You don’t deputize somebody else to say your thank yous TB Sotah 40

We have previously learned that the appropriate place for birkat kohanim is during the Avodah or Temple worship blessing in the Amidah. “Be pleased, Ratze (רְצֵה), Adonoy, our God, with Your people, Israel, and their prayer; and restore the service to the Holy of Holies in Your abode, and the fire-offerings of Israel; and accept their prayer, lovingly and willingly. And may You always find pleasure with the service of Your people, Israel.” In fact, the kohanim should begin to ascend the bimah when the hazzan begins to say Ratze (רְצֵה).

Just as yesterday’s daf wondered what the congregation should say after each of the blessings in birkat kohanim, today’s daf TB Sotah 40 wonders what should be the response of the congregation when the hazan begins the section called Thanksgiving, (Modim- מוֹדִים ).

“While the prayer leader is reciting the blessing of: We give thanks, what do the people say? Rav says that they say: We give thanks to You, Lord our God, for the merit of giving thanks to You. And Shmuel says that one should say: God of all living flesh, for the merit of giving thanks to You. Rabbi Simai says that one should say: Our Creator, Who created everything in the beginning, for the merit of giving thanks to You. The Sages of Neharde’a say in the name of Rabbi Simai that one should say: We offer blessings and praises to Your great name, for You have given us life and sustained us, for giving thanks to You. Rav Aḥa bar Ya’akov would finish the blessing as follows: So may You give us life, and show us favor, and collect us, and gather our exiles into Your sacred courtyards, in order to observe Your laws and to fulfill Your will wholeheartedly, for giving thanks to You.

"Rav Pappa said: These Sages each added a different element to the prayer. Therefore, we should combine them together and recite all of them.” (Sefaria.org translation)

 Now you can understand why this section is called “Modim deRabanan (The Modim of the Rabbis.” It is a compilation of different rabbinic suggestions.

Why is the Modim prayer different from all other prayers? After all other blessings the congregation answers “amen.” During Modim the congregation says its own Modim. Rabbi David Avudraham who lived in Spain during the 14^th century and composed a commentary on the siddur, prayer book, answers this question. The Modim prayer is a prayer of thanksgiving. When a person wants to give thanks, he doesn’t deputize somebody else to speak on his behalf. He says “thank you” himself. So, when the hazzan is reciting the congregations Thanksgiving prayer, each individual offers up his own prayer of thanksgiving.