1. The Talmud (in tractate Berakhot) provides the following idea about sleep.
(חמשה וששה ועשרה סימן):
חמשה אחד מששים. אלו הן:
אש
דבש
ושבת
ושינה
וחלום
אש אחד מששים לגיהנם.
דבש אחד מששים למן.
שבת אחד מששים לעולם הבא.
שינה אחד מששים למיתה.
חלום אחד מששים לנבואה.
There are five matters in our world which are one-sixtieth of their most extreme manifestations.
They are:
Fire, honey, Shabbat, sleep, and a dream.
The Gemara [Talmud] elaborates:
Our fire is one-sixtieth of the fire of Gehenna [a hell realm];
Honey is one-sixtieth of manna; Shabbat is one-sixtieth of the World-to-Come;
Sleep is one-sixtieth of death; and
A dream is one-sixtieth of prophecy.
The passage in the Talmud where this appears is a whole sequence of lists - of symptoms, medicinal foods, dream symbols and their meanings, and these sorts of correspondences, among other things.
Provided here partly just for flavour, the section immediately preceding the teaching above (about 1/60th) is as follows:
שלשה מעין העולם הבא. אלו הן:
שבת, שמש, ותשמיש.
תשמיש דמאי אילימא? תשמיש המטה? הא מכחש כחיש! אלא תשמיש נקבים.
שלשה משיבין דעתו של אדם. אלו הן: קול, ומראה, וריח.
שלשה מרחיבין דעתו של אדם. אלו הן: דירה נאה, ואשה נאה, וכלים נאים:
Three matters are microcosms of the World-to-Come, and they are:
Sabbath, the sun and "making use".
The Gemara asks: Making use of what benefits the body and is a microcosm of the World-to-Come?
If you say that it refers to conjugal relations, doesn’t that weaken the body?
Rather, it refers to making use of your orifices, relieving yourself.
Three matters ease one’s mind, and they are: Voice, sight, and smell, when they are pleasant and aesthetic.
Three matters give a person comfort, and they are: A beautiful abode, a beautiful wife, and beautiful vessels.
2. Pirkei Avot [Ethics of the Fathers, or Foundational Principles] is one of the most famous sections of the Mishna. The Mishna was compiled by about 220 of the Common Era, and is one of the foundational strata of rabbinic Judaism, or "the Oral Law" (Torah she'b'al Peh).
רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר,
יְהִי כְבוֹד חֲבֵרְךָ חָבִיב עָלֶיךָ כְּשֶׁלָּךְ,
וְאַל תְּהִי נוֹחַ לִכְעֹס.
וְשׁוּב יוֹם אֶחָד לִפְנֵי מִיתָתְךָ.
וֶהֱוֵי מִתְחַמֵּם כְּנֶגֶד אוּרָן שֶׁל חֲכָמִים, וֶהֱוֵי זָהִיר בְּגַחַלְתָּן שֶׁלֹּא תִכָּוֶה...
Rabbi Eliezer says:
The honor of your friend should be as dear to you as your own; do not be easy to anger; and repent one day before your death. And warm yourself by the fire of the Sages...
The Talmud, a set of commentaries on the Mishna that grew up over the next several hundred years, discusses this idea of doing teshuva before death, and in general being prepared to go and meet God. The following discussion is from tractate Shabbat.
תנן התם רבי אליעזר אומר:
שוב יום אחד לפני מיתתך.
שאלו תלמידיו את רבי אליעזר:
וכי אדם יודע איזהו יום ימות?
אמר להן:
וכל שכן ישוב היום שמא ימות למחר! ונמצא כל ימיו בתשובה.
ואף שלמה אמר בחכמתו:
"בכל עת יהיו בגדיך לבנים ושמן על ראשך אל יחסר."
אמר רבי יוחנן בן זכאי:
משל למלך שזימן את עבדיו לסעודה ולא קבע להם זמן פיקחין.
שבהן קישטו את עצמן וישבו על פתח בית המלך. אמרו: כלום חסר לבית המלך.
טיפשין שבהן הלכו למלאכתן. אמרו: כלום יש סעודה בלא טורח!
בפתאום ביקש המלך את עבדיו פיקחין.
שבהן נכנסו לפניו כשהן מקושטין והטיפשים נכנסו לפניו.
כשהן מלוכלכין שמח המלך לקראת פיקחים וכעס לקראת טיפשים
אמר: הללו שקישטו את עצמן לסעודה ישבו ויאכלו וישתו!
הללו שלא קישטו עצמן לסעודה יעמדו ויראו!
חתנו של רבי מאיר משום רבי מאיר אמר אף הן נראין כמשמשין אלא אלו ואלו יושבין הללו אוכלין והללו רעבין הללו שותין והללו צמאים שנאמר כה אמר ה׳ הנה עבדי יאכלו ואתם תרעבו הנה עבדי ישתו ואתם תצמאו הנה עבדי ירונו מטוב לב ואתם תצעקו מכאב לב דבר אחר בכל עת יהיו בגדיך לבנים אלו ציצית ושמן על ראשך אל יחסר אלו תפילין:
We learned there in a mishna that Rabbi Eliezer says:
Return in teshuva one day before your death.
Rabbi Eliezer’s students asked him:
But does a person know the day on which they will die?
He said to them:
All the more so this is a good piece of advice. You should repent today lest you die tomorrow!
And by following this advice you will spend your entire life in a state of teshuva.
And King Solomon also said in his wisdom:
“At all times your clothes should be white, and oil shall not be absent from upon your head” (Ecclesiastes 9:8), meaning that a person always needs to be prepared.
Similarly, Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai said the following story as a parable to this lesson: The situation is comparable to a king who invited his servants to a feast and did not set a time for them to come. The wise among them adorned themselves and sat at the entrance to the king’s house.
