Noah, Renovations, and Modeh Ani

Have you ever done any house renovations? If you answered yes, you know the bittersweet journey that is inherent in every major project. In this week’s Torah portion of Noah, G-d needs to do some serious renovations. Something went very wrong with the house that He built. The freedom of choice that was given to human beings put the original project at risk. Mankind, the “wild card” of creation, wreaked havoc with the world’s spiritual functioning. A good renovations guy was called in. His name was Noah.

The story of the flood is not a story of destruction. It is an account of spiritual redirection. Noah's very name reflects the positive nature of the events. The name "Noah" is etymologically connected to “Menucha,” the word for inner peace and tranquility. In Kabbalah, the waters of the flood are compared to the waters of a Mikvah, a place of renewal and rebirth. The world received a spiritual cleansing, and this set history on a new course of hope and purpose.

When Noah leaves the ark, he asks G-d a good question: “What is the point of beginning anew, if another flood might one day be sent to destroy the world again?” G-d promises that the world will never again be destroyed in its entirety. A rainbow appears for the first time, a sign of G-d’s promise to the world. The rainbow is a reminder that darkness will never reign unchallenged, but will eventually dissipate and fade from memory. Behind those clouds lies a sun-filled sky of clarity of purpose and warmth for all.

Every day, we have an opportunity for spiritual redirection. This is the essence of the Modeh Ani prayer, the first prayer of the day.

“Modeh Ani Lifanecha Melech Chai Vikayam Shehechezarta Bi Nishmati Bichemla Raba Emunatecha.” Thank you, G-d, master of the universe, for returning my soul to me with the faith that I will share my light with the world today.

No matter what happened yesterday, today, our soul is returned to us, having gone through its own spiritual cleansing process overnight. This prayer is a powerful way to begin a new day and a wonderful gift we can give to our children. Practice saying it immediately upon waking or at the breakfast table with your family. You can add to it, expanding on the many things you are thankful for. Sometimes, a seemingly small Mitzvah, such as prayer, can transform your day.