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Halachot of Sleep: Difference between revisions
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See a closely related topic [[Bedtime Shema]] for other halachos of going to sleep. | |||
==Time to go to sleep== | ==Time to go to sleep== | ||
# According to the Zohar, for spiritual and health reasons, it's proper to sleep in the beginning of the night and in the second half of the night to learn torah . However the Talmud Bavli and Rambam hold that it's 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 wake up and learning 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 Chatom Sofer 31 (Jerusalem 5733 edition) writes that the majority practice is to learning in the first half of the night and sleep after Chatzot. Rav Ovadyah in Sh"t Yabea Omer Y"D 7:20(2) supports this from the the gemara Yoma 22a (and others) that it's preferable to stay up late learning than go to sleep early to 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 either method one takes, it's proper to be awake at Chatzot to learn Torah. [Machzik Bracha 1:1 wonders why the Shulchan Aruch left this halacha out of his work leading people to be lax in this law.] </ref> | # According to the Zohar, for spiritual and health reasons, it's proper to sleep in the beginning of the night and in the second half of the night to learn torah . However the Talmud Bavli and Rambam hold that it's 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 wake up and learning 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 Chatom Sofer 31 (Jerusalem 5733 edition) writes that the majority practice is to learning in the first half of the night and sleep after Chatzot. Rav Ovadyah in Sh"t Yabea Omer Y"D 7:20(2) supports this from the the gemara Yoma 22a (and others) that it's preferable to stay up late learning than go to sleep early to 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 either method one takes, it's proper to be awake at Chatzot to learn Torah. [Machzik Bracha 1:1 wonders why the Shulchan Aruch left this halacha out of his work leading people to be lax in this law.] </ref> | ||
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# One shouldn't sleep more than 8 hours of sleep nor should one sleep less than 6 hours all according to one's needs. <ref> Some sources suggest that one should sleep 8 hours such as the Rambam (Deot 4:4) and Orchot Rabbeinu (1 pg 189, biography of the Steipler). Some quote Mishna Brurah 1:9 to say that one should sleep as much as one needs, however, if you read the whole sentence, you'll see that the Mishna Brurah is saying that about someone who is weak and is afraid that if he doesn't get enough sleep he will fall asleep during davening. Yalkut Yosef (edition 5764, vol 1 pg 64) writes that it's unhealthy to sleep more than 8 or less than 6 hours. Aruch HaShulchan says that some learn from the pasuk "Yashanti Az Yanuach Li" that one should sleep 8 because the gematria of Az is 8 and some say since the gematria (mispar katan) of Li is 4 one should sleep 4 hours, but concludes that it all depends on the health and age of the person. </ref> | # One shouldn't sleep more than 8 hours of sleep nor should one sleep less than 6 hours all according to one's needs. <ref> Some sources suggest that one should sleep 8 hours such as the Rambam (Deot 4:4) and Orchot Rabbeinu (1 pg 189, biography of the Steipler). Some quote Mishna Brurah 1:9 to say that one should sleep as much as one needs, however, if you read the whole sentence, you'll see that the Mishna Brurah is saying that about someone who is weak and is afraid that if he doesn't get enough sleep he will fall asleep during davening. Yalkut Yosef (edition 5764, vol 1 pg 64) writes that it's unhealthy to sleep more than 8 or less than 6 hours. Aruch HaShulchan says that some learn from the pasuk "Yashanti Az Yanuach Li" that one should sleep 8 because the gematria of Az is 8 and some say since the gematria (mispar katan) of Li is 4 one should sleep 4 hours, but concludes that it all depends on the health and age of the person. </ref> | ||
== | ==Sleeping alone in a room== | ||
# It’s forbidden to sleep at night in a room by oneself. However, if there’s others in the house and not the room, one should leave the room door ajar at night (unless a man is sleeping alone in a room and the only other person in the house is a women in which case it’s forbidden to leave the door open because of Yichud.) <Ref> Mishna Brurah 239:9 writes that one shouldn’t sleep alone at night alone and this includes even sleeping in a room alone. However, Shaar HaTzion 239:17 writes that one may leave the door ajar if there are others in the house. Yalkut Yosef (Brachot pg 669, Sherit Yosef vol 3 pg 369) also holds that it’s forbidden but writes that if there’s no other option one should leave a light on in the room. </ref> Some hold that it's enough to have the door closed and unlocked. <Ref> Piskei Teshuvot 239:6, BeYitzchak Yikra of Rav Nevinsal 239:6 </ref> | |||
==Position to sleep in== | |||
# One should sleep on one’s side and not faced up or down. <Ref>Mishna Brurah 239:6 </ref> | |||
# One may place one's bed in any direction that one wants, however if possible it's preferable to put the head of the bed the east and the foot in the west. <ref> Or Letzion (vol 2 chap 1:1) </ref> | # One may place one's bed in any direction that one wants, however if possible it's preferable to put the head of the bed the east and the foot in the west. <ref> Or Letzion (vol 2 chap 1:1) </ref> | ||