They said: Is the king’s house missing anything necessary for the feast? Certainly the king could invite them at any moment.
The fools among them went to attend to their work and said: Is there such thing as a feast without the toil of preparing for it? While the feast is being prepared, we will attend to other matters.
Suddenly, the king requested that his servants come to the feast. The wise among them entered before him adorned in their finest clothes, and the fools entered before him dirty. The king was happy to greet the wise ones and angry to greet the fools.
The king said: These wise servants who adorned themselves for the feast shall sit and eat and drink, but these fools who did not adorn themselves for the feast shall stand and watch!
There is a similar outcome for people who think that their day of death and judgment is far away and do not prepare themselves for it.
3. The idea that the soul leaves the body and travels during the night into other realms is an ancient one. Some of the first things traditionally said upon awakening therefore have to do with welcoming the soul back into the body, and being grateful for its safe return.
מוֹדֶה אֲנִי לְפָנֶיךָ מֶלֶךְ חַי וְקַיָּם שֶׁהֶחֱזַרְתָּ בִּי נִשְׁמָתִי בְּחֶמְלָה, רַבָּה אֱמוּנָתֶךָ:
I give thanks before You, living and eternal Spirit (or King), for You have returned my soul within me; great is Your faithfulness!
(ז) אֱלֹהַי, נְשָׁמָה שֶׁנָּתַתָּ בִּי טְהוֹרָה. אַתָּה בְרָאתָהּ, אַתָּה יְצַרְתָּהּ, אַתָּה נְפַחְתָּהּ בִּי, וְאַתָּה מְשַׁמְּרָהּ בְּקִרְבִּי, וְאַתָּה עָתִיד לִטְּלָהּ מִמֶּנִּי, וּלְהַחֲזִירָהּ בִּי לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא. כָּל זְמַן שֶׁהַנְּשָׁמָה בְּקִרְבִּי מוֹדֶה אֲנִי לְפָנֶיךָ ה' אֱלֹקַי וֵאלֹקֵי אֲבוֹתַי. רִבּוֹן כָּל הַמַּעֲשִׂים אֲדוֹן כָּל הַנְּשָׁמוֹת. בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה', הַמַּחֲזִיר נְשָׁמוֹת לִפְגָרִים מֵתִים:
(7) My God, the soul that you placed within me is pure. You created it, You formed it, You breathed it into me, and You preserve it within me. And in the future, You will take it from me and restore it in the Time to Come. All the time that this soul is within me, I am thankful before You, Divine-One, my God and the God of my ancestors, Ruler of all creation, Lord of all the souls. Blessed are You, Divine-One, Who restores souls to dead bodies.
4. So we see the idea that every bedtime might be an apt opportunity for soul accounting, a time for review and teshuva practice. How might we go about doing teshuva?
From https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/viddui-the-deathbed-confession/
In the words of the Shulchan Arukh, an authoritative code of Jewish law written in the 1600s:
“If you feel death approaching, recite the Viddui.
Be reassured by those around you.
Many have said the Viddui and not died, and many have not said the Viddui and have died.
If you are unable to recite it aloud, say it in your heart. And if you are unable to recite it, others may recite it with you or for you.”
The prayer is recited when death seems imminent; it may be said by the [dying person], by family members, or by a rabbi.
It can be read in Hebrew or English or in both languages.
A formal Viddui can be read in sections, with pauses to let people speak from their hearts, to voice regrets or guilt, to ask forgiveness of one another, and to say “I love you.”
The Viddui can also be seen as a model for a less formal farewell.
People at the bedside can sing a wordless melody – a niggun – say a few personal words of goodbye, and recite the Shema together: this, too, is a [kind of] Viddui.
...
The central element of the Viddui is the Shema, the most familiar of all Jewish prayers and the quintessential statement of faith in God’s unity.
The Shema is the last thing a Jew is supposed to say before death–which is also why it is recited before going to sleep at night (in case “I should die before I wake”). The Shema is not a petitionary prayer, nor does it praise God. It is a not really a prayer at all, but the proclamation of God’s oneness. It is also an affirmation of Jewish identity and connection.
A vast number of sources, articles and variations of the deathbed confession can be found here:
https://sites.google.com/site/viduivariations/
One example of a classic deathbed vidui from a traditional siddur is here:
5. There is a substantial liturgical tradition for bedtime practice. Here are some selections, taken from a range of different prayer-books.
5a. Some people begin with a general, very cosmic, statement of their intention, aiming for a universal alignment of the self with the Whole before sleep.
(ג) לְשֵׁם יִחוּד קֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וּשְׁכִינְתֵּהּ, בִּדְחִילוּ וּרְחִימוּ, וּרְחִימוּ וּדְחִילוּ, לְיַחֲדָא שֵׁם אוֹת יוּ"ד אוֹת הֵ"א בְּאוֹת וָא"ו אוֹת הֵ"א, בְּיִחוּדָא שְׁלִים בְּשֵׁם כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל, לַאֲקָמָא שְׁכִינְתָּא מֵעַפְרָא וּלְעִלוּי שְׁכִינַת עֻזֵּנוּ:
הֲרֵינִי מְקַבֵּל עָלַי אֱלָהוּתוּ יִתְבָּרַךְ וְאַהֲבָתוֹ וְיִרְאָתוֹ; וְהֲרֵינִי יָרֵא מִמֶנּוּ, בְּגִין דְּאִיהוּ רַב וְשַׁלִּיט עַל כֹּלָא, וְכֹלָּא קַמֵּהּ כְּלָא.
