Kriat Shema Al Hamitah (Part 23)
“The amount of sleep required by the average person is five minutes more.”
Wilson Mizener – American Playwright
Kriat Shema al Hamitah continues: For Your salvation do I long, O Hashem (Bereishet 49:18). I do long, O Hashem, for Your salvation. Hashem, for Your salvation do I long.
Just prior to his passing from this world, Ya’akov Avinu blessed each of his sons. Our verse is part of the blessing that Ya’akov gave to his son Dan. The message that Ya’akov is conveying is foundational: there is no one to rely upon other than Hashem.
True, there will be moments in life where we will feel as if we have been rescued from an impossible or perilous situation by someone or something. But each such time is only temporary; we are safe only until the next danger. Our verse instills within us the knowledge that the only One who can rescue us permanently from all danger is Hashem.
Baranovich, on Russia’s border with Germany, was easily overrun by the Nazis during World War II. Following their evil and barbaric modus operandi, the Nazi ordered all the local Jews to line up facing a wall. Understanding all too well what was in store, the Jews prepared to leave this world by doing Teshuvah. Rabbi Shalom Noach Berezovsky (1911-2000), the saintly Rebbe of Slonim, related that his father, Rabbi Moshe Avraham, was among those awaiting death. Instead of concentrating on Teshuvah, however, he asked for a cup of water. He explained that in the Holy Books there are sources that teach that it is considered a very lofty act if a person is able to recite the blessing “Shehakol nehiyeh bidvaro” before they leave this world. He was given a cup of water and with great intent and fervor he recited the blessing. He carefully and slowly nunciated every word and all those present answered with a heartfelt “amen”. Immediately afterwards gunshots were heard. But it was not the Jews who were being shot. Seemingly out of nowhere, Russian soldiers arrived and opened fire at the Nazis. In the midst of the clash, all the Jews escaped.
Once they got to a safe place, they went over to Rabbi Moshe Avraham and jubilantly shouted, “You saved our lives! It was a miracle!”
Rabbi Moshe Avraham emphatically replied, “It was not a miracle.” And then he explained that when he said the blessing “Shehakol nehiyeh bidvaro” he focused on strengthening his Emunah that absolutely everything is in the Hands of Hashem. “It wasn’t a miracle,” he told them, “It was Emunah that saved us.”
And that is why we recite our verse before going to sleep; to fortify our belief that only Hashem supports us and protects us; that only Hashem can support us and protect us.
Rabbeinu Bachya points out an enigma: after reciting the verse with Hashem’s name at the end as it appears in the Torah, we rearrange the words so that Hashem’s Name appears in the middle; we do this again but this time we place Hashem’s Name at the beginning. Rabbeinu Bachya explains that, according to Kabbalistic sources, the reason we rearrange the words is that they create mystical combinations of letters that spell out one of Hashem’s more esoteric Names. In effect, the more we surround ourselves with Hashem, the securer we will be. Because, when we turn to Hashem we must feel that there is no one who can help except for Him.
The Rebbe of Toldot Aharon was once swimming in the sea. Suddenly, a strong current carried him rapidly away from the shore. His life was in very real danger but, with an obvious display of Divine intervention, he was saved. Afterwards he told one of his grandsons, “What do you think I did at that time, when I understood that my life was coming to an end? Do you think I said viduy [confession]? Perhaps you think I shouted Shema Yisrael? Not at all. I shouted with all my strength, ‘Tatte [Father]! Only You can help me. Save me!’ And only then did a powerful undercurrent push me back to the shore.”
To be continued…
