1
Before you begin
Forgive
Letting go of the day
Before sleep, we let go of every hurt. The siddur opens the Bedtime Shema with a declaration of forgiveness for anyone who wronged us — and a prayer for our own mistakes.
Where it comes from
Siddur — Bedtime ShemaLater Tradition
The prayer of forgiveness is printed at the start of the Bedtime Shema in most siddurim.
How
- Sit on your bed, or stand beside it.
- Think of anyone who hurt you today. Say the words below and let it go.
What to say
Master of the universe, I forgive
רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם הֲרֵינִי מוֹחֵל לְכָל־מִי שֶׁהִכְעִיס וְהִקְנִיט אוֹתִי אוֹ שֶׁחָטָא כְנֶגְדִּי בֵּין בְּגוּפִי בֵּין בְּמָמוֹנִי בֵּין בִּכְבוֹדִי בֵּין בְּכָל־אֲשֶׁר לִי בֵּין בְּאוֹנֶס בֵּין בְּרָצוֹן בֵּין בְּשׁוֹגֵג בֵּין בְּמֵזִיד בֵּין בְּדִבּוּר בֵּין בְּמַעֲשֶׂה בֵּין בְּמַחֲשָׁבָה בֵּין בְּהַרְהוֹר בֵּין בְּגִלְגּוּל זֶה בֵּין בְּגִלְגּוּל אַחֵר לְכָל־בַּר יִשְׂרָאֵל וְלֹא יֵעָנֵשׁ שׁוּם אָדָם בְּסִבָּתִי.
Say itRibono shel olam, hareini mochel l’chol mi she’hich’is v’hiknit oti, o shechata k’negdi — bein b’gufi, bein b’mamoni, bein bichvodi, bein b’chol asher li; bein b’ones, bein b’ratzon; bein b’shogeg, bein b’meizid; bein b’dibur, bein b’ma’aseh; bein b’machshavah, bein b’hirhur; bein b’gilgul zeh, bein b’gilgul acher — l’chol bar Yisrael, v’lo ye’anesh shum adam b’sibati.
Master of the universe, I hereby forgive anyone who angered or provoked me, or who wronged me — whether against my body, my property, my honor, or anything of mine; whether by force or willingly, by accident or on purpose, in word or in deed, in thought or in imagination, in this life or in another — every Jew. May no one be punished because of me.
And for myself
יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶיךָ יְהוָה אֱלֹהַי וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתַי שֶׁלֹּא אֶחֱטָא עוֹד וּמַה־שֶּׁחָטָאתִי לְפָנֶיךָ מְחוֹק בְּרַחֲמֶיךָ הָרַבִּים אֲבָל לֹא עַל־יְדֵי יִסּוּרִים וָחֳלָיִים רָעִים. יִהְיוּ לְרָצוֹן אִמְרֵי־פִי וְהֶגְיוֹן לִבִּי לְפָנֶיךָ יְהוָה צוּרִי וְגֹאֲלִי.
Say itY’hi ratzon mil’fanecha, Adonai Elohai v’Elohei avotai, shelo echeta od, umah shechatati l’fanecha m’chok b’rachamecha harabim, aval lo al y’dei yisurim vocholayim ra’im. Yih’yu l’ratzon imrei fi v’hegyon libi l’fanecha, Adonai tzuri v’go’ali.
May it be Your will, Lord my God and God of my fathers, that I sin no more; and whatever I have done wrong before You, erase in Your great mercy — but not through suffering or illness. May the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart be pleasing before You, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.
2
The heart of it
The Shema
Accepting Hashem as King, one last time today
The Torah says to speak these words “when you lie down and when you rise up.” We said them this morning; now we say them again before sleep.
Where it comes from
Devarim 6:7Direct Source
“…and you shall speak of them… when you lie down and when you rise up.”
Berachot 60bDirect Source
The Talmud teaches that one who goes to sleep says the Shema and the blessing Hamapil.
How
- Cover your eyes with your right hand and say the first line slowly.
- Say the second line quietly.
- Continue with the first paragraph. (Many siddurim include all three paragraphs — follow yours.)
What to say
Shema
שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ יְהוָה אֶחָד.