וַהֲרֵינִי מַמְלִיכוֹ עַל כָּל אֵבֶר וְאֵבֶר וְגִיד וְגִיד מֵרַמַ"ח אֵבָרִים וְשְׁסָ"ה גִידִים שֶׁל גּוּפִי וְנַפְשִׁי רוּחִי וְנִשְׁמָתִי, מַלְכוּת גְּמוּרָה וּשְׁלֵמָה. וַהֲרֵינִי עֶבֶד לַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, וְהוּא בְרַחֲמָיו יְזַכֵּנִי לְעָבְדוֹ בְלֵב שָׁלֵם וְנֶפֶשׁ חֲפֵצָה. אָמֵן כֵּן יְהִי רָצוֹן:
General cosmic unification:
For the sake of the unification of the Holy One, blessed be, and !ts Shechina [immanent presence], and for the unification of divine awe with divine mercy, divine mercy with divine awe; to unify the four letters of the Name: Yud, Hei, Vav and Hei with a complete unity in the name of all Israel, to lift the Shechina from the dust and to raise up the Shechina of our strength:
Surrender:
Behold I accept upon myself the divinity of the Blessed One, God's love and God's awe. And behold I am in awe of God because God is the master & decisor over all, and all is before God entirely.
Submission of the body and whole self:
And behold I declare God's sovereignty over each and every limb and sinew of the 248 limbs and 365 sinews of my body, plus my nefesh [animal body], my ruach [mental-emotional body] and my neshama [higher consciousness] ie these are three levels of soul – a total and complete sovereignty.
And behold I am a servant to the Name of the Holy Blessed One; may God in Divine mercy give me the merit to serve him with a complete heart and a desiring soul.
Amen – May this be God's will.
5b. Many now undertake a personal accounting of the day, whether in specific detail, or with this general prayer for forgiveness and the "alleviation of karma" for others, as well as the clearing of one's own sins and the rectification of one's own habitual behavior.
רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם:
הֲרֵינִי מוֹחֵל וְסוֹלֵחַ לְכָל מִי שֶׁהִכְעִיס וְהִקְנִיט אוֹתִי, אוֹ שֶׁחָטָא כְּנֶגְדִּי בֵּין בְּגוּפִי, בֵּין בְּמָמוֹנִי, בֵּין בִּכְבוֹדִי, בֵּין בְּכָל אֲשֶׁר לִי, בֵּין בְּאֹנֶס בֵּין בְּרָצוֹן, בֵּין בְּשׁוֹגֵג בֵּין בְּמֵזִיד, בֵּין בְּדִבּוּר בֵּין בְּמַעֲשֶׂה, בֵּין בְּגִלְגּוּל זֶה בֵּין בְּגִלְגּוּל אַחֵר, לְכָל בֶּן אָדָם, וְלֹא יֵעָנֵשׁ שׁוּם אָדָם בְּסִיבָּתִי:
יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְפָנֶיךָ ה' אֱלֹקַי וְאֱלֹקֵי אֲבוֹתַי שֶׁלֹא אֶחֱטָא עוֹד וְלֹא אֶחֱזֹר בָּהֶם, וְלֹא אָשׁוּב עוֹד לְהַכְעִיסֶךָ וְלֹא אֶעֱשֶׂה הָרַע בְּעֵינֶיךָ, וּמָה שֶּׁחָטָאתִי לְפָנֶיךָ מְחֹק בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּים, אֲבָל לֹא עַל יְדֵי יִסוּרִים וְחֳלָיִם רָעִים:
יִהְיוּ לְרָצוֹן אִמְרֵי פִי וְהֶגְיוֹן לִבִּי לְפָנֶיךָ, ה' צוּרִי וְגֹאֲלִי:
Master of the Universe:
Behold I forgive and pardon anyone who has angered me or antagonized me, or who has sinned against me, whether in relation to my body, or my money, or my honor, or anything that pertains to me;
whether done compulsively or willingly; whether accidentally or deliberately; whether through words or through actions; whether in this present incarnation, or in another incarnation - any human being [in some versions: any Jew]. And may no person be punished because of me.
May it be your will, my God, and God of my ancestors, that I not sin again, and that I not be remembered by these sins.
May I never again return to behavior that angers you, nor do what you perceive to be wrong.
And any ways I have sinned before you, with your abundant mercies please erase -- though not by means of suffering or terrible illnesses.
May the expressions of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart find favor before you, God, my rock and my redeemer.
How do you go about doing this sort of accounting?
What might you try to include in nightly practice before sleep?
5b. Blessing the act of sleep, and setting intention at the threshold of sleep.
The following blessing is taken from Talmud Brachot 60b, where it immediately precedes the sequence of morning blessings.
בָּרוּךְ [אַתָּה ה', אֱלֹקֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם] הַמַּפִּיל חֶבְלֵי שֵׁנָה עַל עֵינַי, וּתְנוּמָה עַל עַפְעַפַּי, וּמֵאִיר לְאִישׁוֹן בַּת עָיִן.
יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶיךָ ה' אֱלֹקַי וֵאלֹקֵי אֲבוֹתַי, שֶׁתַּשְׁכִּיבֵנִי לְשָׁלוֹם, וְתַעֲמִידֵנִי לְחַיִּים טוֹבִים וּלְשָׁלוֹם,
וְתֵן חֶלְקִי בְּתוֹרָתֶךָ, וְתַרְגִּילֵנִי לִדְבַר מִצְוָה, וְאַל תַּרְגִּילֵנִי לִדְבַר עֲבֵרָה, וְאַל תְּבִיאֵנִי לִידֵי חֵטְא, וְלֹא לִידֵי נִסָּיוֹן, וְלֹא לִידֵי בִזָּיוֹן, וְיִשְׁלֹט בִּי יֵצֶר הַטּוֹב, וְאַל יִשְׁלֹט בִּי יֵצֶר הָרָע, וְתַצִּילֵנִי מִיֵּצֶר הָרָע וּמֵחֳלָאִים רָעִים,
וְאַל יַבְהִילוּנִי חֲלוֹמוֹת רָעִים וְהִרְהוּרִים רָעִים,
וּתְהֵא מִטָּתִי שְׁלֵמָה לְפָנֶיךָ,
וְהָאֵר עֵינַי פֶּן אִישַׁן הַמָּוֶת.
