Page 458 - 20780

458 | A New Light Chapter Nine: | 471

The book Tikun Chatzot Hamevo’ar collects a great many of every sort of confusion from my brain and mind until,
the statements made in the holy books asserting the special qualities as a result of diminishing my sleep, I will rest my mind.
of midnight. Here are some of them, in greatly abridged form: May my mind and soul be renewed and refreshed from
their weariness as a result of reducing my sleep as much
A person who gets up at midnight can break the “husks” and kill
the evil inclination. as possible. (Likutei Tefillot 35)

He restores the Shechinah to its place, and hastens the redemption. Master of the universe, help me know that sleep is
absolute evil, an entirely evil inclination. Rescue me from
He becomes a new person. the evil inclination, which is the terrible angel of death
that overwhelms me with the craving for sleep, and that
He attains sovereignty. wants to murder me and destroy my entire life. It has
already seized me with a powerful grip. Thus, the sages
He attains a fullness of faith.
speak of sleep “seizing” a person. It wants to seize hours

His body is protected. from each day of my life, hours that will add up to years.
And it wants me to remain spiritually asleep throughout
He is rescued from fears. the entire day, so that I will lose my life entirely. I have
slept so much until now. Have compassion on me so that
He rectifies his eyes. from this day forward I will no longer sleep away my
days and years. Help me know that sleep is suicide.
He rectifies his “covenant.”
He purifies his thoughts. Please, Master of the universe, help me know that
the essence of sleep is slavery. As our sages state, “Ten
He gains atonement for all of his sins. measures of sleep descended to the world, of which nine
were taken by slaves” (Kiddushin 49b). When a person sleeps,
He attains a comfortable income without suffering and difficulty. his mind abandons him, leaving behind his physical body,
which corresponds to sleep. Please have compassion on
He is called “God’s beloved son,” and all of the accusing forces me so that I will nullify my physicality and all of the
fear him.
cravings of my body, and instead I will make use of my
He grows wise in Torah. intellect, living as spiritual a life as possible, nullifying my
physicality and rising to the spiritual.
A thread of kindness is drawn onto him.
Help me know that the essence of the power of sleep is
He attains the dew of the revival of the dead. due to an insufficiently clarified imagination. Please have
compassion on me and help me clarify my imagination
He is healed from all pains. properly. In this way, may I not need to sleep much, and

Hashem Himself blesses him.