Two Halachot a Day: Morning Blessings and the Mitzvah of Faith

Two daily halachot from the book BeHalacha U'VeAggadah, based on the rulings of Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, of blessed memory.

What Should Be the First Words We Speak in the Morning?

It is proper and recommended to avoid unnecessary conversation upon awakening. Instead, a person's first words should be devoted to blessing the Creator of their soul and reciting the morning prayers.

When reciting the blessing Elokai Neshamah (“My God, the soul You have given me”), one should pause briefly between the words Elokai (“My God”) and Neshamah (“soul”), so that it does not sound as though the soul itself is being referred to as God, Heaven forbid.

Understanding the Morning Blessings: What Are We Thanking God For?

Elokai Neshamah – “My God, the soul You have given me is pure...”

In this blessing, we praise and thank God for creating our souls for the purpose of serving Him, rather than merely pursuing physical pleasures. We recite this blessing before prayer, which is described as the service of the heart, to emphasize that our souls were created to serve God.

Furthermore, because our souls ultimately belong to God rather than to us, we express gratitude to Him for returning them to our bodies each morning.

Hanoten LaSechvi Vinah – “Who gives understanding to distinguish between day and night”

In biblical Hebrew, the word sechvi can refer to the heart, as indicated by the verse, “Who has given understanding to the sechvi?” (Job 38:36). Since the heart is associated with understanding, this blessing expresses gratitude to God for granting us intelligence and discernment.

One of life's greatest blessings is awakening with a clear mind, sound judgment, and the ability to distinguish between day and night.

The word sechvi is also associated with the rooster, which instinctively recognizes the arrival of dawn. For this reason, the Sages instituted this blessing in connection with hearing a rooster crow. However, the blessing is recited even if one has not heard a rooster.

Daily Mitzvah: Faith in God

The mitzvah of faith can be fulfilled when a person pauses for a moment and consciously acknowledges a simple yet profound truth: There is one Creator of the universe, who gives life to all existence, governs the world, and watches over every detail of creation, including the circumstances of our individual lives.

This is living faith, not merely an abstract philosophical belief, but an inner awareness that God is present here and now, seeing, hearing, and accompanying us throughout our lives.

For example, when someone encounters a difficulty, delay, or unexpected challenge, instead of reacting with anger or despair, they can remind themselves that God governs the world and it is not merely a coincidence. There is Divine will and providence behind what is happening.

Through this thought alone, an expression of trust, awareness, and acceptance, a person fulfills the mitzvah of believing in God, without needing to speak a word or perform any physical action.

As the author of Sefer HaChinuch explains: "To believe that there is one God in the world, who brought all existence into being, and that everything that exists, has existed, and will exist forever is according to His desire and will. He brought us out of Egypt and gave us the Torah. This is the positive commandment expressed in the verse: 'I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt.' Its meaning is that we must know and believe that the world has a God who watches over it, as demonstrated by His bringing us out of Egypt."