What is hebrew prayer before sleep?

The traditional Hebrew prayer recited before sleep is called Kriat Shema al HaMita (קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע עַל הַמִּטָּה) — "the recitation of Shema upon the bed." It centers on the Shema declaration and includes several additional prayers for protection, forgiveness, and peaceful sleep. This bedtime prayer practice is rooted in Talmudic tradition and is observed by Jews nightly.

Key Takeaways

The core of the bedtime prayer is the Shema (Shema Yisrael — "Hear O Israel"), recited as a declaration of faith before surrendering to sleep.
The practice includes requesting angelic protection (Hamapil blessing) and entrusting one's soul to God overnight.
The soul (neshamah) is understood as temporarily "returning" to God during sleep, making nighttime a spiritually significant threshold.
Forgiveness of others (mechilah) is traditionally recited before sleep to avoid spiritual danger from holding grudges.
The Talmud [Berakhot 60b] records the Hamapil blessing as the designated blessing specifically for going to sleep.

The Bedtime Shema — Full Overview

The Core Text: Shema Yisrael

The prayer begins with the most fundamental declaration in Judaism:

שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ יְהֹוָה אֶחָד "Hear O Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is One." [Deuteronomy 6:4]

This is followed by the first paragraph of the Shema, which includes the commandment: "to love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul" — connecting to the broader theme of avodah (service) found in [Deuteronomy 11:13]:

וְהָיָ֗ה אִם־שָׁמֹ֤עַ תִּשְׁמְעוּ֙ אֶל־מִצְוֺתַ֔י... לְאַהֲבָ֞ה אֶת־יְהֹוָ֤ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶם֙ וּלְעׇבְד֔וֹ בְּכׇל־לְבַבְכֶ֖ם וּבְכׇל־נַפְשְׁכֶֽם "And it shall be, if you listen to My commandments... to love the Lord your God and to serve Him with all your heart and all your soul."

The Hamapil Blessing

The Talmud [Berakhot 60b] records a specific blessing recited just before sleep:

בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם הַמַּפִּיל חֶבְלֵי שֵׁנָה עַל עֵינַי... "Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, Who brings the bonds of sleep upon my eyes..."

The blessing continues asking God to illuminate one's eyes again upon waking, and to guard one from sin and temptation.

Sleep as a "Mini-Death" — The Soul's Nightly Journey

Jewish tradition understands sleep as sheinah — שֵׁינָה, a state analogous to one-sixtieth of death [Berakhot 57b]. Each night, the neshamah (soul) partially ascends and is entrusted to God.

This is why Modeh Ani is recited upon waking — thanking God for returning the soul.

The Bereshit Rabbah [14:9] teaches that the soul has five names — nefesh, ruach, neshamah, chayah, yechidah — each reflecting a deeper dimension of the spiritual self, all of which are in God's care during sleep.

God as the Eternal Guardian

The bedtime prayer draws comfort from the Psalm:

הִנֵּ֣ה לֹֽא־יָ֭נוּם וְלֹ֣א יִישָׁ֑ן שׁ֝וֹמֵ֗ר יִשְׂרָאֵֽל "Behold, He neither slumbers nor sleeps — the Guardian of Israel." [Psalms 121:4]

While we sleep and are vulnerable, God remains perpetually awake and watchful — a profound comfort embedded in the bedtime liturgy.

The Hashkivenu Prayer

In the Ma'ariv (evening) service — which precedes sleep — the Hashkivenu prayer is recited:

הַשְׁכִּיבֵנוּ יְיָ אֱלֹהֵינוּ לְשָׁלוֹם... "Lay us down, O Lord our God, in peace..."

This asks for God's shelter, protection from enemies, illness, and evil during the night.

Forgiveness Before Sleep

Rabbeinu Yonah and the Talmud [Megillah 28a] emphasize that one should forgive anyone who wronged them before sleeping. A formula of mechilah (forgiveness) is often included in the bedtime Shema text.

Additional Psalms and Protections

Common additions to the bedtime Shema include:

Psalm 91 (Yoshev b'seter Elyon) — a psalm of divine protection
Psalm 3 — attributed to David fleeing danger, asking for God's salvation
The angels' names — Michael, Gavriel, Uriel, Raphael — invoking protection from the four directions

Pirkei Avot Warning About Sleep

Interestingly, Pirkei Avot 3:10 (Rabbi Dosa ben Harchinas) warns against excessive sleep:

שֵׁנָה שֶׁל שַׁחֲרִית... מוֹצִיאִין אֶת הָאָדָם מִן הָעוֹלָם "Morning sleep... removes a person from the world." [Pirkei Avot 3:10]

This teaches that while nighttime sleep is sacred and protected by prayer, indulgent sleep wastes spiritual potential.

For personal guidance on the precise text or practice of the bedtime Shema in your community's tradition, consult your local rabbi or posek.