Waking Up

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The Proper Time to Wake Up

  • A person should make an effort to wake early in the morning to serve Hashem. One should get up early enough to prepare for and arrive at shul on time to daven Shacharit with a minyan.
    • Shulkhan Arukh 1:1 teaches that one should be strong and rise early, in effect “awakening the dawn.” The Shulchan Arukh opens with the words “A person should be strong like a lion to stand up in the morning to serve one’s Creator.” The Mishnah Berurah comments that this is the purpose of humankind’s creation.[1]
    • Mishnah Berurah 1:9 notes that one should wake up about half an hour before the time to daven with a minyan, allowing enough time to prepare for davening.
    • Halacha Brurah 1:1 explains that “dawn” here means olot hashachar. It therefore states that the Shulkhan Arukh rules that one should wake up before olot hashachar.
    • Rama 1:1 adds that one should certainly avoid waking up so late that one misses davening with a minyan. Similarly, Kitzur Shulkhan Arukh 1:5 writes that during the short nights of the year, when one cannot wake up as early, one should still get up with enough time to prepare to pray Shacharit with the congregation.
    • Piskei Teshuvot 1:2, citing Mishmeret Shalom 1:1, remarks that the widespread practice of waking up later has a halakhic basis, as long as one is careful to wake up in time to daven with a minyan.
  • Many Achronim hold that one should "connect” night and day through Torah study at the end of the night (that is, the beginning of the day) and at the end of the day (that is, the beginning of the night):
    • Rabbi Isaiah Horowitz (Chulin, Derech Chaim s.v. VeZeh Lashon Tolat Yacov) is one example; he advises that one should join night and day through Torah study. Magen Avraham 1:1, Bear Hetiev 1:2, Mishnah Berurah 1:2, Ben Ish Chai (Vayishlach 2), and Halacha Brurah 1:1 cite Horowitz’s ruling as Halakha.
    • However, those who do not follow Horowitz’s tradition have other sources to rely on. HaNetziv, in Emek She'elah (Vetchanan 143:3), writes that Horowitz’s source is the Talmud Yerushalmi (specifically, the first perek of tractate Yoma), which rules that one should learn two chapters during both the morning and night to fulfill "VeHegita Bo Yomam VeLaylah".
    • However, the Talmud Bavli, in tractate Menachot 99b, concludes that one should learn one chapter by day and another by night. Thus, learning need not occur at the transition between night and day; any time during each period fulfills one's chiyuv. Rav Ovadyah, in Halichot Olam (Vayishlach 1:1), writes that those who do not follow the Shelah may rely on the Bavli.

Correct Conduct of Waking up in the Morning

  1. One should wake up strong like a lion to serve the will of the Creator. [2]
  2. One should not get up immediately because it is compromising to one's health. One should rather pause momentarily and then get up. [3]Some say that one should wait the time it takes to say Modeh Ani. [4]

Making up One's Bed

  1. Although one may not engage in work before praying in the morning, one may make one's bed. It is considered part of the normal morning routine and therefore not regarded as work.[5]

Modeh Ani

  1. Upon waking one should say Modeh Ani to thank Hashem for returning one’s soul. [6]The text is "Modeh Ani Lifanecha Melech Chai VeKayam, Shehechazarta Bi Nishmati BeChemlah, Rabba Emunatecha" מודה אני לפניך מלך חי וקים שהחזרת בי נשמתי בחמלה, רבה אמונתך with a pause between BeChemlah and Rabba. [7]
  2. One can say Modeh Ani even before washing one's hands. [8]
  3. For men it is preferable to cover one’s head with a Yarmalka or one’s blanket while saying Modeh Ani. [9]
  4. Women should say "modah ani" (the feminine form equivalent) [10]
  5. Children should be taught to recite modeh ani as soon as it learns to speak, as well as the first pasuk of the Shema and "Torah tziva lanu moshe" (Devarim 33:4) [11]

Being Conscious of Hashem's Presence

  1. One should always be conscious of Hashem's presence by thinking of the Pasuk "Shiviti Hashem LeNegdi Tamid" שויתי ה' לנגדי תמיד (Tehilim 16:8) [12]
  2. Some have the practice to hang up a poster in a glass case in Shul with an inscription of "Shiviti" (and sometimes the perek of Tehilim 67 "Lamnazeach Benginot" in the shape of a Menorah). However if it is not encased it is improper to keep it up. [13]

Related Pages

  1. Washing Hands (Negal Vessar)

Sources

  1. ↑ S”A 1:1, Mishnah Berurah 1:1
  2. ↑ Shulchan Aruch 1:1. Piskei Teshuvot 1:1 expands on this idea explaining that the Torah and Chazal used physical metaphors (i.e. lion) for spiritual tasks so that we can relate to the expressions used.
  3. ↑ Magen Avraham 1:3 says that even though one should get up strong like a lion to serve Hashem, one should not stand up immediately because it is dangerous. As is written in Gemara Gittin 70a. All achronim concur including the Mishna Brurah 1:8, Kaf HaChaim 1:4, and Halacha Brurah 1:1.
  4. ↑ Halachically Speaking (vol 3, article 1, pg 2)
  5. ↑ Sh"t Rivivot Ephraim 1:62
  6. ↑ Chaye Adam 1:1, Kaf HaChaim 1:4
  7. ↑ This is first sourced in the Seder Hayom (Beginning of the book; Rabbi Makhir 16th century Tzfat) and then is quoted as halacha by all the achronim including Mishna Brurah 1:8, Chaye Adam 1:1, Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 1:4, Shulchan Aruch HaRav 1:6, Halacha Brurah 1:2
  8. ↑ Chaye Adam 1:1 writes that because Modeh Ani doesn't have Hashem's name in it, it can be recited before washing hands. Kaf HaChaim 1:4, Mishna Brurah 1:8, Shulchan Aruch HaRav 1:6, and Halacha Brurah 1:2 agree.
  9. ↑ Tefilla K’hilchoso 9:2, Halachically Speaking (vol 3, article 1, pg 2). See Rivevot Ephraim 4:2.
  10. ↑ Yalkut Yosef 1:9
  11. ↑ Yalkut Yosef 1:11 and Yalkut Yosef Dinei Chinuch Katan 1:1 based on Sukkah 42a
  12. ↑ Rama 1:1 writes as the first comment in the book, that one should keep in mind the principle of "Shaviti". The Arizal's practice was to keep an inscription of Hashem's name before him always (Shaar Ruach HaKodesh 21). This is brought down by the Achronim including Bear Heteiv 1:3, Mishna Brurah 1:4, Kaf HaChaim 1:2, and Halacha Brurah 1:3.
  13. ↑ Shaarei Teshuva 1:3 in the name of the Tevuot Shor argues that one should nullify the practice of hanging up Klaf with Shiviti inscribed on it because people tend not to be careful enough to make sure it does not lead to a desecration of a holy script and possibly an erasing of Hashem's name. Shaarei Teshuva says that if it is covered by glass then this worry the Tevuot Shor mentions is no longer of concern. This is brought as Halacha by the Mishna Brurah 1:4.
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