HOW TO GUARANTEE YOURSELF A GREAT DAY
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Amazon Music Unlock the secret to a remarkable day sitting right under our noses—or, should I say, our pillows. With a touch of humor and a dash of ancient wisdom, we explore the transformative power of the bedtime routine, a concept backed by the medieval sage Rambam in his book Ahava. Can something as simple as a bedtime ritual be the key to enhanced mood, cognitive abilities, and overall life satisfaction? Rabbi Mordechai Schwab sheds light on the spiritual aspect of this daily practice, elevating it from mundane to meaningful.
Prepare to be charmed and enlightened as Rabbi Schwab details the bedtime Shema's role in our lives, an evening tradition that not only preps us for a restful night but sets a purpose-driven tone for the day ahead. By weaving together our end-of-day reflections with morning intentions, we find ourselves greeting each new dawn not as a standalone challenge but as part of a continuous, mindful journey. So, brew that calming cup of chamomile tea, pick up a thoughtful read, and say the Hamapil—because a mindful nightly send-off is not just a farewell to today but a welcome mat for tomorrow's greatness.
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0:01 What if there was a way to guarantee yourself of a great day? Sounds too good to be true. Huh, sounds blasphemous. How could this be? What is he talking about? Well, it's not impossible, it's not blasphemous. In fact, it's a piece of wisdom that comes by way of one of the great medieval commentators. It's a secret, really, so be careful who you share it with, and you'll probably even laugh a bit at the beginning, because the secret is something that you already knew and it's something that you already put into action in your previous life, and you know what the answer is.
0:45 You know what the small little change to your schedule is that will guarantee that you will have a good day. It is a bedtime, a bedtime routine. Yeah, because, well, you probably know that a bedtime is something that will help to regulate your mood. It helps you to start to wind down. It's something that was seen in such a good light by parents that nearly every kid has a bedtime, because parents want for that routine-like and systematic sleep schedule that helps to aid in the growth of the children's cognitive capacities A bedtime.
1:28 But as we get older, somehow we think that a bedtime is no longer for adults, that's just for kids. Listen here to how wrong that is and how important a bedtime is. Listen to this Rambam, the book of Ahava, chapter 7, law 1, and I quote when the rabbis instituted blessings sorry, when the rabbis instituted prayers they also instituted blessings to be said every day, certain things like and Eluhen. The Rambam goes on to list constituted blessings to be said every day. Certain things like Asher, yotzar and Elohein. The Rambam goes on to list the first blessing that you will say of the day Kishyikanes, adon, lamitaso.
2:14 When you enter into your bedroom, lishon B'Layla, you should make the bracha of Baruch Atah Hashem and Akeinu Melech Olam. Hamapel, yechule, hamapel is the first blessing of the day. Rabbi Mordechai Schwab, one of the great mashkiachs, one of the great Talmidim of Rabbi Yurkin Lovav, always points out because the first bracha of the day is hamapil, that bracha that you make on your bed, the bedtime shema. Because how a mensch goes to sleep is how a mensch will rise to serve Hashem. If one should go to sleep without any schedule, without any blessings on his lips, without tucking himself in with a shlufkappel on his head, organizing his thoughts, forgiving people that may have harmed him, reminding himself of his obligations and his commitment to the Almighty, well then the next day that he wakes up, he's starting from scratch.
3:07 He has to renew commitments and he isn't connecting days. But when your day begins with hamapil and your bedtime routine a bit of chamomile tea, bring it to the bed, grab a nice rehearse, collected writings or whichever book you would enjoy reading, something with a piece of wisdom that connects you to Hashem. And then you finish with Hamapil, hashem. Please lay me down to rest for a peaceful night and let me wake up tomorrow refreshed. Well then, when you open your eyes again, you're in your routine, you're ready to roll and you can be best assured that you will be putting your best foot forward to have a great day.
3:52 Say I'm my pill, get a bedtime and have a bedtime routine. That's a great way to have a great day, thank you.