Napping in the Jewish Tradition 2
What happens after nirtzah?
Hope everyone enjoyed their Passover and Easter! Our Passover was filled with lots of food, and lots of time in synagogue.
When it comes to the issue of napping, we have a very important question regarding Passover: why would this day be any different than all other days? Specifically, the idea of napping during services. Rabbi Evan has spoken of what it’s like from a Rabbi’s perspective. But we haven’t discussed it from the congregant’s perspective (yet).
I bring this up because over Passover, we had two very late dinners due to the Seder. That meant that for services the next morning(s), I was especially tired. Now, it doesn’t take much to put me in a position to nap — and synagogue is definitely not an exception. Basically, if I’m not actively moving around, and there is any semblance of a white noise atmosphere (say, people all praying in a slightly audible tone), you can pretty much count of me gearing up for a nap. Then the only question is, do I let those feelings wash over me, or fight them?
On any given Saturday morning or holiday, you can be sure I am not fighting the fight. I may be strategic about it, usually by waiting for an elongated time that we are sitting, to maximize length of nap. But when those eyes are getting heavy, and that white noise is getting whiter, there’s only one thing left to do: pretend to be concentrating intently, and try not to snore.