In Jewish homes everywhere, the children are put to sleep with a song. And there are endless variations on the custom. In some homes, it’s the classic “Shema” and “Hamalach HaGo’el.” In other homes, there is a whole playlist, and little Moishie’s gonna be really upset if you miss one.
And it’s not a new thing. The Steipler Gaon had a niggun—a melody—that he sang to his son Reb Chaim every night at bedtime, and Reb Chaim used that same niggun on his own children. Why do we put our kids to sleep with songs?
Hashem is bocher b’shirei zimrah—He chooses songs of praise. But whose praise? The Gemara in Chagiga tells us that the malachim sing constantly — that is, until it’s time for the Yidden to sing. When it’s our turn, the angels quiet down and stop to listen. How are human songs different from angelic songs?
Well, I’ve never heard angels sing (except on Purim), but I can tell you something about earthly music: You can’t make a song from a monotone. It goes up. It goes down. There are parts that build tension, create dissonance, and evoke anticipation. There are clashes and key changes. There are moments of sudden change. But without the climb and the uncertainty, you never get to the resolution: the part where it all comes together. Where the melody finally makes sense.
That’s what we’re teaching our kids when we sing them to sleep. Life has highs and lows. Hard days and easy ones. But it’s all part of the song. And Hashem is listening. Music teaches children (and adults) how to live. With joy. With trust. With the knowledge that even when things feel uncertain, there’s a melody holding it all together.
This article was found in Nekuda Tova Issue 57.