בָּרוּךְ [אַתָּה ה'] הַמֵּאִיר לָעוֹלָם כֻּלּוֹ בִּכְבוֹדוֹ:
Blessed [are You, Divine-Power, our God, Sovereign of the Cosmos] that causes the bonds of sleep to fall upon my eyes and slumber upon my eyelids, and that illuminates the pupil of the eye.
May it be your will, Divinity, my God and the God of my forebears, to lay me down in peace and to raise me up for good life and for peace.
Let my portion be in your Torah, and may you accustom me in the matter of mitzvah (sacred action).
Do not accustom me to an errant way, nor bring me into the hands of sin, nor into the hands of trials, nor the hands of degradation.
Let the good inclination rule within me, and let the evil inclination not have power within me.
Release me from the evil inclination and from bad diseases, and let not bad dreams or dark perseverations disturb or confound me.
May my bed be complete before you [ie with only appropriate expressions of sexuality].
And enlighten my eyes lest I sleep the sleep of death.
Blessed [are you, L·rd] that enlightens the entire universe with Divine glory.
5c. Now the Shema itself, focusing particularly on the unification of the Divine. [Some prayerbooks instruct explicitly to cover the eyes when saying Shema, and to think of the Oneness of G·d].
שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל ה' אֱלֹקֵינוּ ה' אֶחָד:
בלחש: בָּרוּךְ, שֵּׁם כְּבוֹד מַלְכוּתוֹ, לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד:
וְאָהַבְתָּ אֵת ה' אֱלֹקֶיךָ בְּכָל לְבָבְךָ וּבְכָל נַפְשְׁךָ וּבְכָל מְאֹדֶךָ.
וְהָיוּ הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מְצַוְּךָ הַיּוֹם עַל לְבָבֶךָ.
וְשִׁנַּנְתָּם לְבָנֶיךָ וְדִבַּרְתָּ בָּם בְּשִׁבְתְּךָ בְּבֵיתֶךָ וּבְלֶכְתְּךָ בַדֶּרֶךְ וּבְשָׁכְבְּךָ וּבְקוּמֶךָ.
וּקְשַׁרְתָּם לְאוֹת עַל יָדֶךָ וְהָיוּ לְטֹטָפֹת בֵּין עֵינֶיךָ.
וּכְתַבְתָּם עַל מְזוּזֹת בֵּיתֶךָ וּבִשְׁעָרֶיךָ:
וְהָיָה אִם שָׁמֹעַ תִּשְׁמְעוּ אֶל מִצְוֹתַי אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מְצַוֶּה אֶתְכֶם הַיּוֹם לְאַהֲבָה אֶת ה' אֱלֹקֵיכֶם וּלְעָבְדוֹ בְּכָל לְבַבְכֶם וּבְכָל נַפְשְׁכֶם.
וְנָתַתִּי מְטַר אַרְצְכֶם בְּעִתּוֹ יוֹרֶה וּמַלְקוֹשׁ וְאָסַפְתָּ דְגָנֶךָ וְתִירֹשְׁךָ וְיִצְהָרֶךָ.
וְנָתַתִּי עֵשֶׂב בְּשָׂדְךָ לִבְהֶמְתֶּךָ וְאָכַלְתָּ וְשָׂבָעְתָּ.
הִשָּׁמְרוּ לָכֶם פֶּן יִפְתֶּה לְבַבְכֶם וְסַרְתֶּם וַעֲבַדְתֶּם אֱלֹקִים אֲחֵרִים וְהִשְׁתַּחֲוִיתֶם לָהֶם.
וְחָרָה אַף ה' בָּכֶם וְעָצַר אֶת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְלֹא יִהְיֶה מָטָר וְהָאֲדָמָה לֹא תִתֵּן אֶת יְבוּלָהּ וַאֲבַדְתֶּם מְהֵרָה מֵעַל הָאָרֶץ הַטֹּבָה אֲשֶׁר ה' נֹתֵן לָכֶם.
וְשַׂמְתֶּם אֶת דְּבָרַי אֵלֶּה עַל לְבַבְכֶם וְעַל נַפְשְׁכֶם וּקְשַׁרְתֶּם אֹתָם לְאוֹת עַל יֶדְכֶם וְהָיוּ לְטוֹטָפֹת בֵּין עֵינֵיכֶם.
וְלִמַּדְתֶּם אֹתָם אֶת בְּנֵיכֶם לְדַבֵּר בָּם בְּשִׁבְתְּךָ בְּבֵיתֶךָ וּבְלֶכְתְּךָ בַדֶּרֶךְ וּבְשָׁכְבְּךָ וּבְקוּמֶךָ.
וּכְתַבְתָּם עַל מְזוּזוֹת בֵּיתֶךָ וּבִשְׁעָרֶיךָ.
לְמַעַן יִרְבּוּ יְמֵיכֶם וִימֵי בְנֵיכֶם עַל הָאֲדָמָה אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּע ה' לַאֲבֹתֵיכֶם לָתֵת לָהֶם כִּימֵי הַשָּׁמַיִם עַל הָאָרֶץ:
וַיֹּאמֶר ה' אֶל מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹר.
דַּבֵּר אֶל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאָמַרְתָּ אֲלֵהֶם וְעָשׂוּ לָהֶם צִיצִת עַל כַּנְפֵי בִגְדֵיהֶם לְדֹרֹתָם וְנָתְנוּ עַל צִיצִת הַכָּנָף פְּתִיל תְּכֵלֶת.
