Kriyat Shema Al HaMitah: Difference between revisions

# When saying [[Krias Shema Al HaMita]], preferably one should say all three paragraphs of Shema, but at least one should say the first paragraph of the Shema and then say Birchat Hamapil. <ref>Mishna Brurah 239:1</ref>If one feels that one will fall asleep saying Shema in which case say Birchat Hamapil earlier and then Shema.<ref>Shulchan Aruch 239:1 writes that one should first say Shema and then say the bracha of Hamapil in order to recite Hamapil as close to going to sleep as possible. Mishna Brurah 239:2 writes that if one feels that one will fall asleep while saying Shema one should say Hamapil first. </ref> The Sephardic minhag is to say Birchat Hamapil before Shema.<ref>Yalkut Yosef ([[Brachot]] pg 667)</ref>

# It isn't considered an interruption between Hamapil and going to sleep to recite the paragraph of Yoshev BeSeter Elyon because its purpose is to protect oneself while sleeping.<ref>Mishna Brurah 239:2</ref>

# If one didn’t repeat Shema after [[Tzet HaKochavim]] one must say all three paragraphs and should have the proper intent to fulfill one’s obligation. <ref>Mishna Brurah 239:1 </ref>

# If you are sick you don’t need to say the whole order of Kriyat Shema Al Hamita; it is enough just to say the first paragraph of shema and the bracha of Hamapil. <Ref> Mishna Brurah 239:9 </ref>

# You only need to say Kriyat Shema Al Hamita and the bracha of Hamapil once a night, so if you fall asleep and then wake up and you want to go back to bed you don’t need to repeat Hamapil. If you know that you're going to wake up for some time and go back to asleep again, you should have in mind that your bracha should exempt the second period of sleep as well.<ref>Rabbi Zilber in [http://www.hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=51658&st=&pgnum=390 Beyt Baruch 35:9]</ref>

# Sephardim, according to many poskim, shouldn’t say the Bracha of [[HaMapil]] with [[Shem UMalchut]] if they go to sleep before [[Chatzot]] (midnight by halachic hours). <Ref> Rav Ovadia Yosef in Yachava Daat 4:21 wrote that one should say hamapil after chatzot without shem umalchut and before chatzot with shem umalchut. This is also the opinion of Yalkut Yosef ([[Brachot]] pg 664) and Or Letzion 2:15:12.</ref> Others hold that it can be said all night.<ref>Halacha Brurah 239:9 quoting his father Rav Ovadia Yosef that he retracted that one should say it even initially after chatzot. See Rav Ovadia's formulation in Chazon Ovadia (Brachot p. 511). See also Orchot Maran 2:19:10 p. 834 where he writes that Rav Ovadia Yosef's personal practice changed in 5771 to say hamapil after chatzot with shem umalchut. </ref> Syrians have the tradition not to say it with shem umalchut at all.<ref>[http://www.dailyhalacha.com/displayRead.asp?readID=277&txtSearch=hamapil Rabbi Mansour on dailyhalacha.com] explained that the Syrian minhag was to say hamapil without shem umalchut in accordance with the Ben Ish Chai (Pekudei no. 12).</ref>

# Even though one should strive to say birkat hamapil as close to falling asleep as possible, if one goes to the bathroom after having said Birkat Hamapil he should still recite asher yatzar. <ref> Sh"t Yechave Daat 4:21, Sh"t Tzitz Eliezer 7:27, and Sh"t Bear Moshe 1:63 all hold that you still should say asher yatzar, or even [[Kiddush Levana]] or [[arvit]] if necessary. Halacha Brurah 239:8 agrees. </ref>

==Something to think about before falling asleep==

# One should have intention that one is going to sleep in order to get energy to serve Hashem with energy tomorrow. <Ref> Aruch HaShulchan 231:6, Kaf HaChaim 238:10 </ref>According to some, one should verbalize this intention. <Ref>Kaf HaChaim 231:7 </ref>

# Before a person goes to bed it's good to consider all the things he did that day and if he finds that he did a sin he should accept upon himself not to do it again. Also it's good to forgive anyone who might have sinned against oneself. <Ref> Mishna Brurah 239:9 </ref>