This is the first mention of the Bedtime Shema in the Talmud.
אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי: אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁקָּרָא אָדָם קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע בְּבֵית הַכְּנֶסֶת — מִצְוָה לִקְרוֹתוֹ עַל מִטָּתוֹ. אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי: מַאי קְרָא — ״רִגְזוּ וְאַל תֶּחֱטָאוּ אִמְרוּ בִלְבַבְכֶם עַל מִשְׁכַּבְכֶם וְדֹמּוּ סֶלָה״.
Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: Even though one recited Shema in the synagogue, it is a mitzva to recite it upon his bed in fulfillment of the verse: “When you lie down.” Rabbi Yosei said: What verse alludes to the fact that one must recite Shema in the evening, upon his bed, as well? “Tremble, and do not sin; say to your heart upon your bed and be still, Selah” (Psalms 4:5). This is understood to mean: Recite Shema, about which it is written, “on your hearts,” upon your bed, and afterward be still and sleep.
How does the recitation of the bedtime Shema quell intrusive and disturbing thoughts?
Does a person need keva and kavannah to inscribe the words of the Bedtime Shema upon their heart? Could a person fulfill the minimum requirement of reading the first verse of the Shema with concentration and still figuratively actualize the words of the Shema upon their heart, or is it necessary for them to say the first verse and the first section of the Shema? What is the importance of reading the words "to love the Lord your God with all your heart," before bed?
אִם תַּלְמִיד חָכָם הוּא — אֵין צָרִיךְ. אָמַר אַבָּיֵי: אַף תַּלְמִיד חָכָם מִיבְּעֵי לֵיהּ לְמֵימַר חַד פְּסוּקָא דְרַחֲמֵי, כְּגוֹן: ״בְּיָדְךָ אַפְקִיד רוּחִי, פָּדִיתָה אוֹתִי ה׳ אֵל אֱמֶת״. אָמַר רַבִּי לֵוִי בַּר חָמָא, אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ: לְעוֹלָם יַרְגִּיז אָדָם יֵצֶר טוֹב עַל יֵצֶר הָרַע, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״רִגְזוּ וְאַל תֶּחֱטָאוּ״ אִם נִצְּחוֹ — מוּטָב, וְאִם לָאו — יַעֲסוֹק בַּתּוֹרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״אִמְרוּ בִלְבַבְכֶם״. אִם נִצְּחוֹ — מוּטָב, וְאִם לָאו — יִקְרָא קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״עַל מִשְׁכַּבְכֶם״. אִם נִצְּחוֹ — מוּטָב, וְאִם לָאו — יִזְכּוֹר לוֹ יוֹם הַמִּיתָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְדֹמּוּ סֶלָה״. וְאָמַר רַבִּי לֵוִי בַּר חָמָא, אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ, מַאי דִּכְתִיב ״וְאֶתְּנָה לְךָ אֶת לֻחֹת הָאֶבֶן וְהַתּוֹרָה וְהַמִּצְוָה אֲשֶׁר כָּתַבְתִּי לְהוֹרֹתָם״. ״לֻחֹת״ — אֵלּוּ עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדִּבְּרוֹת, ״תּוֹרָה״ — זֶה מִקְרָא, ״וְהַמִּצְוָה״ — זוֹ מִשְׁנָה, ״אֲשֶׁר כָּתַבְתִּי״ — אֵלּוּ נְבִיאִים וּכְתוּבִים, ״לְהוֹרוֹתָם״ — זֶה תַּלְמוּד, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁכּוּלָּם נִתְּנוּ לְמֹשֶׁה מִסִּינַי.
