Shulchan Aruch: Chapter 1 - Laws Relating to Rising in Morning

SECTION 1 Laws Relating to Rising in the Morning. (1–19)

1 With1 the strength of a lion,2 one should rise in the morning for the service of his Creator, blessed be He, because for this he was created, and for this purpose He returns his soul to him. Even if one’s [evil] inclination should tempt him by saying, “You have not yet had your fill of sleep,” he should overcome it and rise, so that it is he that will wake the dawn.3

He should consider in his heart before Whom he is lying,4 being aware that the King of kings — the Holy One, blessed be He — is hovering over him, as it is written,5 “‘Do I not fill the heaven and the earth?’ says G‑d.” Were he to lie before a king of flesh and blood who was standing over him, he would be liable for his life. How much more does this apply with regard to the King of kings, the Holy One, blessed be He! He should therefore rise immediately and energetically for the service of his Creator, praised be He.

One should not say to himself, “I will lie in bed and study [the Torah].” Instead, he should rise and dress himself, for it is written,6 “Prepare to greet your G‑d, O Israel.”

2 One should keep this in mind in all of his affairs and concerns.7 For the manner in which a person sits and moves about and conducts his affairs when he is alone at home is not the same as the manner in which he sits and moves about when he is in the presence of a great king. Similarly, the way he speaks freely in the company of the members of his household and his family is not the same as the way he speaks in the dwelling of a king.

How much more does this apply when one earnestly considers that the great King — the King of kings, the Holy One, blessed be He, Whose “glory fills the entire earth”8 — is standing over him and observing his deeds. As it is written,9 “‘If a man hides himself in secret places, will I not see him?’ says G‑d.” [When one earnestly considers this] he will immediately be affected by awe and submissiveness from a fear of the Creator, and will be constantly abashed before Him.10

3 One should not be embarrassed when confronted by people who mock him while he is serving his Creator. Nevertheless he should not retort brazenly, lest he acquire the habit of acting insolently even when this is not done in His service.

4 If one cannot rise before dawn, he should at least not pray later than the time at which the congregation prays.11

5 Immediately upon waking it is proper to say Modeh Ani...:12 “I offer thanks to You, living and eternal King, for You have mercifully restored my soul within me; great is Your faithfulness.”13

One does not have to wash one’s hands before reciting this statement, even if they are unclean, because there is no sanctity in its words, since they do not include any of the Divine names (see sec. 85[:3]) that may not be erased.14 By contrast, it is forbidden to utter any words of Torah before washing one’s hands, for there is sanctity in the words themselves. To meditate upon words of Torah is permissible,15 even with unclean hands.16

6 When a person wakes up and immediately stands on his feet, he is closer to death than to life.17 He should therefore wait momentarily before he stands.18

7 According to the law as prescribed by the Talmud,19 one is not obligated to wash his hands immediately upon arising from sleep, but may walk before doing so. Similarly, according to the law as prescribed by the Talmud, one may touch his clothes before washing his hands. Nevertheless, the Sages of the Zohar20 earnestly cautioned against walking even four cubits without washing one’s hands in the morning, and they likewise cautioned21 against touching one’s clothes22 before washing the hands. Accordingly,23 every G‑d-fearing person should impose this stringency of the Zohar upon himself.24 Moreover, whoever is meticulous in his observance should make a point of washing his hands immediately upon awakening,25 even if he continues to lie down. By doing so, he will protect himself against the wasteful emission of seed.26

8 It is desirable that one rise before dawn to petition his Creator, preferably at the times at which the watches change, i.e., the end of the first third of the night,27 the end of the second third of the night, and the end of the night. For at these times the Holy One, blessed be He, recalls the Destruction of the Beis HaMikdash, and so on.28 Therefore prayers concerning the Destruction and the exile that are offered at these hours are willingly accepted.

Accordingly, it is appropriate at these times for every G‑d-fearing person to be troubled and distressed and to pour out supplications over the Destruction of the Beis HaMikdash, as it is written,29 “Arise, cry out in the night, at the beginning of the watches.” Nevertheless, [one’s subsequent] Torah study and prayer must be undertaken joyously, as it is written,30 “Serve G‑d with joy.” One should study the Oral Law [at this time].31 [Moreover,] it is praiseworthy to link the day and the night with Torah study or prayer, both in the morning and in the evening.

9 A modest measure of supplication with concentrated intent is preferable to a greater quantity with less earnest focus. [This principle] also applies to Torah study.

One who has the capacity to understand and to study should study rather than supplicate at length, for Torah study is more meritorious than devout prayer.32

10 It is proper to recite every day the passage of the Akeidah (the Binding of Yitzchak)33 to recall the merit of the Patriarchs before the Holy One, blessed be He. This also serves to make one’s [evil] inclination submit to the service of G‑d, just as Yitzchak sacrificed himself.

[One should also read] the passage concerning the manna, to fortify his faith that all his provisions are granted to him by Divine Providence,34 for the Holy One, blessed be He, specifically provided every man with an omer35 [of manna] for every member of his household. As it is written,36 “When they measured it by the omer, he who had gathered much had no excess, and he who had gathered little was lacking nothing.”

