07 Jun REMAINING AWAKE ON SHAVUOS NIGHT

There is a
widespread custom
to remain awake
on Shavuos night
to learn Torah. This
custom spawns
many halachic
queries. Why should
we stay up learning on
Shavuos night? What
should be learned?
Should one learn the tikun leil Shavuos?
How do we deal with washing hands,
birchas hashachar, birchas hatorah, and
other halachos which can come up on this
wonderful night?
Remaining Awake and Reasons
It is the custom of most of klal yisroel to
remain awake the entire night of Shavuos
and learn Torah. One reason is that klal
yisroel were sleeping the night before the
acceptance of the Torah, and Hashem had
to awake them in order to accept the Torah.
Therefore, we have to rectify that by
remaining awake. Some say that one who
stays awake on Shavuos night and learns
Torah the entire time is guaranteed that he
will live out his year and suffer no harm.
Others guarantee a blessing for children
who are scholarly and other benefits. Some
say that one should be careful and not sleep
even a bit at night. Many say that it is very
beneficial to nap on Erev Shavuos in order
to remain awake on Shavuos night. In
order to learn the most time possible, one
should go to the bais medrash immediately
after the seuda.
Staying Awake Part of the Night
Although many have the custom to remain
awake the night of Shavuos, many do not
have the strength to do so. The same is true
for people who feel that if they are awake
all night, they will not daven properly.
The opinion of the poskim is that there
is a point in staying up and learning any
amount of time that one can on the night
of Shavuos. If it is possible one should try
to remain awake at least most of the night,
or at least until chatzos. Those who cannot
daven properly without a proper amount
of sleep do not have to remain awake on
Shavuos night. Some say that even if one
will be able to learn more hours by day,
he should still remain awake on Shavuos
night.
Children
There is no need for a child to remain
awake the entire Shavuos night, but if he
wishes to do so he may. Children who
disturb the adults from learning should not

be brought to shul.
Actions
Since remaining awake the entire night
is of extreme importance, one should be
careful not to sit idly around and engage
in mindless chitchat or frivolity. One who
does so would be better off to go to sleep.
The learning should be done with great joy.
Second Night – Chutz L’aretz
Some poskim bring the custom to remain
awake learning Torah the second night of
Shavuos as well as the first. Some explain
that there is an opinion that holds the Torah
was given on the seventh day of Sivan. The
custom of most people is to only remain
awake the first night, but one should still
learn a bit on the second night.
Tikun Leil Shavuos or Other Topics
The custom of many people is to recite
tikun leil Shavuos on the night of Shavuos.
There are many reasons given for this.
There is a well-known story involving the
Dubner Maggid and his rebbe the G’ra. On
Shavuos night, the G’ra recited the tikun
leil Shavuos, and the Dubner Maggid
started learning other things. The Gr’a
asked him, “Why are you not reciting the
tikun?” True to form, the Dubner Maggid
responded with a parable. “There was
once a young married boy who was not
learning. His father in-law decided not to
support him anymore, and told him to go
to work. The son-in-law asked him how

he is supposed to earn a living. The father-
in-law advised him go to other merchants

to see how they sell their goods, and you
should do the same. The son-in-law went to
the market and saw signs hanging on top of
the stores advertising their wares. He hung
signs at his own establishment, but did not

stock merchandise in the store. The father-
in-law said, “You fool! This is not how you

sell merchandise. If you only have a sign
then you will not make any money.” The
tikun only contains the first and last part of
every parsha and Mishnah; it is like a sign
which advertises merchandise. Since you
(the Rebbe) have the entire Torah inside
you can learn the tikun and show a sample
of the Torah that you have. I have no Torah
inside me. Therefore, I need to learn to get
as much merchandise as possible”.
Some say the tikun should be said with a
minyan; however, others say the custom is
that each one says it himself. Some say the
tikun was made for people who do not know
how to learn. Many people do not learn the
tikun leil Shavuos but learn whatever their
heart desires. Those who have the custom

to say the tikun should do so
before learning other things. One
should keep his custom regarding
saying the tikun. Some say that
one should make Torah Sheba’al
Peh his main focus on the night
of Shavuos.
Halachos Applicable
Throughout the Night
Drinking Coffee –Many people
drink coffee or tea in order to
remain awake during the night.
When making a beracha on the first cup he
should have in mind that this beracha will
exempt any other beverage that he will
drink throughout the night (in the same
bais
medrash), and at the end of the night one
should drink a shiur that would require
a beracha achrona (approx 3.5 ounces).
Others say that one should recite a boreh
nefashos after each cup (if one drank
enough coffee in the allotted time) and
recite another beracha on any additional
coffee or tea. The custom of most people
is like the first opinion.
Eating and Drinking Until When?
The Gemorah prohibits eating and drinking
before davening based on a posuk which
states, “You shall not eat over the blood.”
One of the interpretations given for this is
that one should not eat before davening for
his blood. The Gemorah further states that
eating and drinking before reciting krias
shema is an act of haughtiness. Tending
to one’s own physical well being before
fulfilling his obligation to declare malchus
shomayim is tantamount to declaring that
Hashem’s sovereignty over the world is
secondary.
The prohibition of eating and drinking starts
from a half-hour before alos hashachar. If
one began to eat before this time, he may
continue until alos hashachar. Some are of
the opinion that one should not eat if he
awoke after chatzos, unless it is necessary
for tefilla. Drinking is permitted according
to this view until alos hashachar.
The minhag does not seem to be in
accordance with this opinion, and one may
eat after chatzos.
Learning Mikra at Night
Many people get tired of learning Gemorah
all night and want to learn portions of the
Torah. Is this permitted?
The Medrash says that Moshe Rabbeinu
knew it was day when Hashem taught him
mikra and knew it was night when Hashem

taught him the Mishnah and Gemorah.
Some say we see from here that one should
not read mikra at night. Additionally,
based on the writings of kabbalah, one
should not say mikra at night. Some say
the reason is because learning mikrah at
night arouses the midah of din. One who
does read mikrah at night did not do any
issur. If one read the pesukim with targum
there is certainly no problem.
Many poskim say that reading tehillim is
permitted and is not included in this inyan
at all. Others only permit this after chatzos.
Some say that it is permitted to read a
posuk for rachamim (and not limud).
It is permitted to be maaver sedra at
night if one reads a commentary with the
pesukim. A chumash shiur may be given at
night since one is explaining the words and
not just reading them. Reciting pesukim at
a vacht nacht is permitted. One may say
mikrah on leil Shabbos, Motzei Shabbos,
leil Yom Tov, leil Chol Hamoed, and leil
Yom Kippur. One is permitted to recite
pesukim which are customarily recited at
krias shema al hamittah since they have to
do with the nighttime. A ba’al koreh may
prepare for laining at night. One who has a
seder halimud every day in t’nach and did
not finish learning before night may finish
the seder at night. Some permit saying
mikra during bein ha’shmashos.
Learning without a Chavrusa
Most people prefer to learn with a
chavrusa all night long on Shavuos night,
while others learn alone. The Gemorah
says that one should not learn alone. This
concept is brought in halacha as well.
Some say that this applies only when there
were no seforim or commentaries to help
in understanding the Gemorah. However,
since today there are many seforim and
commentaries, there is nothing wrong with
learning alone. One who will learn better
without a chavrusa is permitted to learn
alone. In Eretz Yisroel one can learn alone
according to all opinions because the air of
Eretz Yisroel makes a person smart.