Tonight: Nittel Nacht

A friendly reminder to our dear readers: Tonight is “Nittel Nacht,” and the Chabad custom is not to learn Torah so as not to “add Chayus” to impurity.

The Rebbe said in a Sicha that we shouldn’t “waste our time” but involve ourselves in things that exercise the mind, such as chess or any other chores that need to be done. The Rebbe related a story in the Sicha of a Bochur who would save all the sewing of the buttons on his clothes for “Nittel Nacht,” to be productive in a “non-adding-Chayus” way.

According to the Sefer Haminhagim: “The Rebbe Rashab once said that the reason for not studying Torah on Nittel nacht is that ”one should not elicit an increase in life-force.” This restriction on study applies only until midnight.” [Hayom Yom of the 17th of Teves]

6 Comments

  • chess - MA Seligson

    the Rebbe once told someone from Europe that the chess play was not on nitel but in order to lighten the Previous Rebbe’s pressure of work. at one point. the PR saw that the Rebbe was avoiding a move in order to win, the PR said shpil erlich (play honestly). i

  • in Melbourne

    Yesterday Shkia was @ 8:43 so 4 us it’s not a big issue because it’s only about 3 hrs that we can’t learn. Which means there was night seder, but we stopped @ 8:43, where as in Bklyn & LA It’s almost about 8 hrs that they can’t learn.

  • 2 comment # 2

    Yeah in Melbourne they don’t stay up till midnight so by around 11 ppl probably go 2 bed, (it’s not Brooklyn) so it winds up being around 3 hrs, however I think Chatzos @ night is after 1 am.

  • chosid

    In “Yemei Bereishis” [where it describes the first year of Nesius of the the Rebbe] on page 337 it has a note from the Rebbe, regarding this picture.