Sleeping alone-The restriction against sleeping alone in a room or home

Sleeping alone-The restriction against sleeping alone in a room or home:[1]

A. The prohibition:

The Talmud[2] states that it is forbidden to sleep alone in a home and whoever sleeps alone in a home is grasped by Lilith, and so is recorded in the Poskim[3], that it is forbidden to sleep alone in a home.

B. Who:

Women versus men:[4] The above restriction against sleeping alone in the home applies to both women and men.

To avoid Yichud:[5] It is permitted for a man or woman to sleep alone in his room and not open the door in order to avoid the prohibition of Yichud, as one who guards a Mitzvah will know no evil.

Children:[6] Children are not to sleep alone in a room.

Sleeping with infant:[7] One who sleeps in a room even with a one-day old child, is not considered to be sleeping alone.

Gentile:[8] If one sleeps alone with a gentile in the room, it is questionable whether it is considered to be sleeping alone.

C. When:

Night versus day:[9] The above adherence only applies during nighttime, however, during daytime there is no need to beware against sleeping alone in a home.

Light on in room:[10] The above restriction only applies to a completely dark room, however, if there is a light on in the room then it does not apply. [This applies even if the light is coming in from the outside, such as through a window. It suffices even if the light is from the moon.[11] Hence to avoid the prohibition against sleeping alone in a room, one is to simply open the shades to allow the street light to enter, or is to turn on a night light in the room, and the like.]

D. The type of home that the restriction applies to:

Zohar-Lone home versus neighborhood:[12] According to the Zohar[13], the above restriction only applies in a lone home, which refers to a home that is not within a neighborhood, but is rather a random home in the woods. However, there is no restriction to be alone in a home that is next to other homes such as in a typical neighborhood. According to this approach, the above Talmudic restriction is almost never applicable today and only applies to one who rents a loan cabin in the wilderness, or goes camping by himself in a secluded area.[14] Some Poskim[15] conclude like this opinion of the Zohar. Other Poskim[16], however, negate its ruling, and practically one is to be stringent, as is the plain understanding of the Poskim who omit this ruling of the Zohar. Furthermore, some Poskim[17] understand the Zohar to not be referring at all to one who sleeps alone in a home, in which case even they agree that the restriction applies to any home even in a neighborhood, and rather the Zohar refers to staying alone in a lone home even when one is awake, and is thus adding a new restriction to not be alone even awake in a home in a deserted area. Other Poskim[18] understand the Zohar to limit the restriction to a lone home only during daytime, while at night, it applies to all homes.

Home versus room:[19] Some Poskim[20] rule that the above adherence against sleeping alone in a home, applies even to a mere room, and hence one is not to sleep alone in a room even if there are other people in the house, in other rooms. Accordingly one should try to have another person sleep with him in the room when he is there alone.[21] Other Poskim[22], however, learn that this adherence applies only to one who is alone in a home, however, there is no issue with being alone in a room if there are other people in the house. So is also implied from the Zoharic ruling brought above. Practically, the custom of the world is to be lenient in this.[23] Nonetheless, if one needs to sleep alone in a room with other people around in the house, then he should at the very least leave the door open to the other rooms of the house.[24] [It is questionable whether the intent of the above is to literally leave the door open, or to simply leave the door unlocked. Practically, one may be lenient in this matter to leave the door closed but unlocked.[25] Nonetheless, some are stringent to leave the door ajar.[26]]

Home with a Mezuzah or Sefer:[27] The above adherence applies even to a room that contains a mezuzah or a Sefer, nevertheless one is not to sleep there alone at night.

Sukkah:[28] It is permitted for one to sleep alone in a Sukkah, as one who performs a Mitzvah will know no evil.

