Mensch•Mark For Elul 7: A Minimum of Sleep - Miyut Shaynah
I see this not as a call for sleep deprivation but a recognition that every waking moment needs to be used wisely. It’s a call against laziness and delay. Procrastination actually has Jewish roots.
A Minimum of Sleep-Middah Miyut Shaynah
URJ’s TAKE
This text comes from chapter six in the book of Proverbs. The chapter warns the reader against becoming a lazybones and ending up impoverished. The biblical author cites the ant as a model of industry, one who prepares its food stores during the summer months of harvest, even though the ant has no leader or ruler telling her to do so. In contrast, the lazybones stays in bed and does not seek employment or provisions. The lazybones appears to be sleeping his/her life away. The commentator Ralbag (Rabbi Levi ben Gershom) explained that with a minimum amount of sleep and relaxation one's periods of poverty and want will soon pass.
As a Jewish ethical value - middah, the concept of miyut shanah encourages an individual to maintain a minimum amount of sleep in order to be wakeful for the study of Torah. As Rabbi Reuven Bulka has written, "An individual who is excited about Torah opportunities will want to stretch the day. One way of doing it is by sleeping less." (As A Tree By the Waters, p.255)
A caution is included in the comment by Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch, "In order to gain time for studies, one who is desirous of acquiring Torah wisdom must limit the hours of sleep to the minimum that is necessary for the preservation of health."
The story of a lazybones' attitude to study is found in the Midrash. "When a lazybones is told, 'Your teacher is in the city nearby; go and learn Torah from your teacher,' the lazybones replies, 'But I fear there will be a lion on the road.' When the lazybones is told, 'Your teacher is in your township, get up and go to your teacher,' the lazybones replies, 'I fear that the lion may be in the streets.' When the lazybones is told, 'Behold, your teacher is at home,' the lazybones replies, 'If I go to my teacher's home, I am certain to find the door bolted.' Then the lazybones is told, 'But the door is open.' At that point, when the lazybones is at a loss to reply, the lazybones says, 'Whether the door is open or bolted, I want to sleep a bit more.'" (The Book of Legends Sefer Ha-Aggadah, Bialik and Ravnitzky 429:267)
BARBARA BINDER KADDEN
MY TAKE: Borrowed Time or Jewish Time?
If you are interested in what Jewish law has to say about sleep, you can check the “Halachapedia” to find the whens, wheres, how much, what to wear, what sleeping positions and who else can be in the room. It’s fascinating - if a bit obsessive.
I see this Mensch•Mark not as a call for sleep deprivation but a recognition that every waking moment needs to be used wisely. It’s a call against laziness and needless delay.
Procrastination actually has deep Jewish roots. There was Moses, who lingered on the mountain for forty days, and Esther, who delayed and fasted three days before meeting with the king. El Al used to stand for “Every Landing Always Late.” There is little that we know about the Messiah, except that S/he tarries.
So what is at the root of procrastination? We call it Jewish Time.
According to the Urban Dictionary, Jewish Time means,
Not perfectly on time; possibly somewhat late, but no harm is done as a result. The implication is that there is no need to be exactly on time, and starting a little late is acceptable. The term comes from Jewish culture, which is often relaxed about punctuality.
Leo Baeck, the early 20th century German rabbi, always arrived on time to his lodge meetings, but often at the beginning it was just him and the treasurer. One day he decided to bring to a vote at the very beginning of the meeting a proposal to provide lots of money for the publication of a new Bible translation by Martin Buber. Only two of them there, and they voted to approve, and none of the others were ever late again.
You know what’s even later than Jewish time? Rabbi time. But I try to arrive on time for things when I can. I don’t want to be referred to as “the late Rabbi Hammerman.”
But despite a history rich in procrastination, Judaism also understands that a minute wasted is a minute that is gone forever. The Torah reminds us that, “the wages of a laborer shall not remain with you until morning.” When we waste time or delay, it doesn’t just affect us, it affects everybody else too.
As Hillel said, “If not now, when.”
See also Setting Our Clocks to Jewish Time, my first piece for the Jewish Week, exactly 30 years ago.
See my book, Menschmarks: Life Lessons of a Human Rabbi
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