Every morning, a set of 15 blessings are recited to express our thanks to God for all the things that we, as healthy human beings, are capable of doing.

Ba’ruch Ah’tah Ah’doh’nai Eh’lo’hay’nu Melech ha’o’lam sheh’lo asanee ah’ved.

Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who has not made me a slave.

Well, obviously no one wants to be a slave. In truth, this blessing is related to the fact that one who has a human master cannot serve God in the proper manner. A slave’s time is not his own, his possessions are not his own, etc, and therefore a slave cannot commit to be actively involved in mitzvot.

–Translation reproduced with permission from The Koren Sacks Siddur,
© Koren Publishers Jerusalem Ltd.