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for You at midnight” (Isaiah 26:9), in order to run after of the traits of the righteous who walk before God. That
You and not to be enticed after another category—that is because the way that a person sits, moves and acts
of the unclean husks…. when he is alone in his house are not the same as when
he sits, moves and acts before a great king. The relaxed
This awesome passage from the Zohar explains that sleep way in which he speaks with his family and close friends is
constitutes a tremendous danger. During sleep, the nefesh has two different from the way in which he speaks on the council
possibilities: either to cling to the unclean husks and wander about of the king. How much more when a person realizes that
among them the entire night (following which this person awakens
accordingly), or to cling to and see the pleasantness of Hashem and the great King, the Holy One, blessed be He, Whose
visit His palace! glory fills the entire earth, stands over him and sees his
deeds. As the verse states, “Even if a man will hide in
According to the Zohar, when a person is not deserving of hiding places, will I not see him, says Hashem” (Jeremiah
holy sleep, his soul rises to the unclean camps and clings to them. 23:24). He will immediately experience fear, humility
Unfortunately, that causes many psychological problems and and the fear of Hashem, may He be blessed, and shame
mental distress. Sometimes a person wakes up in the morning before Him always, and he will not be ashamed before any
depressed and anxious, with darkness and fears clinging to him, in human beings who mock him for his service of Hashem,
the most literal sense. More than once I have met ordinary people may He be blessed. Also, in matters of in modesty and
who suddenly, in the midst of their lives, grow confused. They in lying down to go to bed, he should know before
awaken with anxieties that cling to them in a diseased fashion, and
they do not understand where this comes from. According to what Whom he is lying down, and immediately upon
we have learned here, this results from these unclean husks that waking up, he should rise with alacrity to engage
tell the soul falsehoods and to which it clings. Thus, sleep is truly a in the service of His Creator, may He be elevated
terrible danger. We must certainly inspire ourselves to engage in the and exalted.
work of the will during sleep!
He Is Giving Us Good Advice
But the aspect of good is always stronger than that of evil. When
the soul experiences the taste of clinging to the light of Hashem, The Rema connects the actions involved in going to sleep and
when it takes pleasure in seeing the pleasure of Hashem and visiting waking up to the mitzvah of “I have placed Hashem before me
His palace, after it wakes up, a taste of “more” remains with it, and always.” The Rema tells us that a person’s entire goal must be to
it experiences great yearning and longing to be close to Hashem.
cling to his Creator, to place Hashem before him always, and that
there is not a single moment in which a person is absolved of this
This passage of the Zohar sums up clearly the entire topic of
sleep. It explains the great mystery within sleep. Therefore, before work. There is no legitimacy to resting and sleeping. Why are you
tired? Are you tired of the Garden of Eden? That is ridiculous.
Rabbi Shimon began speaking these words, he said, “I am surprised Therefore, know that you are not going to sleep. You are lying
that people aren’t careful to know the words of the Torah and to
know what maintains their existence!” People go to sleep every down before Hashem. When you lie down before Hashem, you
bond with Hashem. And in accordance with the quality of your
night without understanding and without feeling what awaits them
after they fall asleep. They do not take heed of the danger in sleep bond with Hashem, in the morning you can gather strength like a
lion.

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