June 26, 2026 Categories: Torah / Ask the Rabbi
Q & A: Staying Awake Shavuot Night
Question: Many people are accustomed to staying awake on Shavuot night and learn Torah. Is this recommended even at the expense of proper kavana during tefillah the next morning? Would it not be far better to get a good night’s rest and then learn with more fervor the next day?
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Answer: The custom to stay awake Shavuot night is an age-old minhag, and even if individuals decide not to do so, to nullify the minhag for the congregation at large would be wrong. What we do find is that many congregations have two minyanim for Shacharit on Shavuot, the first at Vatikin for those who stayed awake the entire night learning, and a second minyan at the usual time for those who did not stay awake the entire night. The concept of following a minhag can sometimes have broad halachic considerations. For example, the Mishna (Berachot 44a) cites the following dispute: “One who drinks water to quench his thirst blesses ‘She’hakol nih’yeh bidvaro’ (All was created with His utterance). R. Tarfon says ‘Borei nefashot rabbot…’ (He has created many creations and all of their needs…). R. Tarfon disputes the Tanna Kamma; now what is the resolution of this dispute? Raba b. R. Chanan (Gemara infra 45a) said to Abaye and some say [his query was directed] to R. Yosef, ‘And what is the halacha?’ The latter responded: ‘See what the people do.’” Rashi (ad loc. 45a, s.v. “mai ama devar”) explains: “[Let us see] what is the common practice of the people [in this matter]. And it has already become accepted practice [custom] to bless ‘She’hakol nih’yeh bidvaro’ prior [to one’s drinking] and ‘Borei nefashot rabbot’ after one has finished [his drink]. Thus, we see that even though it is only a minhag, such has become the accepted halacha.” Rabbi Shlomo Aviner, Rosh Yeshivat Ateret Yerushalayim (Responsa She’eilat Shlomo 1:26-27, 222) discusses this matter at length. He first cites Magen Avraham (Orach Chayyim 494; in the name of Zohar), who explains that the custom of dedicating the entire night of Shavuot to Torah study is an attempt to rectify the misdeed of the Jewish nation at the time of the giving of the Torah. When Hashem “arrived” to give them the Torah, He found them sleeping and they had to be awoken. The custom therefore developed to stay awake all night as a spiritual rectification both for our fathers’ oversleeping and, even more so, to show our true zeal for the Torah. Yet, Rabbi Aviner cautions, one should take into account that staying awake the entire night might cause a lack of proper concentration for Tefillat Shacharit. If one feels this is the case for him, then it is far better not to stay awake. To pray with proper concentration is more important than staying up all night learning, due to the fact that tefillah is clearly a time-related obligation (which would override the mitzvah of learning, which is not time-bound). Indeed, he refers to a later citation of Magen Avraham (infra, Orach Chayyim 619:s.k.11) where he again makes this very same point regarding those who have a custom of staying up all night on Yom Kippur. He warns against staying up all night on Yom Kippur if it will result in a lack of proper concentration in the day’s tefillot. Rabbi Yitzchak Ze’ev Soloveitchik, the Brisker Rav (Uvdot Ve’Hanhagot Le’Beit Brisk vol. 2, p. 79), expresses his surprise that people are so particular to stay awake the entire night of Shavuot, which is only a custom, yet on Pesach night, where there is an actual law to discuss the Exodus from Egypt until one is overcome by sleep, people are not always so careful. Indeed, in the city of Brisk, people were not meticulous in following the custom of staying awake the entire night of Shavuot. They simply did not see that night as different than any other night. One can only imagine the Torah learning on an “ordinary” night in Brisk! He also reasoned that learning on Shavuot night is not more important than learning during the day of Shavuot. In the Sefer Ha’Shakdan (vol. 2, p. 240), we see that Rabbi Yosef Shalom Elyashiv was asked by his grandson as to why Rabbi Elyashiv does not stay awake all night on Shavuot to learn Torah like others do, but rather follows his regular learning schedule of waking up at 2 a.m. to learn Torah. Rabbi Elyashiv explained that he made a calculation and found that if he changed his routine by foregoing his usual few hours of sleep on that night, not only would he not gain more learning time, but also, he would actually lose 15 minutes of learning! So as not to lose even a few precious minutes of learning Torah, he decided that it is preferable to go to sleep at the beginning