Part 12 · Chapter 142

The Ari's Text

And behold, according to this, it would have been fitting not to call this Shema that is upon the bed, until midnight, for the aforementioned reason. But we recite the Shema before we sleep: for afterwards, at midnight, the coupling is made above by means of our souls, as will be said with the help of God. Therefore we recite the Shema while we are still standing in this world, before we deposit our souls above, and our intention is that this Shema should benefit the coupling at midnight, as mentioned.

Inner Light

This commentary hasn't been matched to individual seifim yet — items are shown in reading order, and the number beside each one counts the notes themselves, not the seifim of the Ari's text.

Not matched to a seif

1 It would have been fitting not to call this Shema that is upon the bed until midnight: For in the first half of the night is the discernment of the return of ZA to his Katnut [smallness/infancy], in the secret of the bonds of sleep — meaning that he returns to the discernment of the nursing of the first two years, namely to the discernment of the NR [Nefesh-Ruach] of Ruach, which is called the internality of the Mochin of Katnut of Ima. And if so, that is not yet the time of the coupling for making a vessel; and this time begins only in the second half of the night, namely after midnight. And this is what he says: “it would have been fitting not to call this Shema that is upon the bed until midnight” — for then begins the time fit for the first intercourse. And this is what he says: “we recite the Shema before we sleep, for afterwards, at midnight, the coupling is made by means of our souls” — meaning, in this Shema we only make a preparation for the coupling that is made after midnight.