Studying Torah the Entire Night

Parsha Halacha | June 27, 2025

It is customary for men to remain awake and study Torah during the entire first night of Shavuot. This is to rectify the mistake of the Jews who overslept on the day of the receiving of the Torah and to help us prepare to receive the Fiftieth Gate of Understanding on the day of Shavuot.
Although the Jewish people have “corrected” this mistake many times over, we must do this every year since we should re-experience the giving of the Torah each year, and we prepare for this by studying rather than by sleeping.
The Arizal said that whoever does not sleep at all on this night but rather studies Torah is assured to live out that year and no harm will befall him.
The Mitteler Rebbe (the second Rebbe of Chabad) said that one who remains awake all night on Shavuot (and studies Torah) is assured to merit the Keter Torah (the crown of Torah).
The Arizal established a certain text to be studied on this night. It includes sections of the Tanach, Mishnah, Zohar, as well as the 613 Mitzvot. The text is known as the “Tikkun Leil Shavuot” (Tikkun means rectification). Even Torah scholars should say this text on this night.
If one cannot say the entire Tikkun, one should at least say the part that includes sections of the Tanach. The reason we say three verses from the beginning and three from the end of each Torah portion is to rectify the three Divine Attributes (Sefirot) that were not rectified by the counting of the Omer.
One should recite the verses of Eicha quietly since it’s Yom Tov.
When saying the 613 mitzvot, one should intend to fulfill all of the mitzvot in the realm of speech.
One who did not complete the Tikkun at night should do so the next day (or even after that, if necessary).
Women do not need to say Tikkun. If a woman counted the Omer, some say it is proper for her to say the part of the Tikkun which includes the Tanach (bible). (Certainly, a woman who stays up and studies Torah will be blessed by Hashem.)
Some are not particular to recite the Tikkun. Instead, they study other parts of the Oral Torah. If the community is reciting the Tikkun one should not separate himself and learn other things.
In shuls where refreshments are provided one should be careful not to eat or drink dairy products if they ate meat within the previous six hours. In addition, one should make sure to refrain from eating after dawn before the morning prayers.
It is proper for men to go to the Mikvah after dawn to prepare themselves to receive the holy revelations of this day. One should immerse four times.
According to the Arizal, one who stayed up the entire night may recite all of the morning blessings as usual (after dawn) despite the fact that he has not slept. This is the Chabad custom. One should go to the bathroom before washing the hands and reciting the blessing “al netilat Yadayim.”
Some say that one should not say the blessings on the Torah but should rather hear them being recited by someone else and respond “Amen.” One who took a long nap on Erev Shavuot may certainly say these blessings in the morning. Alternatively, one may also have in mind when saying the blessing of Ahavat Olam (or Ahava Rabba) before the Shema of Shacharit that it should “count” as a blessing on the Torah. In this case, one should study some Torah immediately after the Amidah.
Some say that the blessing of “Elokai Neshama” and “Hama’avir Sheina” should similarly be heard from someone else.
If one wishes to continue studying Torah after dawn, one should first recite (or hear) the blessings of the Torah (as above).

It is customary for men to remain awake and study Torah during the entire first night of Shavuot. This is to rectify the mistake of the Jews who overslept on the day of the receiving of the Torah and to help us prepare to receive the Fiftieth Gate of Understanding on the day of Shavuot.
Although the Jewish people have “corrected” this mistake many times over, we must do this every year since we should re-experience the giving of the Torah each year, and we prepare for this by studying rather than by sleeping.
The Arizal said that whoever does not sleep at all on this night but rather studies Torah is assured to live out that year and no harm will befall him.
The Mitteler Rebbe (the second Rebbe of Chabad) said that one who remains awake all night on Shavuot (and studies Torah) is assured to merit the Keter Torah (the crown of Torah).
The Arizal established a certain text to be studied on this night. It includes sections of the Tanach, Mishnah, Zohar, as well as the 613 Mitzvot. The text is known as the “Tikkun Leil Shavuot” (Tikkun means rectification). Even Torah scholars should say this text on this night.
If one cannot say the entire Tikkun, one should at least say the part that includes sections of the Tanach. The reason we say three verses from the beginning and three from the end of each Torah portion is to rectify the three Divine Attributes (Sefirot) that were not rectified by the counting of the Omer.
One should recite the verses of Eicha quietly since it’s Yom Tov.
When saying the 613 mitzvot, one should intend to fulfill all of the mitzvot in the realm of speech.
One who did not complete the Tikkun at night should do so the next day (or even after that, if necessary).
Women do not need to say Tikkun. If a woman counted the Omer, some say it is proper for her to say the part of the Tikkun which includes the Tanach (bible). (Certainly, a woman who stays up and studies Torah will be blessed by Hashem.)
Some are not particular to recite the Tikkun. Instead, they study other parts of the Oral Torah. If the community is reciting the Tikkun one should not separate himself and learn other things.
In shuls where refreshments are provided one should be careful not to eat or drink dairy products if they ate meat within the previous six hours. In addition, one should make sure to refrain from eating after dawn before the morning prayers.
It is proper for men to go to the Mikvah after dawn to prepare themselves to receive the holy revelations of this day. One should immerse four times.
According to the Arizal, one who stayed up the entire night may recite all of the morning blessings as usual (after dawn) despite the fact that he has not slept. This is the Chabad custom. One should go to the bathroom before washing the hands and reciting the blessing “al netilat Yadayim.”
Some say that one should not say the blessings on the Torah but should rather hear them being recited by someone else and respond “Amen.” One who took a long nap on Erev Shavuot may certainly say these blessings in the morning. Alternatively, one may also have in mind when saying the blessing of Ahavat Olam (or Ahava Rabba) before the Shema of Shacharit that it should “count” as a blessing on the Torah. In this case, one should study some Torah immediately after the Amidah.
Some say that the blessing of “Elokai Neshama” and “Hama’avir Sheina” should similarly be heard from someone else.
If one wishes to continue studying Torah after dawn, one should first recite (or hear) the blessings of the Torah (as above).

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