of the night as usual. Each person should carefully consider if it is worthwhile for him to stay up all night since there is the concern (Avot 5:11) of “yatza secharo b’hefseido” – that the gain is offset by its loss. Nevertheless, one who wishes to remain awake learning all night, and feels he will do so without detriment to tefillah the next morning, should be aware of some pertinent halachot to be followed as morning approaches. As regards one who wore tzitzit all night, he should not recite a new blessing on it in the morning. Rather, he should try to hear the blessing said by someone who is obligated to recite it or he should have the tzitzit in mind when he recites the blessing over his tallit (Mechaber, Orach Chayyim 8:16 with Mishna Berurah s.k.42). Now, as relates to Netilat Yadayim, one should wash without a blessing, or hear it from someone who is obligated to recite it (Shulchan Aruch HaRav 4:sk13). Another option, which is preferable, is that one use the restroom and thus become obligated according to all opinions to wash Netilat Yadayim. After washing, the blessings of Al Netilat Yadayim and Asher Yatzar are recited (Mechaber, Orach Chayyim 4:13 with Mishna Berurah s.k.27, 29, 30). As relates to Elokai Neshama and Ha-Ma’avir Sheinah, the former should be recited without its concluding blessing (“hamachazir neshamot…”] and the latter should be recited sans mention of Hashem’s Name, or better yet, if at all possible, it should be heard from someone who is obligated to recite them (that is, one who has slept), since these blessings were established as a praise to Hashem for the daily restoration of our souls and the removal of sleep. When one did not sleep all night, neither of these occurred (Mishna Berurah, Orach Chayyim 47: s.k.30 and Biur Halacha). If one slept even half an hour, however, the obligation to recite these blessings does apply (Mishna Berurah Orach Chayyim 4: sk34-35 and Biur Halacha s.v. “Dovid v’chulu…”). As for Ha-notein la’Ya’ef Koach (He has given the weary renewed vigor), one should indeed recite this blessing even though he is very tired, since it was not established for the person’s individual state, but as a general praise of Hashem who created His world which includes the removal of tiredness (Mechaber, Orach Chayyim 46 with Mishna Berurah #22 and Mechaber, Orach Chayyim 47 with Mishna Berurah #28). Chassidim recite all of the morning blessings even if they remain awake all night (Shulchan Aruch HaRav 47:7 and Siddur Chabad in the laws printed before the morning blessings and blessings over learning Torah). Regarding Birkat Ha’Torah, there is a dispute as to whether these blessings should be recited in the instance where one remained awake all night. One option is that the morning before Shavuot, one make the following stipulation: “The blessings that I now recite shall be for the following day as well.” Of course, the other option is that one hear the blessings from someone who slept, with both the reciter and the listener having in mind that the blessings apply to both of them (Mechaber, Orach Chayyim 47:12 with Mishna Berurah s.k.25-28). If neither of these is a possibility, one may recite the blessings, based on the halachic opinion of Sha’agat Aryeh (Responsa 24-25) that these blessings are a Biblical mitzvah so in the case of a hefsek (doubt), one is strict and recites them. This ruling is found in Rabbi Kook’s commentary to the siddur, Olat Re’eiyah, (vol. 1, p. 59, note 5) and in Rabbi Ovadiah Yosef’s Responsa (Yabia Omer vol. 5, Orach Chayyim #6 and Yechaveh Da’at 3:33). It is important to note that women are also required to recite the blessings over learning Torah and these blessings are printed in all of the siddurim for women. Since women are not obligated to learn Torah, how can they recite the blessing “Blessed is Hashem…who has made us holy and commanded us to engage in words of Torah?” Magen Avraham (Orach Chayyim 47: s.k.14) opines that since they are required to learn those laws that apply to them, they are required to utter this blessing. Rabbi Yitzchak Ze’ev Soloveitchik, the Brisker Rav (Griz, to Rambam, at the end of Hilchot Berachot, p.10) and Maran Rabbi Kook (Orach Mishpat 11, 2) offer a very novel and completely different reason. They explain that these are not blessings over performing a mitzvah, but rather blessings of praise. If the Torah had not been given, the world as we know it would be in total darkness. This would be equally so both for men and women. Women therefore give thanks to Hashem for the Torah’s presence in the world. May we experience a joyous Yom Tov with complete Kabbalat Ha’Torah – true receiving of the Torah – that will lead to the Geulah Sheleima speedily in our days.