[In addition one should recite] the Ten Commandments,37 for this will remind him every day of [the Giving of the Torah at] Mount Sinai, and will reinforce his faith. [Indeed,] the Sages sought to include the Ten Commandments as part of the daily recitation of the Shema.38 [This intention, however,] was withdrawn because of the heretics, lest they tell the unlettered people that the remainder of the Torah is not true. “As you can see,” [they would tell them, “every day] we read only what the Holy One, blessed be He, said and what we heard from His mouth on [Mount] Sinai.”39

Therefore, even if the Ten Commandments are not bracketed by the blessings of the Shema but are introduced before Baruch SheAmar, it is forbidden to recite them communally as a fixed daily practice. They may, however, be read privately. For the reason given above, on account of the heretics, it is also customary not to print them as a distinct document for the community.

11 Our Sages declare:40 “Whoever occupies himself with the laws of the burnt-offering is considered to have brought a burnt-offering, and whoever occupies himself with the laws of the sin-offering is considered to have brought a sin-offering.” It is therefore desirable to recite every day the Biblical passages pertaining to the burnt-offering, the meal-offering, the peace-offering, the thanksgiving-offering, the sin-offering, the definite guilt-offering, the provisional guilt-offering, and the adjustable guilt-offering spoken of in the passage beginning,41 “[If a person will sin] and accept a charge with an oath...”42

Since every voluntary sacrifice must be accompanied by a libation, [the passages concerning] the burnt-offering, the peace-offering and the thanksgiving-offering should be followed by the passage concerning the libation. Neither a sin-offering nor a guilt-offering requires a libation.

12 If a person knows that he is obligated to bring a sin-offering, he should first recite the passage concerning the sin-offering and then the one concerning the burnt-offering, because the sin-offering atones entirely for the sin concerned, while the burnt-offering is a gift [to evoke G‑d’s favor]. Atonement should precede the gift, because until a king is appeased he will not accept a gift.

13 The passages describing the sacrifices should be recited only during the day, because no sacrifices were offered at night. However, the passages describing the Basin43 [for washing] and the removal of the ashes [from the Altar]44 may be recited before dawn, because [the Kohanim would wash and would remove the ashes] at night.

14 The passages concerning the sacrifices should be recited while standing,45 and likewise Mizmor LeTodah (“A Thanksgiving Psalm”),46 for these sacrifices were offered while standing.

15 After reciting the passage concerning the burnt-offering,47 one should say: “May it be Your will that this [recitation] be considered and accepted by You as if I had offered a burnt-offering.” He should make similar statements after reciting the passages for the meal-offering, the peace-offering, and the thanksgiving-offering, for these [offerings] may also be brought voluntarily, even if a person is not obligated to bring them.

One should not, however, make such a state­ment after reciting the passages concerning the sin-offering, the definite guilt-offering, the provisional guilt-offering, or the adjustable guilt-offering, for these may not be offered voluntarily. Hence, if in fact he was not obligated to bring such a sacrifice, his recitation would be equivalent to offering a non-sacrificial animal in the courtyard [of the Beis HaMikdash].48

Nevertheless, after reciting the passages for the definite guilt-offering and the conditional guilt-offering, one should say: “May it be Your will that if I have become liable to bring a guilt-offering or a conditional guilt-offering, this be considered as if [I had brought these offerings].” In this manner, if in fact he had not been obligated to bring them, his recitation is not considered as offering a sacrifice at all, but as reading a passage in the Torah.

He should not, however, make such a statement after reciting the passage concerning the sin-offering, for unless one definitely knows that he violated a transgression requiring a sin-offering, he may not bring such an offering. This applies even when he actually violated such a transgression, [but was unaware of it. Indeed,] if he would bring a sacrifice, it would not atone for him unless he first had definite knowledge that he sinned, for the verse stipulates,49 “If the sin becomes known to him...”

Nevertheless, there are some who follow the custom of saying, “[May it be Your will,] that if I have become liable...” after reciting the passage concerning the sin-offering too, for a sin could have been once known and later forgotten.

16 On Shabbos and on festivals one should not recite [this prayer], “May it be Your will...,” because the sacrifices of private individuals are not offered on these days.50 There is, however, no difficulty with his reciting the Scriptural passages themselves, for he is, [after all,] reading the Torah. Nevertheless, unless he is unlearned,51 it is preferable that he study that day’s Torah reading.52

17 On the day preceding Pesach, likewise during Chol HaMoed Pesach, and on the day preceding Yom Kippur, one should not read the passage concerning the thanksgiving-offering,53 because that offering was not brought on those days,54 as will be explained in sec. 429[:13] and sec. 604[:6].55

18 Together with [the passages describing] the sacrifices, it is desirable to recite the verse,56 “He shall slaughter it on the north side of the altar [before G‑d...].” For the Midrash states:57 “The Holy One, blessed be He, says, ‘I take as witnesses heaven and earth, that when the phrase on the north... before G‑d is recited, I recall [the everlasting merit of] the Binding of Yitzchak, the son of Avraham.’”

19 There are those who customarily recite the passage concerning the Basin [for washing],58 then the passage concerning the removal of the ashes [from the Altar],59 then the passage concerning the daily burnt-offering,60 then the passage concerning the Incense Altar,61 and then the passage describing the spices for the incense-offering and their preparation,62 for this was the order of the Temple service.