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Minhagim Regarding Nittel Nacht

Just a reminder that tonight is “Nittel Nacht” and the custom is that we don’t learn as to not “add Chayus”.

The Rebbe says in a Sicha that we shouldn’t “waste our time” but involve ourselves in something like chess which exercises the mind or any other chore that needs to be done. And the Rebbe related a story in the Sicha where a Bochur would save all the sewing of the buttons on his cloths to “Nittel Nacht” to be productive in a “non Adding Chayus” way.

From today’s Hayom Yom:

The reason for not studying Torah on nittel-night, I heard from my father, is to avoid adding vitality.

My father once said: Those diligent students who begrudge those eight hours and cannot tear themselves away from study – I am not fond of them. This (abstaining from study) applies only until midnight.

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16 Comments

  • Finally

    Finally, the one night of the year when I am actually doing the right thing by not learning!

  • Chosid

    It’s ironic how machmir we are about NOT learning, but bitul Torah via internet, blackberries etc does not bother us that much

  • yes ironic

    it’s funny how so many people are all of a sudden concerned when half the year they waste them doing things like facebook, internet, blackberry (and im one of those who are guilty :( )

    also.. are there no different rules on shabbos? how about giving dvar torahs and stuff? what do we do?

  • Boris Spassky

    My friend, Robert Fischer (Comment #3) has a good question about playing Chess tonight! Know the answer, please post.

  • Kasparov

    Comment 2 has a great question, and nobody has the answer. Can we play tonight chess in 770?

  • tipshim

    to number 2, i think so but not the electronic version. You see playing chess is a minhag. uMinhag Yisroel din hoo. So its not our fault that Nital fell out on Shabbos. But if you wany to be machmir, than it becomes a Nidcha, and you can play chess on Sunday. I’m so happy that i learned in Yeshiva, I can actually Psak some dinim. No I don’t want to be the new rav. thanks for asking anyway.

  • Sabboss- Chess

    I heard that there is a question if its shabbosdik or uvdon d’chole to play chess, but probably allowed yet frowned upon. ie better not to. Also, if you play chess don’t seperate the pieces at the end of the game, it may be boyrer.

    Fabraing with stories and divorim hisoroirus seems to be the way to go.

    In the words of Charlie Buttons … MARRY SHABBOS! ho ho ho sholom zochors make me marry.

  • Chatzkel

    Don’t we ‘add chayus’ by doing something special on this night, i.e. NOT learning?

  • Rabbi

    You can not play chess on shabbos the alter rebbe writes the something that does not have toras kli is muktzeh

  • A. Nuran

    Should Gentiles get together and party on Yom Kippur to show their feelings towards the continued existence of Jews?

    “What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbor. The rest is commentary. Go learn.”

  • Sholom

    Those who are machmir to play chess should also be machmir to stop in middle of the game at chatzos and resume learning.

    Or, you could, y’know, just continue playing the game. And when some earnest young bochur comes to tell you “Raboisai, higiya z’man vehogiso boi yoimam volayla”, just yell at him and chase him away.