(Hakhel) In the pamphlet VeNomar Amein, the story is brought about a religious Jew who was placed into one of Stalin’s, yemach shemo, Siberian labor camps. One morning, as he awoke, he contemplated for a moment what he was going to say Modeh Ani about. After all, he thought, what type of life was he leading–far off in a distant, forsaken corner of the world, a captive in the ice cold weather of Siberia? Not only had he been separated from his family, but he was being forced not to observe Shabbos, not to put on Tefillin, and not to keep Kosher.
There were no Jews around him, either. What, then, was he thanking Hashem for with the words She’hechezarta Bi Nishmasi Bechemla–for returning his neshama with compassion”? The prisoner then recalled that the concluding words of Modeh Ani are Rabba Emunasecha–abundant is my faith in You [Hakhel Note: Others translate it as– abundant is Hashem’s Faithfulness]. He thought: “They can take away so much of me physically and spiritually–but they can never take away my Emunah in Hashem. For my Emunah in Hashem itself, it is worthwhile to get up in the morning and meet the day ahead.” He had the will to live again and survived the inhumane conditions. Later, after this Jew was released, he told his Rebbe of his mental debate and his ultimate conclusion on Modeh Ani. His Rebbe responded: “You should know that you were sent Min HaShomayim to the depths of Siberia in order for you to reach this conclusion and achieve this special relationship with HaKadosh Baruch Hu!”
It is reported that Rav Chaim Stein, Z’tl, would not be satisfied with reciting Modeh Ani just once, but would be seen repeating it in the morning continuously after he left his home on the way to daven Shacharis in the Yeshiva.
just read this says
I read this in Living Emunah. It was about Reb Yechezkel Abramsky