If he is a Torah scholar--He does not need [to recite the Shema.] Abaye said: Even a Torah Scholar it is required for him to recite one verse that is supplicatory, For example: "into your hand I commit my spirit, you have redeemed me God of Truth" (Psalm 31:6). Rabi Levi Son of Hama said in the name of Rabi Shimon son of Lakish: A man [should] always instigate the Yetzer HaTov against the Yetszer HaRa, as it was stated in scripture: "They trembled and they do not sin" (Psalm 4:5). If he overcomes it (overcomes the evil inclination)--it is good, if not--he will engage in Torah study, As it is stated in scripture: "They said in their hearts." If he overcomes it (overcomes the evil inclination) it is good, If they do not--he will read Kriyat Shema, as it is stated in scripture: "Upon your bed." If he overcomes it--it is good, If not--he will remind himself on the day of death, as it is stated in scripture: "And he will be still, Selah." And Said Rabi Levi son of Hama in the name of Rabi Shimon son of Lakish, what is the teaching that can be derived from this verse "And I will give to you the stone tablets and the Torah and The commandment which I wrote for you all to teach." "Tablets"--These are the Ten Commandments, "Torah"--This is the scriptures, "And The Commandment" this is the Mishna, "Which I wrote"--These are the Prophets and the later Writings, "For you all to teach"--this is the Talmud, he teaches that everything was given to Moshe at Mount Sinai.
We find portions of this source in the liturgy of the Bedtime Shema. We see the Tehillim, Abaye invoked in order to disagree with the Stam, Psalm 31:6 in Adon Olam. We see the pasuk found in Rabi Shimon son of Lakish's teaching, Psalm 4:5, towards the end of the bedtime Shema.
In this source we see a step-by-step process for how to successfully conquer your yetzer hara with your yetzer hatov. As this process unfolds, we begin to see how this step-by-step process influenced the linear progression of the codified version of the bedtime Shema--the placement of the Shema at the beginning and the placement of Psalm 4:5 at the end of the the Bedtime Shema.
The Stam assumes that a Talmud Chacham would not need to recite the Bedtime Shema. Does Abaye's refutation of the Stam's assertion subvert a possible preexisting social hierarchy between Torah scholars and the common Jewish populace?
We find in the next source Birkat Hamapil in its complete form. This prayer emphasizes the total dependency a person has upon God, a God who has the power to renew their existence or deny their existence each day.
הַנִּכְנָס לִישַׁן עַל מִטָּתוֹ, אוֹמֵר מִ״שְּׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל״ עַד ״וְהָיָה אִם שָׁמוֹעַ״, וְאוֹמֵר: ״בָּרוּךְ … הַמַּפִּיל חַבְלֵי שֵׁינָה עַל עֵינַי וּתְנוּמָה עַל עַפְעַפַּי, וּמֵאִיר לְאִישׁוֹן בַּת עָיִן. יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶיךָ ה׳ אֱלֹהַי, שֶׁתַּשְׁכִּיבֵנִי לְשָׁלוֹם, וְתֵן חֶלְקִי בְּתוֹרָתֶךָ, וְתַרְגִּילֵנִי לִידֵי מִצְוָה, וְאַל תַּרְגִּילֵנִי לִידֵי עֲבֵירָה, וְאַל תְּבִיאֵנִי לִידֵי חֵטְא, וְלֹא לִידֵי עָוֹן, וְלֹא לִידֵי נִסָּיוֹן, וְלֹא לִידֵי בִזָּיוֹן. וְיִשְׁלוֹט בִּי יֵצֶר טוֹב, וְאַל יִשְׁלוֹט בִּי יֵצֶר הָרָע. וְתַצִּילֵנִי מִפֶּגַע רַע, וּמֵחֳלָאִים רָעִים. וְאַל יְבַהֲלוּנִי חֲלוֹמוֹת רָעִים וְהִרְהוּרִים רָעִים. וּתְהֵא מִטָּתִי שְׁלֵמָה לְפָנֶיךָ. וְהָאֵר עֵינַי פֶּן אִישַׁן הַמָּוֶת. בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה׳ הַמֵּאִיר לָעוֹלָם כּוּלּוֹ בִּכְבוֹדוֹ״.
