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regarding that little amount, a person’s intent The halachic authorities quote the Rabbi ibn Gabbai’s Tola’at
should not be to grant his body pleasure, but to Yaakov, who had a version of the holy Zohar stating that a person
strengthen his body for the service of Hashem, who does not engage in this practice is deserving of death (Kaf
may He be blessed. And so too in everything from Hachaim 4 and Shulchan Aruch Harav 1). The books of Hasidism explain
which a person gains pleasure in this world, he should at length the tremendously superlative nature of this practice,
not have his own pleasure in mind but the service of which draws great holiness onto a person throughout the course of
his entire life. Some people are especially strict, in accordance with
the Creator, may He be blessed. As the verse states, Hasidism, not even to set their feet on the floor before washing,
“In all your ways, know Him” (Proverbs 3:6). And our and they link this to the verse, “He stands upon a way that is not
sages said, “All of your deeds should be for the sake of good” (Psalms 36:5).
heaven” (Avot 2:12), because even mundane matters—
such as eating, drinking, walking, sitting, waking up and In addition, you must set an alarm clock. When a person goes
marital relations, conversation, and all of your bodily to sleep, he must have in mind the specific time that he wants to
needs—should all be for the service of your Creator, or wake up, and not go to sleep without a plan to that end. If he goes
for something that leads to His service…. to sleep early, he should intend to get up at midnight, or at any
rate before dawn. At the very least, a person should not miss the
And the same applies to lying down. There is no need time for reading the Sh’ma and Shemoneh Esrei—and in a minyan,
to say that when a person can engage in Torah and which is obligatory. He should address Hashem:
mitzvot he should not be drawn into sleep in order to Master of the world, I am going to sleep only
give himself pleasure. But even when he is weary and because I have no alternative. I don’t want
must sleep in order to rest from his weariness, if he to sleep. I only want to do Your will. Help me
does so for his bodily pleasure, that is not praiseworthy. wake up early, at such-and-such a time. And the
Rather, he should intend to give sleep to his eyes and moment I open my eyes, may my immediate first
rest to his body in order to maintain his health, so that thought be to remember the world-to-come, and
his mind will not be unable to grasp the Torah because may I immediately say “Modeh ani” with great
of a lack of sleep. joy. And may I feel the happiness of being freed
of the prison of my bed. May I not be bound to
In summation, a person must place his eyes and heart
upon his actions and weigh all of his deeds on the scale my bed by ropes of sleep. Help me so that at the
moment that I wake up I will wash my hands next
of his mind. When he sees that something will lead to the
service of the Creator, may He be blessed, he should do to my bed and leap out of bed with energy and
it. And if not, he should not do it. And a person who strength. Help me rejoice over the fact that I have
been redeemed from the punishment of the need
acts in this way serves his Creator always.
for sleep.
And the holy Ari states: “A person must intend that even at the
time that he is sleeping, he will serve his Creator. That is alluded Principally, a person must know what time he intends to get up.
to in the verse, ‘In all of your ways, know Him’” (Sha’ar Hakavanot: There is no such thing as going to sleep with the attitude that
Derushei Halailah). According to everything that I have written here, “whatever will be will be,” and then being too late to recite the