Sleep

Sleep (Dormita in Aramaic) is a state where the human body is at rest and the revealed life force of the body withdraws from it. During sleep, a person's consciousness (their intellect) is not manifested at its full strength (rather in a "makif" way), and only the subconscious is revealed. During sleep, the body refreshes itself and gathers strength for the next day. Dreams appear as part of this refreshment process.

In Kabbalah and Chassidus, "dormita" refers to a state where the inner aspect of the lower realm ascends upward, leaving only the external aspect below.

During sleep, there is a process of withdrawal and gathering of life force from the blood - which is the nefesh - into the heart, and everything becomes sealed within it. Only a "kista d'chayusa" (minimal life force) and externality extend from it, and specifically then there is revelation and extension of the external life forces. For example, the power of nutrition and digestion in the nefesh, which are external aspects compared to the power of intellect, emotions, sight, and hearing. Their main extension occurs during sleep, because when one is not sleeping and the intellect shines, the powers of digestion and nutrition don't extend as much due to their inclusion in the power of intellect, like a candle before a torch, therefore hindering their extension. But during sleep when the dominion of intellect withdraws, they extend and then the stomach digests and sends to the liver, etc. And the powers of nutrition, digestion, elimination, and other external and lower powers of the nefesh.

In Halacha edit

Before sleep, we customarily say the bedtime Shema and the blessing of Hamapil, after which one should not speak. The Rambam wrote in his book that one needs to relieve oneself before and after sleep.

It is accepted from Chassidim that before sleep, they are particular about the order of action, speech, and thought: Preparing netilas yadayim by the bed - action, saying the bedtime Shema - speech, and after the blessing of Hamapil thinking Tanya by heart until falling asleep - thought.

And waking up in the order of thought, speech, and action: When awakening, thinking about how the King of kings stands over him - thought, saying Modeh Ani - speech, and washing hands - action.

The sleep that a person needs is one-third of the day - eight hours.

The Galus edit

Galus is compared to sleep, just as during sleep all the powers that exist in a person while awake are present, just in a concealed state and withdrawn into the essence of their soul, like the senses of sight and hearing, so too is Galus compared to sleep.

The analogy is that during Galus the spiritual sense of sight does not shine openly as it is written "we do not see our signs," meaning the aspect of sight which is prophecy does not shine openly as it did when the Beis Hamikdash stood, when prophecy shone through a clear or unclear lens. Nevertheless, prophecy still shone within them, but not in the aspect of sight.

The aspect of sleep only applies to the sefiros of Ze'ir Anpin, but regarding the essence of Hashem Himself this concept obviously doesn't apply, as it is written "but my heart is awake," where "my heart" refers to Hakadosh Baruch Hu, as it is written "the rock of my heart and my portion is Hashem forever," where Hashem is called "the rock of my heart," and as it is written "behold, the Guardian of Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps," as sleep is completely inapplicable there.

In Divine Service edit

In divine service, regarding the concept of sleep - even though all of our “Koichois” (faculties) are in a concealed state, meaning that even when the human soul comprehends and contemplates the greatness of the Ohr Ein Sof (Infinite Light), blessed be He, that as His name implies He is infinite and incomparable, and "all before Him is considered as nothing," and therefore the soul should be completely nullified to Him to allow the revelation of the Ohr Ein Sof below as it is above - nevertheless, now "we do not see our signs," meaning the revelation of the Ohr Ein Sof that encompasses all worlds is not visible and revealed in a manifest way in the human soul to create soul-arousal, because it does not shine in revelation. However, "my heart is awake" refers to the inner dimension of the heart, the level of Raava D'Raavin (Will of Wills), where the actual Ohr Ein Sof shines in revelation.

This is compared to a lion, about which it is said "he crouched, he lay down as a lion, and as a great lion, who shall rouse him up?" This means that even though "he crouched, he lay down" refers to the exile which is a state of sleep, nevertheless he is like a sleeping lion. As we see, even though the lion is sleeping, people still fear approaching it. Similarly, the souls of Israel, even though "I am sleeping," nevertheless "my heart is awake."

Dormita on Rosh Hashanah edit

As part of the Nesira process where Malchus becomes face-to-face, there must be a withdrawal of consciousness from Zeir Anpin so that the consciousness of Gevurah can come to the Sefira of Malchus through Binah and not through Zeir Anpin, and this state is called Dormita. The return of consciousness into Zeir Anpin happens gradually during the Ten Days of Teshuva, corresponding to the return of consciousness to the ten Sefiros of Zeir Anpin.

The Reason for Sleep edit

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 edit

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.

Sleep Hours edit

The Frierdiker Rebbe once expressed: "How can it be that people go to sleep before 12:00 and wake up after six?!"

On another occasion he stated that every Chassid must commit to not sleeping past seven o'clock.

The Rebbe wrote that sleep time depends on physical constitution and habit. He wrote that too little sleep is not good for physical health, and the body needs to be healthy.

Sleep During the Day edit

Regarding sleeping during the day, there are sources in Torah literature supporting both sides. The Rebbe generally opposes it, although in specific cases the Rebbe instructed certain Chassidim to rest a bit during the day.

With the Rebbe edit

A broader topic - The Rebbe's Daily Schedule

During the years when the Rebbe received people for yechidus [private audience], the Rebbe would return home late, and sometimes the yechidus sessions would continue until morning. In later years, the Rebbe would arrive home around 11 at night. The Rebbe would change into sleepwear (pajamas) and study at home. Afterward, he would sleep for approximately an hour and a half. Before going to sleep, the Rebbe would prepare for the activities he would undertake upon awakening, whether it was a Torah book he wished to review or questions he planned to answer. The Rebbe would then continue studying for several more hours, and about two hours before davening, the Rebbe would sleep for two hours before rising for prayer. In total, the Rebbe slept 3.5 or 4 hours with a break.

The Frierdiker Rebbe said about the Rebbe that he was never sleeping at 4 AM - either he hadn't gone to sleep yet, or he had already awakened.

On a special occasion, the Rebbe expressed about himself: "When I know that Yidden are waiting for my answers - I cannot sleep," and when several elder chassidim approached him requesting that he be more careful about his sleep hours for the sake of his health, he responded: "How can I sleep when a Yid in Australia has no parnassa?!" On another occasion, he said to a chassid: "I don't sleep because I worry about you and other Yidden, but why aren't you sleeping?" And when Menachem Begin asked the Rebbe why he didn't sleep, the Rebbe replied 'because others are sleeping.'