וְהָיָה לָכֶם לְצִיצִת וּרְאִיתֶם אֹתוֹ וּזְכַרְתֶּם ידגיש את האות ז אֶת כָּל מִצְוֹת ה' וַעֲשִׂיתֶם אֹתָם וְלֹא תָתֻרוּ אַחֲרֵי לְבַבְכֶם וְאַחֲרֵי עֵינֵיכֶם אֲשֶׁר אַתֶּם זֹנִים אַחֲרֵיהֶם.
לְמַעַן תִּזְכְּרוּ ידגיש את האות ז וַעֲשִׂיתֶם אֶת כָּל מִצְוֹתָי וִהְיִיתֶם קְדֹשִׁים לֵאלֹקֵיכֶם.
אֲנִי ה' אֱלֹקֵיכֶם אֲשֶׁר הוֹצֵאתִי אֶתְכֶם מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם לִהְיוֹת לָכֶם לֵאלֹקִים אֲנִי ה' אֱלֹקֵיכֶם:
וחוזר ואומר ה' אֱלֹקֵיכֶם אֱמֶת.
HEAR, O ISRAEL, Adonai Is Our God, Adonai Is ONE
(Whispered) Blessed be the name of the One whose glorious sovereignty is forever.
V'Ahavta: And you shall love Divinity, your God, with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.
And these words which I command you this day shall be upon your heart. Teach them diligently to your children, speaking of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way, when your lie down and when you rise up. You shall bind them for a sign upon your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. And you shall write them upon the doorposts of your house & upon your gates. (Devarim / Deut. 6:4-9)
Some liturgical traditions consider the second and third paragraphs of the Shema (Deuteronomy 11:13-21 and Numbers 15:37-41) as optional during the bedtime liturgy.
V'Haya Im Shamoa: And it shall be that if you hearken diligently unto My commandments which I command you today, to love the L·rd your G·d & to serve Him with all your heart & all your soul, then I will send rain for your land in its proper time, the autumn rain & the spring rain, that you may gather in your grain, your wine & your oil. And I will give grass in your field for your cattle & you shall eat & be satisfied. Take heed to yourselves lest your heart be deceived, & you turn aside & serve other gods & bow to them. For then the L·rd's wrath will be kindled against you, & He will close up the heavens that there be no rain, & land shall not yield her produce, & you shall perish quickly from off the goodly land which the L·rd gives you. You shall lay My words, these upon your heart & upon your soul, & you shall bind them for a sign upon your hand, & they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. And you shall teach them to your children, speaking of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down & when you rise. And you shall write them upon the doorposts of your house & upon your gates. So that the L·rd will lengthen your days & the days of your children upon the land which the L·rd promised to give to your fathers, as the days of the heavens above the earth, (Devarim / Deuteronomy 11:13-21)
VaYomer Adonai: And the L·rd spoke unto Moses, saying, speak unto the children of Israel & say to them to make for themselves a fringe on the borders of their garments, throughout their generations. And they shall place upon the fringe of the border, a thread of blue wool. And it shall be to you a fringe that you may look upon, & remember all the commandments of the L·rd & to do them. Then shall you not stray after your heart & your eyes whereafter you are wont to stray. So may you remember & do all My commandments & be holy for your G·d. I am the L·rd your G·d who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your G·d; I am the L·rd your G·d. (Bamidbar / Numbers 15:37-41)
(Repeat & Say)
The L-rd, Your G-d, is True.
5d. Additional scriptural selections for meditation now follow. Presumably the idea is that you fall asleep somewhere in the midst of reciting all of these.
Psalm 90:17
וִיהִי נֹעַם אדושם אֱלֹקֵינוּ עָלֵינוּ וּמַעֲשֵׂה יָדֵינוּ כּוֹנְנָה עָלֵינוּ וּמַעֲשֵׂה יָדֵינוּ כּוֹנְנֵהוּ.
Song of Songs 3:7-8
הִנֵּה מִטָּתוֹ שֶׁלִּשְׁלֹמֹה שִׁשִּׁים גִּבֹּרִים סָבִיב לָהּ מִגִּבֹּרֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל: כֻּלָּם אֲחֻזֵי חֶרֶב מְלֻמְּדֵי מִלְחָמָה אִישׁ חַרְבּוֹ עַל יְרֵכוֹ מִפַּחַד בַּלֵּילוֹת: ג' פעמים
Numbers 6:24-26
יְבָרֶכְךָ ה' וְיִשְׁמְרֶךָ:
יָאֵר ה' פָּנָיו אֵלֶיךָ וִיחֻנֶּךָּ:
יִשָּׂא ה' פָּנָיו אֵלֶיךָ וְיָשֵׂם לְךָ שָׁלוֹם:
Psalm 121:4
(ג"פ:) הִנֵּה לֹא יָנוּם וְלֹא יִישָׁן שׁוֹמֵר יִשְׂרָאֵל:
Genesis 49:18 - three times each
(ג"פ:) לִישׁוּעָתְךָ קִוִּיתִי ה': קִוִּיתִי ה' לִישׁוּעָתְךָ: ה' לִישׁוּעָתְךָ קִוִּיתִי:
Invocation of the archangels
(ג"פ:) בְּשֵׁם ה' אֱלֹקֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל,
מִימִינִי מִיכָאֵל, וּמִשְּׂמֹאלִי גַּבְרִיאֵל, וּמִלְּפָנַי אוֹרִיאֵל, וּמֵאֲחוֹרַי רְפָאֵל,
וְעַל רֹאשִׁי שְׁכִינַת אֵל:
Psalm 90:17
May the pleasantness of the Lord our God be upon us, and may the work of our hands be establish - yea, may He establish the work of our hands.
Song of Songs 3:7-8
Behold the bed of Solomon: sixty warriors / strong men surrounding it, from among the warriors / strong men of Israel. All of them sword-bearers, all of them learned in war; each man with his scabbard on his thigh, from the fear of nighttimes.
