blessings may be recited while sitting or standing,36 although the Ashkenazic custom is to stand,37 while the Sefardic custom is to sit.38

Is There a Specific Order to the Blessings?

The Morning Blessings do not generally need to be recited in a specific order. However, Matir Asurim (“Who Releases the Bound”) should be recited before Zokef Kefufim (“Who Straightens the Bent”). If one mistakenly recited Zokef Kefufim first, Matir Asurim is not saidd, since the concept of being released from bondage is included in the blessing of straightening the bent.39

Elokai Neshamah

Elokai Neshamah (“My G‑d, the Soul You Placed Within Me”) thanks G‑d for restoring the soul each morning. As mentioned, ideally, it should be recited before prayer. If it was omitted and one already prayed, some authorities rule that it should no longer be recited, since its theme may have been fulfilled through the Amidah blessing praising G‑d for reviving the dead, while others disagree. In practice, although initially you should endeavor to recite it before prayers, if you didn’t, you can still recite it later.40

What if I’m Up All Night? Do I Still Recite Morning Blessings?

If you remained awake throughout the night, the Chabad custom is to recite all of the Morning Blessings—including Al Netilat Yadayim (“Upon Washing the Hands”), Elokai Neshamah (“My G‑d, the Soul You Placed Within Me”), and Hama’avir Sheinah (“Who Removes Sleep from My Eyes”)—only after dawn (alot hashachar).41 The exception is Asher Yatzar (“Who Created the Human Body”), which is recited only after using the restroom.42

If, however, you received the benefit associated with a particular blessing after halachic midnight (chatzot), that blessing may be recited at that time. Thus, if you heard a rooster crow after midnight, you may recite Hanoten Lasechvi Binah (“Who Gives the Rooster Understanding”) immediately. In general, one who remained awake all night should not recite any of the Morning Blessings before dawn unless he or she has already experienced the specific benefit for which that blessing was instituted.43

Therefore, if you haven't changed your clothes, don't recite Malbish Arumim until dawn. If you aren't wearing leather footwear, don't recite Sheosoh lee kol tzorkee until dawn.

What if I Didn’t Experience These Things?

Although some authorities maintain that a blessing should only be recited if one personally experienced the benefit it describes, the accepted practice is to recite all of the Morning Blessings every day, since they praise G‑d for providing the needs of humanity as a whole. Thus, you recite the blessings even if you did not hear a rooster crow, get dressed, walk, or if you remained awake throughout the night.44

An exception is a blind person, who should not recite Poke’ach Ivrim (“Who Gives Sight to the Blind”), since the blessing refers to a benefit that a blind person is physically unable to experience.45

That said, ideally, one should first perform the actions associated with the blessings, such as getting dressed and walking, before reciting them.46