Say itShema Yisrael, Adonai Eloheinu, Adonai Echad.
Hear, O Israel: the Lord is our God, the Lord is One.
Quietly
בָּרוּךְ שֵׁם כְּבוֹד מַלְכוּתוֹ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד.
Say itBaruch shem k’vod malchuto l’olam va’ed.
Blessed is the name of His glorious kingdom forever and ever.
First paragraph — V’ahavta (Devarim 6:5–9)
וְאָהַבְתָּ אֵת יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ בְּכָל לְבָבְךָ וּבְכָל נַפְשְׁךָ וּבְכָל מְאֹדֶךָ. וְהָיוּ הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מְצַוְּךָ הַיּוֹם עַל לְבָבֶךָ. וְשִׁנַּנְתָּם לְבָנֶיךָ וְדִבַּרְתָּ בָּם בְּשִׁבְתְּךָ בְּבֵיתֶךָ וּבְלֶכְתְּךָ בַדֶּרֶךְ וּבְשָׁכְבְּךָ וּבְקוּמֶךָ. וּקְשַׁרְתָּם לְאוֹת עַל יָדֶךָ וְהָיוּ לְטֹטָפֹת בֵּין עֵינֶיךָ. וּכְתַבְתָּם עַל מְזֻזוֹת בֵּיתֶךָ וּבִשְׁעָרֶיךָ.
Say itV’ahavta et Adonai Elohecha, b’chol l’vav’cha, uv’chol nafsh’cha, uv’chol m’odecha. V’hayu had’varim ha’eleh, asher anochi m’tzav’cha hayom, al l’vavecha. V’shinantam l’vanecha, v’dibarta bam, b’shivt’cha b’veitecha, uv’lecht’cha vaderech, uv’shochb’cha uv’kumecha. Uk’shartam l’ot al yadecha, v’hayu l’totafot bein einecha. Uch’tavtam al m’zuzot beitecha uvish’arecha.
And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be upon your heart. Teach them to your children, and speak of them when you sit in your house and when you walk on the way, when you lie down and when you rise up. Bind them as a sign upon your hand, and they shall be a reminder between your eyes. And write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
3
Asking for protection
Verses for the night
Surrounded on every side
A few short verses ask Hashem to guard us through the night — and to bless our children.
Where it comes from
Tehillim 90:17Direct Source
Moshe’s prayer: “May the pleasantness of the Lord our God be upon us.”
Bereishit 48:16Direct Source
Yaakov’s blessing for his grandchildren: “The angel who redeemed me…”
Siddur — Bedtime ShemaLater Tradition
“In the name of the Lord… Michael at my right…” is printed in the siddur’s Bedtime Shema.
How
- Say each one slowly. Many say Hamalach Hagoel three times — and over their children.
What to say
Vihi No’am (Tehillim 90:17)
וִיהִי נֹעַם אֲדֹנָי אֱלֹהֵינוּ עָלֵינוּ וּמַעֲשֵׂה יָדֵינוּ כּוֹנְנָה עָלֵינוּ וּמַעֲשֵׂה יָדֵינוּ כּוֹנְנֵהוּ.
Say itVihi no’am Adonai Eloheinu aleinu, uma’aseh yadeinu kon’nah aleinu, uma’aseh yadeinu kon’neihu.
May the pleasantness of the Lord our God be upon us; establish the work of our hands for us — establish the work of our hands.
Hamalach Hagoel (Bereishit 48:16)
הַמַּלְאָךְ הַגֹּאֵל אֹתִי מִכָּל רָע יְבָרֵךְ אֶת הַנְּעָרִים וְיִקָּרֵא בָהֶם שְׁמִי וְשֵׁם אֲבֹתַי אַבְרָהָם וְיִצְחָק וְיִדְגּוּ לָרֹב בְּקֶרֶב הָאָרֶץ.
Say itHamalach hago’el oti mikol ra, y’varech et han’arim, v’yikarei vahem sh’mi v’shem avotai Avraham v’Yitzchak, v’yidgu larov b’kerev ha’aretz.
May the angel who redeemed me from all harm bless the children; may my name be called upon them, and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac, and may they grow into a multitude in the land.
