HaNei'ur BaLailah
"If up at night one turns one's heart to batalah
(traditionally translated as engaging in activities other than Torah study)
one is mitchayeiv benafsho
(traditionally translated as worthy of death)"
- Pirkei Avot 3:4
It dawned on me this morning - as dawn approached - what this saying might really mean. If you're up in the middle of the night (or very early on a Sunday morning) at a time when the world sleeps, it is significant and if not used properly would be a terribly sad, lost opportunity. When we go to sleep our soul is returned to G-d (I imagine it being taken into the shop where it gets a clean up and is then returned to us "shiny and new" as the lyrics from Playground in My Mind would put it). The mishna does not say that if you're awake in the middle of the night you must study Torah, rather it speaks of not using the opportunity to "turn your heart to batalah." Batalah literally means annulment, figuratively it means distraction. If you wake up in the middle of the night there are things you need to address - Achashveirosh style. If you don't do that then you are accountable for why you are not taking better care of your essential soul.
posted by rabbi neil fleischmann @ 11:55 AM
8 Comments:
Very beautiful chidush.
Thanks for sharing it.
Maayan
I really like the Purim imagery here.
I was asleep, now I am awake, I plan and pray to be asleep again soon. And yet. This seemed an appropriate time to say thank you.
Thank you Maayan for your appreciation of this chidush, born a day ago, growing up so fast.
Thank you escquapades for appreciating the Purim reference, I think of sleepless nights as Achashveirosh moments; a chance to learn from the megilah model.
where would blogging on a Torah sight such as yours fall into the megilah model? I sure hope that it's a good thing, otherwise "oyvayoy li!" ...actually i'm sure that it would be a good thing!
I like your interpretation. In the daytime, we get involved in our daily activities and our minds think in organized, purposeful ways. But at night, the mind is free to think associatively, bringing up new ideas and understanding.
I like how you phrased that Miriam, and brought "to light" (small pun intended!) the concept of non-linear thinking being more accessible at night (though I find myself accessing that more and more, even in daytime). I remember as a girl waking up in the middle of the night to write poetry and to consciously spend time imagining.
Thank you Rabbi Fleischmann for engendering thinking and processing!
Maayan
Very interesting. And I agree.
Thank you all for the comments.
RR - I hope that blogging here in the middle of the night is a meaningful way of siezing the moment - I really do.
Miriam - I am not sure if this is universal but it is true for me and seems to be true for many people that I connect with (INFP types) - the quiet of the night is better for creative thinking.
Maayan - Thanks for getting this idea that Miriam articulated, continuing the conversation, sharing your experience, and for letting me know that this is a blog that helps with thinking and processing.
Chas - Thank you for the visit, comment, compliment, agreement.
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