One who enters to sleep on his bed recites Shema in his bed from Shema Yisrael to VeHaya Im Shamoa. Then he recites:
Blessed…Who makes the bands of sleep fall upon my eyes and slumber upon my eyelids,
and illuminates the pupil of the eye.
May it be Your will, O Lord my God,
that You make me lie down in peace and give me my portion in Your Torah,
accustom me to mitzvot and do not accustom me to transgression,
lead me not into error, nor into iniquity, nor into temptation nor into disgrace.
May the good inclination have dominion over me
and may the evil inclination not have dominion over me.
Save me from an evil mishap and evil diseases.
Let neither bad dreams nor troubling thoughts disturb me.
May my bed be flawless before You, that my progeny should not be flawed.
Enlighten my eyes in the morning lest I sleep the sleep of death, never to awaken.
Blessed are You, O Lord, Who gives light to the whole world in His glory.
What is the connection between reciting Modeh Ani every morning and the verse in Birkat Hamapil prior to the Chatimah, "enlighten my eyes lest I sleep the sleep of death?" Do we affirm this verse in Birkat Hamapil when we recite Modeh Ani in the morning? Why or why not?
(ד) (ד) אחר ק"ש וכו' - ואם תאב לשתות או לדבר איזה ענין נחוץ נראה שמותר אך יחזור ויקרא פרשת שמע אכן אם כבר אמר ברכת המפיל יזהר בזה כי יפסיק בין הברכה להשינה:
After Kriyat Shema and so on—If he wants to drink or to speak when a pressing matter/subject will appear that is permitted but he will repeat and recite the Shema but if [he] already said Birkat Hamaphil he will be careful in this because it will be an interruption between the blessing and sleep.
The Chofetz Chaim says that it is only permitted to eat or drink after reciting the Kriyat Shema if an urgent need arose that could not wait until the next day. However, even if a person interrupts their Bedtime Shema to address a pressing matter, the individual is required to recite Kriyat Shema once again--initiating the beginning of the Bedtime Shema once more. The Chofetz Chaim seems to be weary of allowing a hefsek between Birkat Hamapil and sleep. Why is it important that there not be a hefsek between Birkat Hamapil and sleep? How is this related to permitting or not permitting a hefsek in other parts of liturgy? How do smooth transitions between certain prayers increase or decrease Keva and Kavvanah?
After a person recites Birkat Hamaphil, he or she recites the Shema.
Interestingly, the Shema was often recited in the synagogue before the appearance of three stars—an indication of the cessation of the day and the beginning of the night. If we want to have a deeper understanding of the custom of reciting the Shema in the synagogue prior to Tzet Hakoachvim, we need to look at the Tosafot.
על כן אומר ר״י דודאי קריאת שמע של בית הכנסת עיקר ואנו שמתפללין ערבית מבעוד יום סבירא לן כהני תנאי דגמרא דאמרי משעה שקדש היום וגם משעה שבני אדם נכנסים להסב דהיינו סעודת ע״ש והיא היתה מבעוד יום ומאותה שעה הוי זמן תפלה.
Therefore, the beloved Rabbi Judah ben Isaac Messer Leon says the recitation of Kriyat Shema in the synagogue is primary and we pray Arvit while it is day. We share the opinion [of] the Taanim's teaching about the priestly class that is mentioned in the Gemara [citing the part of Brachot that argues the time to recite the Shema is when the priests immerse themselves prior to eating terumah, which is still day] that say the correct time to [recite the Shema] is the time that the day is sanctified, and also the time that people entered [their house to eat] a meal in company, which corresponds to the Shabbat meal, and it was while it was day, and from it is the time for Tefilah.
This seems to be the etiology of davvening Arvit prior to Tzet HaKochavim. This is a prevalent custom in some American synagogues in the summer months if the synagogue is unable to make a minyan for Kaddish at night. Despite, the Tosafot's justification of this practice, is it proper to sanctify the night while it is still day?
