Sleep well!

When we are going to sleep it is important that we have peace and quiet in our soul.
The Jewish tradition has provided us with spiritual preparation in order to have a good and peaceful sleep.
In some prayerbooks or sidduriem we find the following texts:

1.    First we should have free time of prayer.

2.    When we say the Shema (Deut.6:4-9), the text where it says: when we lay down we say with more emphasis.

3.    Psalm 91 is being read with more emphasis on the text where the Lord is our Protector, like: “I say to the Lord: My refuge and my fortress, my God, in Whom I  trust.” (Psalm 91:2)

4.    In Psalm 3 we read that we often have enemies, but the Lord will help us. The text: “I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the Lord sustains me.” To sustain means: to help, to support, to back up. The Lord helps us and carries us.

5.    Texts that speak of angels that help us. Like in Psalm 34:7 “The Angel of the Lord encamps those who fear Him, and rescues them.” Also in Psalm 91:11 “For He will give His angels charge concerning you, To guard you in all your ways.”

6.    Psalm 128 and Ecclesiastes make a connection between work and sleep. The serving of the Lord like in Psalm 128: “How blessed is everyone who fears the Lord, Who walks in His ways. When you shall eat of the fruit of your hands, You will be happy and it will be well with you.” Ecclesiastes 5: 12 “The sleep of a working man is pleasant.”

7.    It is important to watch our relationship with the Lord and not to sin. Psalm 4:5 “ Tremble and do not sin, meditate in your heart upon your bed and be still.” That means that we can be full of restlessness or even anger or other emotions when we go to bed, but after that we have to become quiet in order to be able to have a good sleep. Being still here means that our soul has to become quiet in us. Reading of these texts in the Bible can help us to become still and peaceful and sleep well. It is important for our health.

More texts follow in the Prayerbook, like Psalm 121: “Behold, He who keeps Israel, will neither slumber nor sleep.”

Our soul is save in Him. Sleep well!