30 Dec PARSHAS VAYECHI: THE MINHAG OF VACHT NACHT

The angel who
redeemed me from
all evil should bless
the children and
may my name be
called in them, and
the names of my
fathers Avraham and Yitzchak, and may
they multiply like fish in the midst of the
land. Bereishis 48:16
The practice of having a vach nacht in the
evening prior to a baby’s bris milah has
become much more popular during the
past few decades. Despite this, very few
people, including those who observe this
minhag, know its origins or fully
understand its purpose. In addition, there
are several halachic issues connected to
the practice to discuss.
The Minhag and Its Different Names
and Reasons
Among Ashkenazim, there are two
Yiddish terms for this custom: vach nacht
and vacht nacht, meaning “awake night”
and “night of watching.” Sephardim refer
to it as brit Yitzchak, as Yitzchak was the

first baby to have a bris at eight days.
No matter the name, there are three
primary aspects of the minhag. The Zohar
(Lech Lecha 1:90b), which is the oldest
explicit source for the custom, relates that
talmidei chachmim had the practice of
learning with the baby the night before
the bris milah. Indeed, this passage is
often read or learned in the presence of
the baby at the vach nacht. Additionally,
the Bris Avos (Leil Shimurim 13) as well
as the Otzar HaBris write that one should
invite small children to the home and
have them recite pesukim. Finally, food
or treats are distributed to the children (or
other guests) who partake in the
festivities.
Each aspect of the minhag has a different
purpose and is based on different Torah
concepts. First, the Gemara (Eruvin 19a)
and the midrash (Bereishis Rabbah 45:8)
relate that Avraham Avinu rescues those
who have a bris milah from falling into
Gehenom. The Matteh Moshe (Hilchos
Milah) and the Ta’amei HaMinhagim
both write that because milah is a great

zechus for the baby, the Satan
does whatever he can to try to
prevent the milah from taking
place. Moreover, the best way to
ward off the Satan is by learning
Torah in the presence of the
baby, as the Gemara (Shabbos
30a) teaches that learning Torah
helps keep the Malach HaMavess
at bay, and the Gemara (Bava
Basra 16a) also teaches that the Malach
HaMavess and the Satan are one and the
same.
Thus, this is the reason for adults to learn
Torah around the baby: to protect it from
the powers of the Satan that wishes to
prevent the bris. Similarly, the Likutei
Maharich (Seder Milah) cites the Gemara
(Berachos 5a) that one who recited Kriyas
Shema Al HaMitah is considered as if he
is holding a double-edged sword to fight
off mazikin. We therefore also have
children recite Shema in the presence of
the baby to help ward off any mazikin.
Based on this, the Sefer Zocher HaBris
(3:4) writes that there is no need for a
vach nacht on Shabbos, since Shabbos
itself serves to protect against the Satan.
Second, the Siddur Beis Yaakov of Rav
Yaakov Emden explains that the
purpose of the minhag is to increase the
kedusha around the baby prior to the
performance of the bris. This is another
reason why we bring children into the
room, as Chazal teach that the words of
Torah spoken by the mouths of children,
who have never truly sinned, are of the
ultimate level of holiness and purity.
Third, we wish to enhance the milah by
performing it with the greatest amount
of fanfare possible. This motivation
explains why we give out food or treats,
as we are encouraging greater
celebration for the mitzvah.
An Idolatrous Practice or a Seudas
Mitzvah?
The Rema (Y.D. 178:3), in his discussion
on practices prohibited due to chukas
akum, mentions that the custom some
people have of placing food on the table
the night before a child’s bris milah is
forbidden. This prohibition stems from
the fact that the practice mirrors a form
of avodah zarah mentioned in
Yeshayahu (65:11). However, the Shach
(6) writes that the custom of a vach
nacht is not problematic. The Rema was
only forbidding the practice of setting a
table with food that is not eaten, as this
resembles an avodah zarah practice of

offering food to a deity. It is certainly
permitted, though, to have an actual
seudah where people eat in honor of the
baby and upcoming milah.
Commenting on the Shach, the Dagul
Mervava references the Gemara (Bava
Kamma 80a), which refers to a seudah
called yeshua haben. Rabbeinu Tam (Tos.
s.v. L’Vei) points out that this meal was to
thank Hashem for the baby surviving
childbirth. While many understand this as
an early source for a shalom zachor, the
Dagul Mervavah posits that this seudah
likely took place the night before the
milah, which would place the origins for
a vach nacht in the Gemara itself.
The Pischei Teshuvah quotes a number of
authorities who write that while the Shach
endorses the practice of a vach nacht and
writes that there is no problem of chuka
akum, nevertheless it does not necessarily
rise to the level of a seudas mitzvah.
Indeed, this is a machlokes among early
poskim. Whether or not a vach nacht is
considered a seudas mitzvah would
determine if one could serve meat during
the Nine Days. Similarly, the Shulchan
Aruch (Y.D. 217) refers to one who takes
a neder not to eat meat outside his own
home except at a seudas mitzvah, and
thus this question would determine if a
person who took such a neder could
participate.
The Nachalas Shiva (2:11) cites the
Maharam Mintz (109), who rules that the
seudah eaten with the giving of sivlonos
(pre-wedding gifts) is a seudas mitzvah,
and the Nachalas Shiva himself suggests
that similarly the seudah on the night
before a bris milah is also a seudas
mitzvah. This is a questionable
comparison, though, as the Maharam
Mintz considers it a seudas mitzvah
because of the mitzvah to give sivlonos
and not just because of the anticipation of
the wedding. Indeed, the Magen Avraham
(640:13) cites the Nachalas Shiva and
disagrees, concluding that it is not a
seudas mitzvah. This is the psak of the
Mishna Berura (551:62) as well.