Sleeping or Studying on Shabbat
This question and answer were automatically translated using our trained AI and have not yet been reviewed by a qualified rabbi. Please treat this translation with caution.
go to original →
Question
Hello Rabbi, A person who feels tired on Shabbat afternoon and is considering taking a nap, what is more commendable — to sleep with the intention of enjoying Shabbat or to force oneself to stay awake and engage in Torah study?
Answer
Hello Rabbi,
There is a mitzvah to enjoy Shabbat, including physical pleasures, and certainly a mitzvah to study.
The Rema writes (Siman 290:1) that one who is accustomed to a midday nap should not forgo this habit on Shabbat, as it is a form of Shabbat enjoyment.
However, the Rema also writes (Siman 290:2) that a Torah scholar who engages in study all week should indulge more in physical pleasures on Shabbat. In contrast, one who does not study all week should increase their enjoyment through Torah study.
The Mishnah Berurah adds that certainly, even a Torah scholar should not immerse themselves solely in sleep but should enjoy more than one who is not a scholar.
Source
Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim, Laws of Shabbat, Siman 290, Se'if 1
If he is accustomed to a midday nap, he should not forgo it, for it is a pleasure for him.
Nevertheless, one should not increase it excessively to avoid neglecting Torah study, even scholars who study all week should enjoy more, as indicated later in the gloss, but this does not mean they should spend the entire day in pleasures, only that they should enjoy more than other people.
Rema, Orach Chaim, Laws of Shabbat, Siman 290, Se'if 2
Workers and their families who do not engage in Torah study all week should engage more in Torah study on Shabbat than scholars who study all week, and the scholars should indulge more in eating and drinking, as they enjoy their learning all week.