[Repeat 3 times]
Numbers 6:24-26
The L·rd will bless you & protect you.
The L·rd will shine His countenance upon you & give you grace.
The L·rd will lift His countenance upon you & bestow upon you peace.
Psalm 121:4 - three times
Behold, the Guardian of Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps.
Genesis 49:18 - three times each
For your salvation, O Lord, do I hope.
I hope, O Lord, for your salvation.
O Lord, for your salvation I hope.
Invocation of the archangels - three times:
In the name of the Lord, God of Israel: On my right hand is Michael, on my left is Gavriel, before me Uriel and behind me Rafael.
And upon my head is the Shechinah of El.
Numbers 6:24-26
YeVarechecha Adonai, v'yi'Shmerecha
ya'Er Adonai panav eleycha, viyChuneka
yiSsa Adonai panav eleycha, v'yaSem lecha Shalom
Genesis 49:18
L'daat ba'aretz darkecha, b'chol goyim yeshu'atecha
Yeshuatecha kiviti HaVaYaH
B'Shem haShem - archangels
B'shem haShem, Elohei Yisrael
Miymini Michael, u'mi'smoli Gavriel
MiLfanai Uriel, u'me'achorai Rafael
v'Al Roshi Shechinat El.
5e. Some add the following kavana before Psalm 91.
אִם תִּשְׁכַּב לֹא תִפְחָד וְשָׁכַבְתָּ וְעָרְבָה שְׁנָתֶךָ: שָׁמְרֵנִי כְּאִישׁוֹן בַּת עָיִן בְּצֵל כְּנָפֶיךָ תַּסְתִּירֵנִי: אֲנִי שָׁכַבְתִּי וָאִישָׁנָה הֱקִיצוֹתִי כִּי ה' יִסְמְכֵנִי: בְּיָדְךָ אַפְקִיד רוּחִי פָּדִיתָה אוֹתִי ה' אֵל אֱמֶת:
Psalm 91
יֹשֵׁב בְּסֵתֶר עֶלְיוֹן בְּצֵל שַׁדַּי יִתְלוֹנָן:
אֹמַר לַה' מַחְסִי וּמְצוּדָתִי אֱלֹקַי אֶבְטַח בּוֹ:
כִּי הוּא יַצִּילְךָ מִפַּח יָקוּשׁ מִדֶּבֶר הַוּוֹת:
בְּאֶבְרָתוֹ יָסֶךְ לָךְ וְתַחַת כְּנָפָיו תֶּחְסֶה צִנָּה וְסֹחֵרָה אֲמִתּוֹ:
לֹא תִירָא מִפַּחַד לָיְלָה מֵחֵץ יָעוּף יוֹמָם:
מִדֶּבֶר בָּאֹפֶל יַהֲלֹךְ מִקֶּטֶב יָשׁוּד צָהֳרָיִם:
יִפֹּל מִצִּדְּךָ אֶלֶף וּרְבָבָה מִימִינֶךָ אֵלֶיךָ לֹא יִגָּשׁ:
רַק בְּעֵינֶיךָ תַבִּיט וְשִׁלֻּמַת רְשָׁעִים תִּרְאֶה:
כִּי אַתָּה ה' מַחְסִי עֶלְיוֹן שַׂמְתָּ מְעוֹנֶךָ:
לֹא תְאֻנֶּה אֵלֶיךָ רָעָה וְנֶגַע לֹא יִקְרַב בְּאָהֳלֶךָ:
כִּי מַלְאָכָיו יְצַוֶּה לָּךְ לִשְׁמָרְךָ בְּכָל דְּרָכֶיךָ:
עַל כַּפַּיִם יִשָּׂאוּנְךָ פֶּן תִּגֹּף בָּאֶבֶן רַגְלֶךָ:
עַל שַׁחַל וָפֶתֶן תִּדְרֹךְ תִּרְמֹס כְּפִיר וְתַנִּין:
כִּי בִי חָשַׁק וַאֲפַלְּטֵהוּ אֲשַׂגְּבֵהוּ כִּי יָדַע שְׁמִי:
יִקְרָאֵנִי וְאֶעֱנֵהוּ עִמּוֹ אָנֹכִי בְצָרָה אֲחַלְּצֵהוּ וַאֲכַבְּדֵהוּ:
אֹרֶךְ יָמִים אַשְׂבִּיעֵהוּ וְאַרְאֵהוּ בִּישׁוּעָתִי:
When you lie down, do not fear; lie down and let your sleep be pleasant.
Guard me as the pupil of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings.
I lay down and I will sleep; awaken me [again] for G·d, I rely upon You.
In Your Hands I deposit my Soul. Redeem me, L·rd, G·d of Truth.
Psalm 91
He who sits in the shelter of the Supreme One, in the Shadow of the L·rd will he dwell. I say to the L·rd "You are my refuge & my fortress, my L·rd; I will trust in Him."
For He will save you from the ensnaring trap, from destructive pestilence.
With his pinion will he cover you, & under His wings you will be protected. His truth is shield & armor.
You shall not be afraid of the terror of night, [nor] of the arrow that flies by day. [Not] from pestilence that walks in the dark, [nor] from a destroyer that damages at noonday.
A thousand will encamp at your [left] side & ten-thousand by your right & to you they will not come near.
Only with your eyes you shall glimpse, seeing the retribution of the wicked.
Because [you said] "You, L·rd, are my refuge" you have made the Supreme G·d your abode.
No evil shall befall you, nor any plague come to your dwelling.
For He has instructed His angels regarding you, to protect you in all your ways.
On palms they will carry you, lest you stub your foot on a stone.
Upon lion and serpent you shall tread; you will trample the young lion & the snake.
[God says:]
"Because he desired My Name - I will protect him & I will lift him - for he knows My Name. He will call Me & I will answer him - I am with him in distress; I will release him & I will give him honor. I will satiate him with length of days & I will show him My salvation."