B’shem Hashem
בְּשֵׁם יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מִימִינִי מִיכָאֵל וּמִשְּׂמֹאלִי גַּבְרִיאֵל וּמִלְּפָנַי אוּרִיאֵל וּמֵאֲחוֹרַי רְפָאֵל וְעַל רֹאשִׁי שְׁכִינַת אֵל.
Say itB’shem Adonai Elohei Yisrael: mimini Michael, umis’moli Gavriel, umil’fanai Uriel, ume’achorai Refael, v’al roshi Sh’chinat El.
In the name of the Lord, God of Israel: at my right, Michael; at my left, Gabriel; before me, Uriel; behind me, Raphael; and above my head, the Presence of God.
B’yado Afkid Ruchi (from Adon Olam)
בְּיָדוֹ אַפְקִיד רוּחִי בְּעֵת אִישַׁן וְאָעִירָה. וְעִם רוּחִי גְּוִיָּתִי יְהוָה לִי וְלֹא אִירָא.
Say itB’yado afkid ruchi, b’et ishan v’a’irah. V’im ruchi g’viyati, Adonai li v’lo ira.
Into His hand I entrust my spirit, when I sleep and when I wake. And with my spirit, my body too — the Lord is with me; I will not fear.
4
The last words of the day
Hamapil
Thanking Hashem for sleep
The blessing over sleep — that we may lie down in peace and rise up in peace. It is the last thing we say before falling asleep.
Where it comes from
Berachot 60bDirect Source
The Talmud gives the blessing “who makes the bonds of sleep fall upon my eyes.”
How
- Say it in bed, when you are ready to sleep.
- Common practice: say Hamapil last and don’t speak after it. (Some siddurim print it at the beginning — follow yours.)
What to say
Hamapil
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם הַמַּפִּיל חֶבְלֵי שֵׁנָה עַל עֵינָי וּתְנוּמָה עַל עַפְעַפָּי. וִיהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶיךָ יְהוָה אֱלֹהַי וֵאלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתַי שֶׁתַּשְׁכִּיבֵנִי לְשָׁלוֹם וְתַעֲמִידֵנִי לְשָׁלוֹם וְאַל יְבַהֲלוּנִי רַעְיוֹנַי וַחֲלוֹמוֹת רָעִים וְהַרְהוֹרִים רָעִים וּתְהֵא מִטָּתִי שְׁלֵמָה לְפָנֶיךָ וְהָאֵר עֵינַי פֶּן אִישַׁן הַמָּוֶת כִּי אַתָּה הַמֵּאִיר לְאִישׁוֹן בַּת עָיִן. בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה יְהוָה הַמֵּאִיר לָעוֹלָם כֻּלּוֹ בִּכְבוֹדוֹ.
Say itBaruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha’olam, hamapil chevlei sheinah al einai, ut’numah al af’apai. Vihi ratzon mil’fanecha, Adonai Elohai v’Elohei avotai, shetashkiveini l’shalom v’ta’amideini l’shalom, v’al y’vahaluni ra’yonai vachalomot ra’im v’hirhurim ra’im, ut’hei mitati sh’leimah l’fanecha, v’ha’er einai pen ishan hamavet, ki atah hame’ir l’ishon bat ayin. Baruch atah Adonai, hame’ir la’olam kulo bichvodo.
Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who makes the bonds of sleep fall upon my eyes and slumber upon my eyelids. May it be Your will, Lord my God and God of my fathers, that You lay me down in peace and raise me up in peace. Let my thoughts not trouble me, nor bad dreams or bad imaginings; may my bed be whole before You. Give light to my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death — for You give light to the pupil of the eye. Blessed are You, Lord, who gives light to the whole world in His glory.
With children
Short version for little ones: the first line of the Shema (eyes covered), then Hamalach Hagoel. Many parents say it with their children every night — a beautiful way to end the day.
Hebrew text: Siddur Ashkenaz (the Metsudah Siddur, 1981), via Sefaria, CC-BY. Transliteration and English: The Mitzvah Movement. Order and wording differ slightly between siddurim (Ashkenaz, Sefard, Chabad, Sephardic) — follow your own. This page contains the Divine Name; if you print it, please treat it respectfully and place it in genizah when no longer needed.
