Introduction
Officially, there are three prayer services that we recite every day of the week: Shacharit in the mornings, Minchah in the afternoons, and Maariv at nights. In addition to these three services, there is another brief prayer service that we recite before going to sleep for the night—the bedtime Shema.
This prayer actually consists of a number of passages from Psalms and other prayers, with its centerpiece being the three paragraphs of the Shema.
- The bedtime Shema derives its name from the fact that it should be recited immediately prior to retiring for the night, but it is not necessary for it to be said when one is literally in bed.
A Personal Reckoning
Every businessman knows that, from time to time, he must take a break from his regular pursuits in order to determine whether his business is actually turning a profit. He must ask himself if all of the effort and investment is resulting in a net gain or in a loss, if his business approach is correct, if there are weaknesses in his approach that may cause his business to suffer, and if there are ways that he can improve and expand his business.
We must manage our relationship with G-d the same way that we would manage a business. At the end of every day, we must ask ourselves whether we are “profiting” spiritually or whether the opposite is true and we are losing out. We must ask ourselves: “Have I made progress today in my relationship with G-d? Have I done enough mitzvot and good deeds? Have my actions, words, and thoughts, been the way that they should be?”
Just like businessmen, we must derive the appropriate lessons from our daily reckoning. This reckoning should take place every day before the bedtime Shema, and we must come to the appropriate conclusions. If we discover that our spiritual state is poor, then we must examine our “losses” and think about how we can improve on the next day. And if we are pleased with our performance for the day, then the next day can be even better!
The Prayers
The following is a brief overview of the passages that make up the bedtime Shema:
See The Blessings of the Shema – The Synagogue and Prayers – for an in- depth examination of the Shema.
“Master of the Universe”
There is no more fitting way to begin our prayers at the end of the day than with a passage in which we express our forgiveness of anyone who has wronged us or angered us over the course of the day. It happens sometimes that people do things that make us angry, and we may even become enraged when that happens. Nevertheless, we still want to go to sleep in a state of tranquility and with feelings of love for all of G-d’s creations.
We therefore make a declaration before G-d that we completely forgive anyone who has angered us in any way, and we beseech G-d not to punish any other human beings on our account. We pray for Him to give us the strength not to sin again, and to expunge with His mercy any sins we may have already committed, without subjecting us to suffering to atone for them.
“Lay us down, our Father, for peace…”
In this passage, we ask G-d to protect us and shield us from harm throughout the night.
The Three Paragraphs of the Shema
The three paragraphs of the Shema are the centerpiece of this nighttime prayer service. These passages, which deal with our acceptance of G-d’s sovereignty, are also recited twice over the course of the day—during the morning and evening prayers. Because of their great importance and centrality in Jewish life, it is most fitting for us to conclude the day with their recitation.
- At the conclusion of the third paragraph of the Shema, one should repeat the words “I am G-d, your L-rd” in order to bring the total number of Hebrew words recited to 248, corresponding to the 248 organs in the human body. This is a segulah, a spiritually auspicious deed, that is considered to lead to G-d protecting all of our organs while we sleep. In practice, this means that we should recite the verse as follows: “I am G-d, your L-rd, Who took you out of the Land of Egypt to be your G-d. I am G-d, your L-rd. I am G-d, your L-rd. It is true.”
“The righteous will rejoice…”
After the three paragraphs of the Shema, we recite several biblical verses that speak about G-d’s protection of us during the night.
“Behold, the bed of Solomon; sixty mighty ones surround it of the mighty ones of Israel.” Our Sages teach us that the sixty “mighty ones” who stood around the bed of King Solomon were merely a cheap imitation of those who possess true might: the Torah sages of the nation, who are experienced in the “battles” of Torah study and well-versed in the sixty tractates of the Talmud. It was really the power of their Torah study that protected Solomon himself, as well as the rest of the nation.
“He Who dwells in concealment…”
Next, we recite a series of nine verses from Psalm 91.
In this Psalm, King David, speaking on behalf of the entire Jewish nation, expresses his great confidence and trust in G-d. The Psalm speaks about David’s absolute faith that G-d protects us and watches over us throughout the day.
The protection of which this Psalm speaks, and which all of us need, is more than just protection from terrorists or nocturnal burglars. Rather, it refers also to protection from “the fear of the night”—dreams and nighttime visions that might frighten us and create feelings of terror or confusion. It is easier to contend with such thoughts and images during the day, when we can simply divert our attention to other matters. At night, however, when we are simply lying in bed, and especially when we are dreaming, we must beseech G-d for special protection so that those fear-inducing thoughts will not frighten and confuse us.
These verses also allude to the invisible forces that protect us—the Torah that we studied and the mitzvot that we performed during the day. These accomplishments come to join us at night and act like powerful bodyguards that do not allow the forces of evil to cross the threshold of our subconscious minds.
Tachanun
In Jewish tradition, the day begins and ends at sunset. Consequently, on any night when we will be reciting Tachanun the following morning, we also include it in the bedtime Shema in order to beseech G-d to forgive us for our sins.
On the night preceding a day when we will not be reciting Tachanun (such as Rosh Chodesh), Tachanun is omitted from the bedtime Shema, as well. Psalm 51, “For the conductor, a song for David,” is recited, except on Shabbat and holidays.
Concluding Passages
The bedtime Shema prayer continues with the special prayer, “Please, with strength,” followed by Psalm 51, in which King David gives voice to the remorse felt by a Jew repenting for his sins. The next passage is Psalm 121, “A song of ascents; I will lift my eyes to the mountains. From where will my help come?” This Psalm contains a verse that is very appropriate for this hour of the day: “Behold, the Guardian of Israel neither sleeps nor slumbers.” With this verse, we assert that we have no need to worry, for G-d never becomes tired or weary; His existence transcends the physical limitations with which we are familiar, and we can have confidence and faith in his constant, unflagging protection.
We conclude with an assortment of Biblical verses, most of which are recited three times. The prayer ends with the words, “I will place my spirit in Your Hands; You have redeemed me, G-d, L-rd of truth.” With this statement, we express our understanding that we are entrusting our souls to G-d as we retire for the night, and we pray that He will return them to us in the morning.