The Rif, an 11th century Algerian halakhist, stipulates that the Sages only required people to read one paragraph of the Shema before sleep. You can find the one paragraph Shema in most versions of the Bedtime Shema.
: אמר ר' יהושע בן לוי אאע"פ שקרא אדם ק"ש בבית הכנסת מצוה לקרותה על מטתו ודוקא פרשה ראשונה........
Rabi Yehoshua son of Levi said even if a person read Kriyat Shema in a synagogue it is a mitzvah to read it on his bed and one paragraph [of the Shema]....
The Rif is very specific about reading the first paragraph of the Shema in bed. Why is the first paragraph of the Shema important to recite prior to sleep? How does the first paragraph's themes of comfort, remembrance, and it's rejoinder of the Exodus narrative affirm the words of the Psalmist, "Tremble, and do not sin; say to your heart upon your bed and be still, Selah[?]” (Psalm 4:5).
The Chofetz Chaim, a 19th century halakhist, supplements the ruling of the Rif in his Mishna Berurah.
(א) (א) פרשה ראשונה - ואם התפלל ערבית מבעוד יום צריך לקרות כל הפרשיות..........
And if he prayed Shema [before the appearance of three stars] since it is day he needs to read all the sections [of the Shema after the appearance of three stars]....
The Chofetz Chaim in 239:2 mentions individuals that are prone to fall asleep as they recite the Shema. This is mentioned in the context of individuals that have the custom to recite Birkat Hamapil at the end of the Bedtime Shema. He suggests if you abide by this custom, and are prone to fall asleep as you recite the Shema, it is necessary for you to recite Birkat Hamapil prior to the Shema. Thus, he seems to speak approvingly of individuals that fall asleep in the middle of the Shema. If he does not reproach those that fall asleep, why then does the Chofetz Chaim mandate an individual recite all three sections of the Shema before bed?
The Gemara invokes Rabbi Yitzhak's belief that the recitation of the Bedtime Shema provides spiritual protection to Jews as they sleep. Also, the Gemara invokes a teaching of Mar Zutra or Rav Ashi to support the teaching of Rabbi Yitzhak.
אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק: כׇּל הַקּוֹרֵא קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע עַל מִטָּתוֹ, כְּאִלּוּ אוֹחֵז חֶרֶב שֶׁל שְׁתֵּי פִיּוֹת בְּיָדוֹ. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״רוֹמְמוֹת אֵל בִּגְרוֹנָם וְחֶרֶב פִּיפִיּוֹת בְּיָדָם״, מַאי מַשְׁמַע? אָמַר מָר זוּטְרָא וְאִיתֵּימָא רַב אָשֵׁי: מֵרֵישָׁא דְעִנְיָנָא, דִּכְתִיב: ״יַעְלְזוּ חֲסִידִים בְּכָבוֹד יְרַנְּנוּ עַל מִשְׁכְּבוֹתָם״. וּכְתִיב בָּתְרֵיהּ: ״רוֹמְמוֹת אֵל בִּגְרוֹנָם וְחֶרֶב פִּיפִיּוֹת בְּיָדָם״.
The Gemara continues its treatment of the recitation of Shema upon one’s bed. Rabbi Yitzḥak said: Anyone who recites Shema on his bed, it is as if he holds a double-edged sword, guarding him from all evil, as it is stated: “High praises of God in their mouths, and a double-edged sword in their hands” (Psalms 149:6). The Gemara asks: From where is it inferred that this verse from Psalms refers to the recitation of Shema? Mar Zutra, and some say Rav Ashi, said: We derive it from the preceding verse, as it is written: “Let the pious exult in glory; let them joyously sing upon their beds.” The praise of God from one’s bed is the recitation of Shema. And it is written thereafter: “High praises of God in their mouths, and a double-edged sword in their hands.”
Let's return to the beginning of our presentation. Could the spiritual and physical protection of the Bedtime Shema, alluded to in the teaching of Mar Zutra or Rav Ashi, allow a person to successfully conquer their yetzer hara with their yetzer hatov?