5f. In the more kabbalistically influenced traditions, some sources recommend saying the complete Ashamnu confessional, as on Yom Kippur.
(כו) יעמוד ויאמר וידוי, וישחה ראשו, ויכה באגרופו על לבו בכל תיבה של הוִדוי, ואין לאומרו בליל שבת ובשאר ימים שאין אומרים בהם תחנון. וכן אין לאומרו במוצ"ש עד חצות הלילה, וכן במוצאי יו"ט ור"ח, וכיוצא בזה.
(כז) אָנָּא ה' אֱלֹקֵינוּ וֵאלֹקֵי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ. תָּבֹא לְפָנֶיךָ תְּפִלָּתֵנוּ. וְאַל תִּתְעַלַּם מַלְכֵּנוּ מִתְּחִנָּתֵנוּ. שֶׁאֵין אֲנַחְנוּ עַזֵּי פָנִים וּקְשֵׁי עֹרֶף לוֹמַר לְפָנֶיךָ ה' אֱלֹקֵינוּ וֵאלֹקֵי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ צַדִּיקִים אֲנַחְנוּ וְלֹא חָטָאנוּ. אֲבָל חָטָאנוּ. עָוִינוּ. פָּשַׁעְנוּ. אֲנַחְנוּ וַאֲבוֹתֵינוּ וְאַנְשֵׁי בֵיתֵנוּ:
אָשַׁמְנוּ. בָּגַדְנוּ. גָּזַלְנוּ. דִּבַּרְנוּ דֹפִי וְלָשׁון הָרָע. הֶעֱוִינוּ. וְהִרְשַׁעְנוּ. זַדְנוּ. חָמַסְנוּ. טָפַלְנוּ שֶׁקֶר וּמִרְמָה. יָעַצְנוּ עֵצוֹת רָעוֹת. כִּזַּבְנוּ. כָּעַסְנוּ. לַצְנוּ. מָרַדְנוּ. מָרִינוּ דְבָרֶיךָ. נִאַצְנוּ. נִאַפְנוּ. סָרַרְנוּ. עָוִינוּ. פָּשַׁעְנוּ. פָּגַמְנוּ. צָרַרְנוּ. צִעַרְנוּ אָב וָאֵם. קִשִּׁינוּ עֹרֶף. רָשַׁעְנוּ. שִׁחַתְנוּ. תִּעַבְנוּ. תָּעִינוּ וְתִעֲתַעְנוּ.
וְסַרְנוּ מִמִּצְוֹתֶיךָ וּמִמִּשְׁפָּטֶיךָ הַטּוֹבִים וְלֹא שָׁוָה לָנוּ. וְאַתָּה צַדִּיק עַל כָּל הַבָּא עָלֵינוּ. כִּי אֱמֶת עָשִׂיתָ. ואֲנַחְנוּ הִרְשָׁעְנוּ:
Stand to say the vidui, with your head bowed, beating your breast with your fist at each word. Don't say on Shabbat or Yom Tov (or other days Tachanun is omitted), or on motzei Shabbat or Yom Tov, if before midnight (midpoint between dusk-dawn).
Please, O Lord, our God and God of our ancestors: may our prayer come before you. And do not hide yourself, our king, from our entreaty. For we are not so arrogant and brazen as to say before you, O Lord, our God and God of our ancestors, that we are fully righteous and have not sinned. Rather, we have sinned. We have erred. We have polluted. We and our ancestors, and the members of our households:
Ashamnu– we have trespassed; Bagadnu– we have dealt treacherously; Gazalnu– we have robbed; Dibarnu dofi– we have spoken slander; He’evinu–we have acted perversely; V’hirshanu– we have done wrong; Zadnu– we have acted presumptuously; Hamasnu– we have done violence; Tafalnu sheker– we have practiced deceit; Yaatsnu ra– we have counseled evil; Kizavnu– we have spoken falsehood; Latsnu– we have scoffed; Maradnu– we have revolted; Niatsnu– we have blasphemed; Sararnu– we have rebelled; Avinu– we have committed iniquity; Pashanu– we have transgressed; Tsararnu– we have oppressed; Kishinu oref– we have been stiff necked; Rashanu– we have acted wickedly; Shichatnu– we have dealt corruptly; Tiavnu– we have committed abomination; Tainu– we have gone astray; Titanu– we have led others astray.
And we have turned aside from your mitzvot and your good laws, and it has not been appropriate for us. But you are righteous with everything that comes to you, for you act with truth, whereas we mess things up.
5g. Some also add the great mystical poem Ana b'Koach, an acrostic alluding to God's 42-letter name. In addition to saying the whole prayer, there is a practice to then repeat the line pertaining to that day (first line on Saturday night / Day 1 / Sunday, second line on Sunday night / Day 2 / Monday, etc) three times. Conclude with the line "Baruch shem kavod..." in a whisper.
ליל א
אָנָּא בְּכֹחַ, גְּדוּלַת יְמִינְךָ, תַּתִּיר צְרוּרָה: (אב"ג ית"ץ)
ליל ב
קַבֵּל רִנַּת, עַמְּךָ. שַׂגְּבֵנוּ, טַהֲרֵנוּ נוֹרָא: (קר"ע שט"ן)
ליל ג
נָא גִּבּוֹר, דּוֹרְשֵׁי יִחוּדֶךָ, כְּבָבַת שָׁמְרֵם: (נג"ד יכ"ש)
ליל ד
בָּרְכֵם טַהֲרֵם, רַחֲמֵי צִדְקָתְךָ, תָּמִיד גָּמְלֵם: (בט"ר צת"ג)
ליל ה
חָסִין קָדוֹשׁ, בְּרֹב טוּבְךָ, נַהֵל עֲדָתֶךָ: (חק"ב טנ"ע)
ליל ו
יָחִיד גֵּאֶה, לְעַמְּךָ פְנֵה, זוֹכְרֵי קְדֻשָּׁתֶךָ: (יג"ל פז"ק)
ליל ז
שַׁוְעָתֵנוּ קַבֵּל, וּשְׁמַע צַעֲקָתֵנוּ, יוֹדֵעַ תַּעֲלוּמוֹת: (שק"ו צי"ת)
בלחש:
בָּרוּךְ, שֵׁם כְּבוֹד מַלְכוּתוֹ, לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד:
Ana B'Khoach: The 42 Letter Name
(Sat night/Sunday):
We beg thee
with the strength and greatness of thy right arm-Untangle our knotted fate.
