Malaysia Flight 370 Pilot's Last Words Were "All Right, Good Night" A Torah Lesson in Life
A Lesson in Life
How do we prepare for our own “All right, good night” final radio call each night before going to sleep?
First come the Nighttime Activities - before the Bedtime Shema
Study some Torah. Even if it’s late, just immerse yourself in some words of Torah, so that you will sleep with those thoughts. Maimonides writes that a person gains most of their wisdom from Torah studied at night. Fill your mind with it, so that it will process in your dreams. Often, solutions to Torah that you study at this time will come to you in your dreams.
Review the day in your mind. Think of something that went well. Think of something that could be fixed or improved. Think of all the wonderful blessings you have in your life—friends, parents, children—all the things that have real value. Don’t beat yourself—this is not an exercise in self-blaming and guilt. The point is to get a clear perspective of yourself and your day, where you are coming from and where you are going to.
Then the Bedtime Shema –
Relax. Re-examine. Refresh. Refocus. Repent. Re-entrust.
These 6 steps are reflected in the 4 basic elements of the Bedtime Shema.
1. The Forgiveness Formula
Sleep is a journey. As with any journey, you’ll come back more refreshed if you travel light. So now’s the time to leave the baggage behind—meaning, all those grudges and hard feelings that may have been collecting over the day.
2. Shema Yisrael
For many people, the hardest thing about falling asleep is that act of surrender—letting go and allowing G‑d to take over. The Talmud describes sleep as one-sixtieth of death. Wherever life is diminished, a vacuum draws in forces of impurity and unwanted thoughts. That’s a tad scary. So, the Talmud tells us that bedtime shema gives us protection. Say the words clearly and with mental focus, and they will continue to run through your mind as you sleep, their light enveloping you and protecting you through the night.
3. Vidui-Nighttime Confessional
The Zohar describes how the soul ascends above at night to provide a report on its accomplishments for the day and hear secrets of Torah. But this can only happen if the soul is pure. What if there was some trace of conceit, hypocrisy, greed, anger or other undesirable attitudes during the day? Even more so if someone actually said something or acted on one of those impulsive attitudes. Now is the time to leave those behind, simply by confessing them in a quiet voice and feeling a sense of regret.
4. The Blessing on sleep
Finish with the Hamapil blessing. We acknowledge that G‑d has made us slaves to sleep, and we pray to Him to help us have only good thoughts in our sleep and to awake back to life.