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[1] See Shabbos 151b; Admur Hilchos Shemiras Haguf Vihanefesh Halacha 6“It is forbidden to sleep alone in a house (at night) and whoever sleeps alone in a home (at night) is grasped by Lilis”; Sdei Chemed Mareches Shin 85; Kaf Hachaim O.C. 239:17; Y.D. 116:49; Piskeiy Teshuvos 239:10

[2] Rav Chanina in Shabbos 151b

[3] Admur ibid; M”A 239:7; Kneses Hagedola 116:39; Peri Chadash 116:9; Beis Lechem Yehuda 116:9; Chochmas Adam 68:4; M”B 239:9; Shaar Hatziyon 339:17; Sdei Chemed Mareches Shin 85; Kaf Hachaim O.C. 239:17; Y.D. 116:49; Semag Asei 79; Rif; Rosh; Tochachas Chaim 1:4

[4] Shaar Hatziyon 339:17; Kaf Hachaim O.C. 239:17; See however Ashel Avraham Butchach who leaves this matter in question

[5] Shaar Hatziyon 339:17

[6] Piskeiy Teshuvos ibid

[7] Ohalecha Biamsecha 12:16

[8] Ohalecha Biamsecha 12:16

[9] Admur ibid “Balayla” in parentheses twice; Kuntrus Achron 2; Rosh Shabbos 23:13; Rif Shabbos 65b; Yerushalmi Shabbos 2:6; Peri Chadash 116:9; Machatzis Hashekel 239:7; M”B ibid; Sdei Chemed ibid; Kaf Hachaim O.C. 239:17

Other opinions: Some Poskim rule that the restriction against sleeping alone applies likewise during the day. [Ruach Chaim 239] This is likewise the ruling of the Zohar regarding a lone home that the restriction applies even during daytime. [Zohar ibid, brought in Kaf Hachaim O.C. 239:17 and Y.D. Ibid]

[10] Admur ibid Kuntrus Achron 2 “Specifically in a dark room is there an issue”; Peri Chadash 116:9; Yerushalmi Shabbos 2:6; Pnei Moshe ibid; Mizmor Ledavid p. 111b; Ashel Avraham Butchach based on Brachos 43b; Daas Torah 239; Poskim in Darkei Teshuvah Y.D. 116:66; Sdei Chemed ibid; Kaf Hachaim O.C. 239:17 and Y.D. Ibid; Doveiv Meisharim 1:79; Betzel Hachochmah 4:76; Beir Moshe 3:45; Az Nidbaru 6:50; Orchos Rabbeinu 1:98 in name of Chazon Ish and Steipler; Piskeiy Teshuvos ibid

Other opinions: Some Poskim rule that the restriction against sleeping alone applies likewise during the day. [Ruach Chaim 239] According to this opinion, the restriction should apply even if there is light in the room. Likewise, according to the Zohar who prohibits a lone home even during daytime, the prohibition should apply even if a light is left on. [Doveiv Meisharim ibid, however, see Ashel Avraham ibid]

[11] Ashel Avraham ibid; Kaf Hachaim O.C. 239:17

[12] See Sdei Chemed ibid; Kaf Hachaim ibid; Doveiv Meisharim 1:79; Chelkas Yaakov 1:57; Piskeiy Teshuvos ibid

[13] Parshas Tazria p. 45

[14] Binyan Olam Y.D. 62; Ohalecha Beamasecha 12:16; Piskeiy Teshuvos ibid

[15] Tziporen Shamir 107

[16] Kaf Hachaim Y.D. ibid as is implication of all Poskim who write the restriction applies to even a room within the home

[17] Sdei Chemed ibid

[18] Kaf Hachaim O.C. 239:17

[19] See Sdei Chemed ibid

[20] M”A 239:7 in name of Maharil; Likkutim in end of Drashos Maharil; Kneses Hagedola ibid; M”B ibid; Shaar Hatziyon ibid; Sdei Chemed ibid; Kaf Hachaim O.C. 239:17

[21] Maharil ibid that so he would do

[22] Yifei Laleiv p. 173 in name of Sefer Haosiyos by Rav Moshe Ashkenazi; Ruach Chaim 239; Opinion brought in Sdei Chemed ibid

[23] Shaar Hatziyon 339:17

[24] Shaar Hatziyon 339:17

[25] Chelkas Yaakov 1:57; Shearim Hemetzuyanim Behalacha 71:2

[26] Orchos Rabbeinu 3:227; Piskeiy Teshuvos ibid

[27] Kaf Hachaim O.C. 239:17

Other opinions: Some Poskim permit sleeping alone in a home or room that contains a Mezuzah. [Ashel Avraham Butchach]

[28] Maaseh Rav 221; Piskeiy Teshuvos ibid