Halachot of Sleep: Difference between revisions

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The Torah attributes significance to all of a person's daily actions<ref>Mishlei 3:6</ref> and there are halachic guidelines on how a Jew should conduct himself from the time they wake up until they go to sleep. <ref>Rashi (Bamidbar 23:24) writes that when a Jew wakes up he should wake up like a lion in order to perform mitzvot with alacrity. This idea is also found in Shulchan Aruch 1:1. Additionally, Rashi continues, before going to sleep a Jew makes sure to say Shema and entrusts their soul to Hashem. </ref> See a closely related topic [[Bedtime Shema]] for the halachos regarding saying Shema before going to sleep.

# According to the Zohar, for spiritual and health reasons, it is proper to sleep in the beginning of the night and to learn Torah during the second half of the night. However the Talmud Bavli and Rambam hold that it is healthy to sleep in the end of the night until Amud HaShachar. <ref> [[Brachot]] 3b relates the story of King David who slept in the first half of the night to then wake up and learn after [[Chatzot]]. This practice of sleep in the beginning of the night is praised in a few places in the Zohar (Noach 72a, Toldot 136c, Beshalach 46a, Vayahakel 185b, Vayikra 13a). So writes the Sh"t Arugot Bosem O"C 1 that the learning at night should be done primarily after [[Chatzot]]. However, Sh"t Chatam Sofer 31 (Jerusalem 5733 edition) writes that the majority practice is to learn in the first half of the night and to sleep after [[Chatzot]]. Rav Ovadyah in Sh"t Yabia Omer Y"D 7:20(2) supports this from the Gemara Yoma 22a (and others) that it is preferable to stay up late learning rather than go to sleep early and subsequently wake up early. This is codified in Yalkut Yosef (edition 5764, vol 1 pg 75). [Halacha Brurah (Birur Halacha 1:1) writes that Rav Ovadyah's practice was to learn until after [[Chatzot]] and then sleep until morning.] Halacha Brurah (Birur Halacha 1:1) quoting the Zohar (Vayakel 195b) and Rambam (Deot 4:4) writes that regardless which method one chooses, it is proper to be awake at [[Chatzot]] to learn Torah. [Machazik Bracha 1:1 wonders why the Shulchan Aruch left this Halacha out of his work, since it leads people to be lax in this law.] </ref>

# If one will fall asleep during [[prayer]] due to the fact that one woke up too early, one can sleep later but should be careful not to miss [[prayer]] with a [[minyan]]. <ref> Eliyah Rabba 1:2, Pri Megadim, (quoted by Pitchei [[Teshuva]] 1:1), Halacha Brurah 1:1 </ref>