Monday, November 10, 2014

Skip Hamapil?

I am about to say Hamapil but am not sure that I should:-).

 Many people have the custom not to say Hamapil even though it is clearly mandated by the gemara and shulchan aruch without any opposing views. Both some Litvacks and Chasidim don't say it. The Chasidic reason is based on the practice of the Baal Shem Tov and the source is Kabbalastic [I heard מפי כ"ק מרן אדמו"ר שליט"א as I was once walking by his side in the old city]. A non-chasidic reason is that the rabbis after the closing of the talmud [רבנן סבוראי] had us saying ברוך השם לעולם in maariv which includes many psukei emuah such as בידך אפקיד רוחי which obviated the need to say Hamapil.

[Rav Soloveitchik - see Nefesh Harav Page 153]

Lailah tov:-)