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436 | A New Light
morning Sh’ma on time. There can be no greater expression of a
lack of the fear of heaven than that.
To Get Up Like a Jew
This is the place to discuss the importance of reciting the morning
Sh’ma on time. Doing so constitutes the foundation of a Jew’s life.
Not reciting the Sh’ma on time constitutes the nullification of a
commandment. The Gemara applies the verse, “That which has
been distorted cannot be rectified” (Ecclesiastes 1:15), to a person
who does not recite the Sh’ma (Berachot 26a). This is a deformity
that cannot be repaired. Such a person’s day will be inadequate,
and that is something that cannot be adjusted. A person must do
everything to prevent that. It makes no difference what time he
went to sleep. It is forbidden to miss reciting the Sh’ma on time.
The sages count morning sleep as one of the factors that remove a
person from the world (Avot 3:10). The commentators explain that
this is because he misses the recital of the morning Sh’ma.
The holy Zohar states regarding the great importance of reading
the Sh’ma (Zohar Chadash: Acharei): “When a person recites the
Sh’ma properly, every word influences his every limb. But if he
does not recite the Sh’ma day and night, his every limb is filled with
an evil spirit and with all of the world’s evils and diseases.” And the
Zohar (Midrash Ruth) states, “Rabbi Nehemiah said in the name of
Rabbi Nehorai: A person experiences healing in this world every
day when he reads the Sh’ma properly. And Rabbi Nehorai said:
The Sh’ma contains 248 words, parallel to a person’s 248 limbs.
When a person recites the Sh’ma properly, each limb takes one
word, and it is healed by that word. Therefore, the verse states, ‘It
will be healing to your flesh and moisture to your bones’ (Proverbs
3:8).” And the Zohar states as well, “When a person recites the
Sh’ma properly, it is known that he will not be harmed that day”
(ibid.).
Reciting the Sh’ma and Shemoneh Esrei on time is not a mere
stringency or act of piety. It is the essence of the law for every
single Jew. Praying after that time constitutes a grave sin. If a person
does so publicly, that constitutes a desecration of Hashem’s name,
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to sleep. He should eat an easy-to-digest supper. Heavy eating
makes a person tired and casts him into heaviness and a dissatisfying
sleep, after which it is hard for him to get up. As the mishnah
states, “Food results in sleep” (Yoma 1:4). If a person feels a little
hungry but he knows that he will be going to sleep within three
hours, he should not eat bread and certainly not meat and dairy
products, all of which make a person heavy and drowsy, but fruit.
Also, the holy Ari teaches, “At the beginning of the night a
person should lie on his left side, as mentioned by the Rambam
(may his memory be for a blessing). And after midnight, if he wants
to sleep, he should turn over to his right side. This is very helpful
for nullifying the outer forces.” And he states as well, “A person
must be careful not to remove his small tzitzit garment, neither by
day nor by night. He should lie down with it at night, and that is
very helpful in nullifying the powers of the outer forces.”
The Intent of Sleep
When a person lies down, he must have in mind that he is going
to serve His Creator. As the Rambam explains (Dei’ot 3:3):
Even when a person is sleeping, if he is sleeping in
order to gain knowledge, in order to rest his mind and
rest his body so that he will not grow ill and be unable to
serve Hashem because of sickness, his sleep is the service
of God, blessed be He. Regarding this matter, our sages
commanded and said, “All of your deeds should be for
the sake of heaven” (Avot 2:12). That is what Solomon
alluded to in his wisdom: “In all your ways, know Him,
and He will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:6).
And the Shulchan Aruch states (231):
If a person cannot learn without taking an afternoon
nap, he should do so, but only if it is not long, because
during the day it is forbidden to sleep more than “the
sleep of a horse,” which is 60 breaths. And even