Sefer Yalkut Naftali states that Rav Naftali Tzvi of Ropshitz zy”a would say, “When I was young and wanted to get up early to serve Hashem, the yeitzer hara would speak to me in a compassionate voice and say, ‘Naftali, what’s the rush? It’s still dark outside. It’s cold. Go back to sleep for a few more minutes!’
“I would yell at him, ‘You are already awake and you have already started your work for the day. So why are you telling me to go back to sleep?”
Early Morning is a Time for Tefillah:
Sefer Otzar Yisroel (Ziditchoiv, Ois 1) relates that the Ateres Tzvi of Ziditchoiv zy”a said, “In the early morning hours of a cold, winter day, a Jew can ask Hashem for anything, just like on Yom Kippur by Neilah!”
Rising Early Atones for Sins:
The Ateres Tzvi of Ziditchoiv zy”a (Sefer Sur M’Rah) said, “In our times, there is no bigger segulah to rectify sins than to get up early in the morning.”
The Sefer Charedim writes: “Your children are holy amongst the nations. They are moser nefesh like Olos and Shelamim for Your desire to remove sleep from their fluttering eyes.” The Yitav Panim (Or Hamakif, Ois 12) explains that when one pushes away sleep in order to learn Torah, it is a form of mesiras nefesh, as Rashi states (Chulin 120A) that the word “nefesh” connotes something the body desires. When one pushes away such desires for the sake of Hashem, it is mesiras nefesh.
Morning Joy:
The pasuk in Shir Hashirim (8:2) states: “I sleep and my heart is awake.”
The Yismach Moshe zy”a (Parshas Shemos) explains that one should rise from bed in the middle of the night with much joy and yearning to serve Hashem. One should imagine how he would feel if he were hired by a human king to make a crown for him, and he knew that he had the ability to make one in a beautiful way, which will bring great happiness to the king and lead to him becoming very close to him. Of course, he would joyfully get up early to work on the crown. He wouldn’t let his desire for sleep obstruct his work. If it were raining or snowing, he wouldn’t let the inclement weather stand in his way.
Through serving Hashem, we are making a Divine crown for Him to wear. Therefore, we certainly should wake up early with much joy to serve Him.
Kriyas Shema K’Vasikin:
The Tur (Orech Chaim 58) writes in regards to Kriyas Shema: “It is a mitzvah min hamuvchar to say it k’vasikin, meaning to recite it slightly before sunrise, so that one completes it and its brachos as the sun rises and begins tefillah (Shemonah Esrei) at sunrise. If one is able to do this, he will be greatly rewarded and he is assured of a portion in Olam Haba, and he will come to no harm all day.”
Tefillah at Sunrise:
Sefer Tzavaas HaRivash (Hanahagos Yesharos 16) states: “One should accustom himself to getting up at midnight or, at the very least, one should make sure to daven both in the winter and in the summer before sunrise, meaning that most of the tefillah, until Kriyas Shema, should be before sunrise. The difference between davening before sunrise and after is as great as the distance between east and west because at that time one can still annul all judgments.
“When the sun comes out, all pronouncements are made, both for the good and for the bad. Before the pronouncement is made, decrees can be cancelled. This is hinted to in the verse (Tehillim 19:6): ‘And it is like a groom coming out of his chuppah... and none is hidden from its heat (m’chamaso).’ Do not read it as ‘m’chamaso’; rather, read it ‘m’cheimaso (from its anger). In other words, once the sun comes out, and one can no longer hide from the angels of anger. Therefore, this thing should not be small in your eyes because it is very big.”
The Benefit of Davening Vasikin:
The Komarna Rebbe (Sefer Heichal Bracha, Parshas Lech Lecha) writes that the Baal Shem Tov zy”a was accustomed to daven at Neitz Hachama. He adds, “One who is able to daven at sunrise with a minyan will experience an illumination of the mind and his prayers will break through all worlds like a burning fire.”
He further states (Parshas Vayeirah): “Therefore, one should try as much as he can to daven k’vasikin.”
