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It is proper for every person who is heaven-fearing and Ascent of the Soul Rabbi Nachman writes that all of a person’s faith depends upon
for everyone whose heart has been touched by Hashem to his awareness of the world-to-come—and that awareness depends
rise at midnight and engage in some lamentation, reciting When a person finishes reciting the Bedtime Sh’ma with all of its on sleep. The time of sleep is a very elevated time in which a
the psalm, “By the rivers of Babylon” (Psalms 137:1), and verses and lies down to sleep with the appropriate intent, he should person’s soul clings to the world-to-come. Thus, sleep is not a
the like, regarding the Destruction of the Temple and the not pray for anything, but only yearn and crave for Hashem, which time in which to rest, but a time in which we serve Hashem and
exile of the Shechinah…. And it is known that the Zohar is the most perfect state. He should yearn for his soul to rise up renew our service of Hashem and our faith. At this time, Hashem
influences a person and gives him life for the entire day. Therefore,
highly praises this practice, and the Gemara states that while he is filled with intent and yearning and cling to Hashem. Then a person must beseech Hashem to teach him how to serve Hashem
midnight is a time of favor. his soul will truly rise to its proper place, and it will be considered even when he is asleep. Then, as soon as he gets up in the morning,
as an offering to Hashem. As the Zohar states, the soul that rises
properly every night to Hashem is considered to be an offering. he will remember and cling to the world-to-come more and more.
Following that, he writes that a person who does not rise at A person who attains this is living in the Garden of Eden. He is
midnight but rises before dawn possesses “an intermediary trait.” (And a person is obligated to strengthen himself with yearning, as I living in a likeness of the world-to-come.
That is to say, the most praiseworthy level is to get up at midnight, have written at length in regard to the war of the will.)
and an intermediary level is to get up before dawn. From this, we In conclusion, I will quote the words of the holy Zohar on the It is quite common to see signs in synagogues and notices in
may infer that a person who gets up later than that is even less than siddurs, “Know before Whom you stand. ‘I have placed Hashem
intermediary. verse, “With my spirit, I have yearned for You at night” (Isaiah before me always.” A person must place such a sign as well next
26:9). This is an especially awesome and inspiring passage, which
Our rabbis have discussed at length the virtue of rising at midnight discusses going to sleep in the midst of yearning and intent (Lech to his bed: “Know before Whom you are lying down because you
must always place Hashem before you”— always, meaning, before
to learn Torah and engage in songs and praises. In particular, in a Lechah 83, with a few additions based on Matok Midevash): going to sleep, while sleeping and when waking up from sleep.
great many places the holy Zohar praises and endorses the practice
of rising at midnight and extols the value of this holy time, speaking [Rabbi Shimon] began and said: To Sleep like a Jew
of it as a time of favor for every holy matter. The words of our holy
rabbis inspired the hearts of worthy Jews in all generations to rise at [The verse states,] “With my spirit, I have yearned for
midnight and to engage in Divine service, each in accordance with You at night. Even with my spirit within me, I seek You” The war begins even before a person lies down in bed. He must
his own understanding. The greatest of all was Rabbi Nachman of (Isaiah 26:9)…. gather his strength to have great intent as he recites the entire
Breslov, who declared “that the essence of the work of a Jew is to Bedtime Sh’ma (as will be explained). The evil inclination of
get up at midnight” (Sichot Haran 301). Come, see. When a person goes to bed, his nefesh sleep, which clothes itself in weariness and causes a person to want
leaves him and rises up. You might think that all nefoshot to sleep, is the most dangerous evil inclination there is. At that
The holy Zohar tells (Vayikra 13a): [pl. nefesh] rise to see the pleasantness of Hashem and time, the person is tired and weary, and he does not fear God (cf.
visit in His palace. But be aware that not everyone sees Deuteronomy 25:18). He gives himself permission to throw himself
Rabbi Chizkiah was sitting before Rabbi Yitzchak. They the face of the King—[i.e., not all of the nefoshot attain into bed without making a personal accounting, to forget about
arose at midnight to engage in Torah learning. Rabbi the proper rectification of sleep]…. Hashem, to forget about reciting the Sh’ma and the blessing of
Yitzchak began and said: Hamapil. He doesn’t care how he will fall asleep and when he will
The nefesh proceeds and wishes to rise. There are a get up. He casts off the yoke of the kingdom of heaven. Therefore,
The verse states, “Behold, bless Hashem, all those who number of levels through which to rise from this world the Gemara says that a person who goes to sleep without reciting
serve Hashem, those who stand in the house of Hashem to the spiritual world to which it needs to arrive. It soars the Sh’ma is comparable to a person on the bed of an Aramean
in the nights” (Psalms 134:1). This praises all people who and encounters unclean, shining “husks” on its way to woman (Berachot 8b).
have faith. And who are those who have faith? Those the spiritual world. If it is pure, if it was not polluted The Ari states that when we recite the morning blessing, “Blessed
are the people who engage in Torah learning and who during the day, it passes by these husks and rises. But if be He Who did not make me a gentile,” we are thanking Hashem