עברית
Prayer and Blessings
The Recitation of Shema at Bedtime
Question
Hello, respected Rabbi. If one does not go to sleep at night and goes to sleep, say, at 6 AM, does one still recite the Shema at bedtime? How is one to fulfill "when you lie down and when you rise up..." in such a situation?
Answer
Hello and blessings,
The mitzvah of reciting the Shema is to be fulfilled during the time of lying down, which is throughout the night and not during the day. Therefore, one certainly recites the Shema at night irrespective of sleep, and this is what we do during the evening prayer.
The primary purpose of the Shema at bedtime is for protection, and protection is needed at night, not during the day.
With blessings,
Benjamin Shemueli
