Which direction should the bed be oriented?

Hello,

According to our rabbinic authorities, a person (when their wife is with them—in cases when their wife is not with them, it is advisable to be careful) should not sleep with their bed oriented from east to west; rather, they should sleep between north and south, with the head of the bed to the north and the foot to the south.

However, according to our Kabbalistic sages, on the contrary, it is forbidden for a person to sleep between north and south, but must sleep between east and west, with the head of the bed to the east and the foot to the west.

In practice, one who wishes to follow the opinion of the rabbinic authorities and set their bed between north and south may do so, and one who wishes to follow the opinion of the Kabbalistic sages, and place their bed between east and west, with the head to the east and the foot to the west, may also do so.

Nevertheless, some have written that a person should always stick to one side, either between east and west or between north and south, as this way they at least fulfill one opinion. But if they switch back and forth, they are contradicting themselves.

Sources:It is explained in Tractate Berachot (page 5b) that one should sleep between north and south, and Rashi explains that the head of the bed should be to the north and the foot to the south. This is also stated in the Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim (Section 3, Paragraph 6) that it is forbidden to sleep between east and west when one’s wife is with them. It is advisable to be careful even when alone. Furthermore, in Shulchan Aruch (Section 240, Paragraph 17), it clarifies that the intention is for the head of the bed to be to the north and the foot to the south. This is also found in the Mishnah Berurah (Section 3, Subsection 11) in the name of the Lechem Chamudos.

However, according to our Kabbalistic authorities, the bed should be arranged so that the head is to the east and the foot to the west, see Zohar (Parashat Bamidbar, page 118b), and Kaf HaChaim (Section 3, Article 16). This was also the custom of Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch Shapiro zt"l, as documented in the responsa Sha'alat Ya'avetz, Part 1 (Section 47). This was also concluded in the responsa Veyashiv Yam, Part 1 (Section 1).

Indeed, the Mishnah Berurah (there) holds that it is preferable to deliberately follow the Shulchan Aruch, for in the responsa Binyan Shlomo it was written in the name of the Gaon of Vilna that the intention of the Zohar is in accordance with the Gemara. Rabbi S.Y. Elyashiv zt"l also ruled this way as mentioned in the book Ashrei Ha'ish, Part Even HaEzer, Part 2 (Chapter 14, Paragraph 38). Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky shlit"a also holds this view in the book Daas Notzach, Part 1 (page 106, Responsum 251) that one should follow the Mishnah Berurah with the head to the north, and in a note there he mentioned that this was also the advice of the Chazon Ish to sleep between north and south. (However, in the book Ma'aseh Ish, Part 5, page 191, he brought from Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky shlit"a that indeed the Chazon Ish instructed placing the bed between north and south. However, others say that he replied that in his parents' house, it was between east and west).

Indeed, several great poskim have written that since there are differing opinions, one can act according to their wishes, as noted in Shiyurei Knesset Hagedolah, Orach Chaim (Section 3 in the glosses of Beit Yosef, Article 4) that nowadays the world does not observe this whatsoever. The reason seems to be that if we were to be stringent regarding this matter, what will we do? If we follow our Talmud, it contradicts the Zohar, and if we follow the Zohar, it contradicts our Talmud, therefore, they are not strict about this. This was also written in the book Olat Tamid (Section 3, Subsection 6) regarding this matter that one may do as they see fit. Similarly, the Aruch HaShulchan (there, Section 13) stated that the practice is not to be careful about this since we follow the Tur regarding this as it is not an obligation but merely a pious observance, and there is also a dispute among the Gedolim whether sleeping between north and south refers to the head and foot of the bed or the width of the bed, thus rendering this rule nullified.

Furthermore, several contemporary authorities have noted that, see in the book Or LeTziyon, Part 2 (Chapter 1, Responsum 1) stating that a person can arrange their bed however they wish, as whichever side they choose, they have something to rely on. Nonetheless, in a place where possible, it is preferable to orient the head of the bed to the east and the foot to the west. Also see in the book Halacha Berurah (Section 3, Clarification of Law, Article 7) which brought in the name of his father Rabbi Ovadia Yosef zt"l that his opinion is also that if a person wishes to place their bed between north and south, they may do so, and if they wish to place it between east and west, they may do so as well. Further, look at the book V'aleh Lo Yibol, Part 2 (page 284) in the name of Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Auerbach zt"l, that the custom is that people do not take care about arranging their beds between north and south, and refer there to the clarifications he provides regarding this matter.

Also, refer to this matter in the responsa Yeshuat Moshe, Part 3 (Section 20) and in the responsa Olat Yitzchak, Part 1 (Section 2, Article 2) and Part 2 (Section 3).

And as for what was written that some have written, etc., indeed it is as mentioned in the book Me'am Loez (Bereshit, page 102).

Best wishes,

Hillel Meirs