Editing Sleep (section)

== The Reason for Sleep ==
Regarding the basic need for sleep, the Rebbe explains that it's so that all of a person's divine service during the day can be elevated to a higher level through the soul being released temporarily from the body's limitations.

Regarding why sleep takes up so much time during the day, the Rebbe explained in a farbrengen of Shabbos Chazon 1990 that the reason Hashem made humans need to sleep 7-8 hours daily, thereby "wasting" essentially a third of their lives, is so that each day they would have an opportunity to "start fresh."

The Rebbe added that this demonstrates the Chassidic explanation of the saying "descent for the purpose of ascent" - that it's not just that the descent leads to ascent, but that it itself is part of the ascent, since sleep itself is part of fulfilling creation's ultimate purpose.

==== In the Future Era ====
The Rebbe cites Chazal that in the future era, sleep will only last for sixty breaths, not for an extended time as it does now in exile. However, in another place the Rebbe's words suggest that in the future era there won't be any concept of sleep at all.