(Sunday night/Monday):
Accept your people's song,
elevate and purify us, o awesome one.
(Monday night):
Please, heroic one,
those who pursue your uniqueness-
guard them as the pupil of an eye.
(Tuesday night):
Bless them, purify them, pity them,
may your righteousness always reward them.
(Wednesday night):
Powerful and Holy One,
in goodness lead your flock.
(Thursday night):
Unique and proud one,
to your people turn,
who remember your holiness.
(Erev Shabbat, Friday night):
Accept our cries,
and hear our screams,
o knower of mysteries!
Whispered:
Blessed is the name of the One, the glory of whose kingdom is forever and ever.
| Ana b'Khoach - transliteration |
|
A-na b'kho-ach gdu-lat y'min-cha - ta-tir tze-ru-ra!
(Ba-ruch Shem K'vod Mal-chu-to, le'O-lam va-Ed.) |
שִׁיר הַמַּעֲלוֹת, אַשְׁרֵי כָּל יְרֵא ה', הַהֹלֵךְ בִּדְרָכָיו: יְגִיעַ כַּפֶּיךָ כִּי תֹאכֵל אַשְׁרֶיךָ וְטוֹב לָךְ: אֶשְׁתְּךָ כְּגֶפֶן פּוֹרִיָּה בְּיַרְכְּתֵי בֵיתֶךָ בָּנֶיךָ כִּשְׁתִילֵי זֵיתִים סָבִיב לְשֻׁלְחָנֶךָ: הִנֵּה כִּי כֵן יְבֹרַךְ גָּבֶר יְרֵא ה': יְבָרֶכְךָ ה' מִצִּיּוֹן, וּרְאֵה בְּטוּב יְרוּשָׁלַיִם כֹּל יְמֵי חַיֶּיךָ: וּרְאֵה בָנִים לְבָנֶיךָ, שָׁלוֹם עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל:
(ג"פ:) רִגְזוּ וְאַל תֶּחֱטָאוּ, אִמְרוּ בִלְבַבְכֶם עַל מִשְׁכַּבְכֶם וְדֹמּוּ סֶלָה:
Psalm 128
|
1 A Song of Ascents. 2 When thou eatest the labour of thy hands, happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee. 3 Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine, in the innermost parts of thy house; 4 Behold, surely thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the LORD. 5 The LORD bless thee out of Zion; and see thou the good of Jerusalem all the days of thy life; 6 And see thy children's children. Peace be upon Israel! |
Adon Olam transliteration
Adon olam, asher malach, b'terem kol y'tzir nivra.
L'et na'asah v'cheftzo kol, azai melech sh'mo nikra.
V'acharey kichlot hakol, l'vado yimloch nora.
V'hu haya, v'hu hoveh, v'hu yih'yeh b'tifara.
V'hu echad, v'eyn sheni, l'hamshil lo, l'hachbira.
B'li reishit, b'li tachlit, v'lo ha'oz v'hamisrah.
V'hu Eli, v'chai go'ali, v'tzur chevli b'et tzarah.
V'hu nisi umanos li, m'nat kosi b'yom ekra.
B'yado afkid ruchi, b'et ishan v'a'irah.
V'im ruchi g'viyati, Adonai li v'lo ira.
(א) אֲדון עולָם אֲשֶׁר מָלַךְ. בְּטֶרֶם כָּל יְצִיר נִבְרָא:
לְעֵת נַעֲשה בְחֶפְצו כּל. אֲזַי מֶלֶךְ שְׁמו נִקְרָא:
וְאַחֲרֵי כִּכְלות הַכּל. לְבַדּו יִמְלךְ נורָא:
וְהוּא הָיָה וְהוּא הוֶה. וְהוּא יִהְיֶה בְּתִפְאָרָה:
וְהוּא אֶחָד וְאֵין שֵׁנִי. לְהַמְשִׁיל לו לְהַחְבִּירָה:
בְּלִי רֵאשִׁית בְּלִי תַכְלִית. וְלו הָעז וְהַמִּשרָה:
וְהוּא אֵלִי וְחַי גואֲלִי. וְצוּר חֶבְלִי בְּעֵת צָרָה:
וְהוּא נִסִּי וּמָנוס לִי. מְנָת כּוסִי בְּיום אֶקְרָא:
בְּיָדו אַפְקִיד רוּחִי. בְּעֵת אִישָׁן וְאָעִירָה:
וְעִם רוּחִי גְּוִיָּתִי. ה' לִי וְלא אִירָא:
Adon Olam
(1) The king of the world, who ruled before any creature was created. At the time they were made, all was according to His will, and then His name was called "King".
And after everything was finished, he alone rules, awe-inspiring.
He was, He is, and He will be with splendor.
And, he was first, with no second, to rule over him or to collaborate; with no beginning and no end, he has the strength and the right.
And he is my G-d, my redeemer is alive; the rock who sustains me in a distressful day.
And he is my banner and refuge, the portion of my cup on the day I call out.
In his hand, I safeguard my spirit, [for] when I sleep, [I know that] I will wake.
And with my spirit is my body; G-d is for me, and I will not be afraid.