There’s something that’s been bothering me for a while: In the evening we say the Shema prayer, and then we say it again when going to bed. Why say it twice at night? Shouldn’t once be enough!

Your confusion about the Evening Shema is common – let me try to clarify: One of the 613 commandments is to say the Shema twice per day, once in the morning and once in the evening.

The Mishna states that the time period during which one must say the Evening Shema begins after the appearance of 3 stars (approx 50 – 72 min after sunset) and ends with dawn. Anytime during that period, one can fulfill the commandment of saying the Evening Shema. The Rabbis then enacted that one should say it before midnight so as to minimize the chances of one forgetting to say it. The Talmud states that enthusiastic people jump at the chance to do a Mitzvah as soon as the opportunity arises, and, since every Jew should aspire to be alive and enthusiastic about Torah, the Shulchan Aruch states that everyone should try to say it at the first opportunity (as soon as 3 stars have appeared).

Now, what is the source for the Bedtime Shema that is found in the siddur? The Talmud states that even if one has already fulfilled his obligation to say the Evening Shema earlier, it’s still a good thing to say the Shema again just before one gets into bed. Some of the reasons given for this practice are:

1) In the merit of reading the Shema one is protected from any undesirable spiritual forces that have an impact on people during the night.

2) To fall asleep with the concepts expressed in the Shema on your mind will minimize the chances of having sexual dreams.

Take care,

Ari Lobel