Kriat Shema Al Hamitah (Part 28)
“The amount of sleep required by the average person is five minutes more.”
Wilson Mizener – American Playwright
Afterword
I once read a delightful anecdote about a little boy flying for the first time ever, who was obviously terrified. At some point he was so overwhelmed that he burst into tears. A sympathetic flight attendant asked him what he was scared of. “Look,” said the boy, pointing toward the window. “It's so dark outside, how does the pilot know where to go?”
The flight attendant took the child by his hand and took him to a window where he could see the wing of the airplane. “You see that little red flashing light?” he asked him. When the child nodded, the flight attendant then took him to the other side of the plane and showed him that there was a red flashing light on the other wing as well.
“You see, all the pilot has to do is stay between those two red lights and then he knows that the airplane is going exactly where it is supposed to go.”
The flight attendant then took the little boy back to his seat and moments later he was fast asleep.
Kriat Shema al Hamitah is our nighttime navigation system. Going to sleep does not mean that we are absolved from spiritual obligations. It is true that when asleep we are physically unable to perform Mitzvot, but our subconscious needs to retain the awareness of Hashem’s existence at all times. In effect, when we recite Kriat Shema al Hamitah with intent and concentration it keeps us “within the two flashing red lights” and it stops us from “drifting off course.” Kriat Shema al Hamitah is our way of ensuring that we do not confuse our spiritual coordinates and dream about things that are inappropriate. Just as the Chofetz Chaim taught us (see part one of this series) going to sleep with a spiritual attitude means waking up with a spiritual attitude!
As we have learnt together, Kriat Shema al Hamitah is designed to imbue us with the knowledge that, even when we are asleep, we are Hashem’s children. This beautiful series of Tefillot fills us with spiritual yearnings that accompany us throughout the night until we wake up to begin a new day full of limitless spiritual potential. As we sleep, they keep us attached to the most important Element of our existence – our Father in Heaven – even though we are not conscious of the fact.
That is why the Rabbis composed Kriat Shema al Hamitah, because it is the most effective way to retain our connection to Hashem through our subconscious when we are asleep. Our dreams define our essence because they reflect what we thought about during the day – and, very often, what we will think about during the next day. The ingredients to the sweetest dreams of all are found within the poetic words of Kriat Shema al Hamitah. As we recite each word carefully and lovingly, we are beginning the process of preparing for tomorrow. Because the pristine canvas of tomorrow will be filled with our dreams of tonight. As Paul Valéry, the French poet, essayist, and philosopher so articulately expressed, “The best way to make your dreams come true is to wake up.”
Kriat Shema al Hamitah is truly an extraordinary moment in our day. What a thrill it is, and what a privilege it is, to end our day with the absolute awareness that our bond with our Father in Heaven never sleeps – even when we do.
