Chapter II

The verse, "I entrust my spirit into Your hand; You will redeem me, L-rd, G-d of truth," is recited as part of the Kerias Shema before retiring at night.1 Kerias Shema involves [becoming one with] G-d's unity, so before the person goes to sleep is a propitious time for its recitation. It is similar to the recitation of Shema prior to one's leaving this world permanently. At that time Shema is said by a person so that he may be unified with G-d's oneness. This unity is the purpose of creation and a Jewish soul's descent into this world; through Torah study and the performance of mitzvos, the sparks of holiness contained within physical matter are refined and elevated to their original source.

Through all of the above, G-d's unity [permeates the world] and it becomes one with Him. Similarly, Kerias Shema is to be recited before retiring at night.

With the recitation of Shema, the day draws to a close. The verse states:2 "Days have been fashioned, and for Him they are as one."3 This means to say that G-d created days and granted them to man in order for him to achieve oneness through his spiritual service. "One" [i.e., unity with G-d through Torah and mitzvos] encompasses all that man achieves spiritually in his lifetime, and "one" is all that remains of man's labors after he passes on.

In the prayer of Ezras Avoseinu we say:4 "The waters engulfed their adversaries; not 'one' of them remained." The Egyptians died by drowning, and "not one of them remained," i.e., they died without leaving any aspect of "one [ness]." When a Jew, lihavdil, passes from this world to the next, "one[ness]" remains, i.e., there is still [the divine unity] he achieved through Torah and mitzvos. This is why G-d's unity is stressed through the recitation of the Shema before a person goes to sleep.

More specifically, the prayers recited before retiring involve spiritual stocktaking5 an inventory of the events that transpired during the day. This process varies depending on the individual, each one making a spiritual accounting in accord with his station. There is, for example, the spiritual stocktaking of a simple Jewish laborer. [His accounting of the day may go somethinglike this:] He woke up very late and in his rush [to start work] prayed alone instead of reciting Psalms and then participating in communal prayer. Today he did not even recite Psalms privately, and rushed through his prayers. He left to his place of business and worked the whole day through until late in the evening. He was so busy that he did not even take time to pray Minchah and Maariv in the synagogue, or join the class in Ein Yaakov as he usually does.

He takes stock of the words he spoke during the day, and realizes that much of it was idle talk, falsehood and empty flattery. He realizes that all his extra labor and talk did not get him anywhere, but merely kept him from participating in communal prayer and his regular study sessions. He is filled with regret, and firmly resolves that from this day on he will observe communal prayer and attend his scheduled Torah lessons.

Then there is the spiritual stocktaking of wealthy people. They become aware of the idle talk and mockery that stemmed from their haughtiness, conceit, pursuit of imagined honor, and above all from the fact that "a rich man responds with arrogance."6 Such people negate Torah scholars and G-d-fearing individuals. They forget that wealth may bring nothing but heartbreak.7

There is also the spiritual stocktaking of those who are great in Torah knowledge. Among them may also be found individuals who their knowledge notwithstanding are arrogant, seek honor, are jealous of others, gossip and slander. This is as written regarding Do'eig the Edomite, to whom Dovid says:8 "You who are the head of the Sanhedrin [the Jewish supreme court], because of your great knowledge, you are a slanderer."

This spiritual stocktaking is the intent of the verse: "I entrust my spirit into Your hand; You will redeem me, L-rd, G-d of truth," recited before one goes to sleep.

In summary: The recitation of the Shema reflects the aspect of G-d's unity which is the purpose of man's life. The phrase "Days have been fashioned, and for Him they are as one" is explained. Reciting Shema before going to sleep is similar to the Shema Yisroel recited prior to one's expiration. There are various forms of spiritual stocktaking at the end of the day, such as that of a simple Jew, a rich person, and one who is great in Torah knowledge.