Prohibition against reciting Scripture at night
[1] (halacha 387)
Question: Is it permitted to recite chapters of Tehillim at night?
Answer: Chazal said in the Midrash1: 'And he was there with Hashem forty days and forty nights — how did Moshe know when it was day? Rather, when the Holy One, blessed be He, taught him the Written Torah, he knew it was day, and when He taught him the Oral Torah — Mishnah and Talmud — he knew it was night.'
And the Recanati2 wrote: 'And know that a person must occupy himself with the Written Torah by day, and with the Oral Torah by night, each thing according to its matter, and so too our Rabbis of blessed memory said in Pirkei Rabbi Eliezer3: all those forty days that Moshe stood on the mountain he would read in the manner of Scripture by day, and study in the manner of Mishnah by night. And so the Targum rendered on the verse4 "דּוֹדִי צַח וְאָדוֹם" ("My beloved is radiant and ruddy"), in this language: "בכן שריאת כנישתא דישראל למשתעי בשבחיה דמריה עלמא, וכן אמרת לההוא אלהא רעותי למפלח דעטיף ביממא באיצטלא כתלג חיור, ועסיק בעשרין וארבע ספרין דאורייתא ופתגמי נבואה וכתיבי, ובליליא הוא עסיק בשיתא סדרי משנה, וזיו יקרא דאנפוהי זהירין כנורא מסגיאות חכמתא וסברא דהוא מחדד שמעוון חדתן בכל יומא ויומא, ועתיד לפרסומינון לעמיה ביומא רבה"5.
And moreover, it is written in the writings of the Arizal6 that not only is this the better order, but that it is improper to read Scripture at night, and these are his words: 'On the rest of the nights of the week it is improper to read Scripture, because Scripture is in [the world of] Asiyah, and the night itself is of the aspect of Asiyah, and all is judgments, and it is improper to arouse the judgments; but on the night of the sixth [day], since the sixth day prepares for Shabbos and the mercies are aroused on it, therefore one may read Scripture even at night..'.
However, in the Eshel Avraham (Butshatsh)7 he wrote to distinguish between Scripture and Tehillim, and these are his words: 'It can be said that there is no concern at all regarding the recitation of the psalms of Tehillim at night according to everyone, since Hashem ordained that the recitation of Tehillim should be considered as equivalent to [the study of the tractates] Nega'im and Ohalos8, if so this is like the study of Mishnayos, whose time is at the beginning of the night. And elsewhere I wrote further that perhaps there is no concern when one recites in [a quorum of] ten. Also, the main concern is regarding the study of Scripture. And through this there is merit for all the leaders and those who practice to recite psalms after Maariv. And many, and indeed wholehearted ones, follow the practice based on the Arizal to recite the first four psalms of Tehillim before sleep.'
But on the other hand, many disagree and hold that the words of the mekubalim not to recite Scripture apply also to Tehillim, as the Sdei Chemed wrote in Shut Or Li9: 'There is one who wished to say that we are not particular about this except regarding the reading of the [passages of the] korbanos and the like from the Five Books of the Torah, which is called Scripture without qualification, but to recite the psalms of Tehillim there is no concern, since they are songs and praises, and it would seem that this is the reasonable view .. nevertheless from all this it is proven that it is permitted to read Tehillim before daytime. However, after [I wrote this], I saw in the sefer Zechor LeAvraham .. which brought in the name of the Rav of blessed memory [=the Chida in] Shut Yosef Ometz siman 54: '.. and many years ago I heard in the name of the Rav, the alert and holy one Maharam Papirsh of blessed memory, that the aspect of Scripture is very lofty and extends down to [the world of] Asiyah, and through the study of Scripture one refines from Asiyah, and therefore one should not read Scripture at night because it refines from Asiyah, and the night is of the aspect of Asiyah, and it is improper to arouse the judgments — thus I heard, according to what is recorded in my memory .. And as to that which we have come upon, behold, in the holy city of Yerushalayim and the holy city of Chevron, may they be rebuilt, where I dwelt, I saw that they do not read Scripture at night. And yet there is an ancient minhag, for every night at the morning-watch they read in the synagogues the five books of Tehillim every night .. And now I shall tell the truth, that to one who reads Tehillim at the morning-watch and asks me, I say that he has support. However I myself, I am fearful, and I do not read Tehillim at night [and the reason is that since Rabbeinu the Arizal of blessed memory wrote without qualification that one should not read Scripture at night, he stated categorically "Scripture," and Tehillim is included ..]. Except on the holy Shabbos night, for even on the night of the sixth [day] it is written in Shaar HaMitzvos there that it prepares for Shabbos and the mercies are aroused on it, and one may read Scripture at night — see there — and the matter is all the more so on the holy Shabbos night.'
And in Shut Chaim Shaal10 the Chida wrote: 'And the Rav the Arizal of blessed memory cautioned that one should not read Scripture at night, and those who follow the splendors of the minhogim of the Arizal of blessed memory do not read Scripture even after midnight, and this is obvious. And I heard from the wondrous mekubal, the holy society member, the honorable our teacher Rabbi Shalom Sharabi, may his memory be for life in the World to Come, that he was doubtful about that which they practiced to read in the synagogues near daytime Tehillim, and this minhag spread throughout the entire Land of Israel, that there are groups for this. And he would say that perhaps Tehillim is not included in the caution of the Rav, and he was neither here nor there and held it loosely. And the mekubalim refrained from reading Tehillim on weekdays as long as the day had not yet shone.'
And in practice the Rebbe wrote in Igros Kodesh11: 'And further to note that Anash have the practice not to recite Tehillim at night before midnight, apart from Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.'
And so too it is brought in Sefer HaMinhagim12: 'It is known that at night, beginning from the emergence of the stars until after midnight, one does not recite Tehillim (and included in this is the monthly Tehillim portion), but one does recite the Chumash and Tanya portions, apart from Rosh Hashanah, the Ten Days of Repentance, and Hoshana Rabbah (and Hoshana Rabbah itself after midnight).'
If so, in practice one should not recite Scripture at night, and according to our minhag this applies also to the recitation of Tehillim (that they should not be recited before midnight). Except in a time of distress, Heaven save us, as we will learn in tomorrow's halacha.
Notes:
1 תנחומא פר' כי תשא סי' לו, ובכ"מ ↩
2 פר' יתרו פי"ט פסוק יג ↩
3 פרק מ"ו ↩
4 שה"ש ה, י ↩
5 וכ"כ רבי יהודה חייט במנחת יהודה על המערכת (מהדורת מנטובה ע' לג), והרדב"ז במגדל דוד על שה"ש פ"ה פסוק י ↩
6 שער המצוות פר' ואתחנן ↩
7 או"ח סי' רלח ↩
8 מדרש תהלים פ"א ↩
9 סי' מ ↩
10 ח"ב סי' כה ↩
11 חכ"ב ע' כו. וראה ג"כ חי"ח ע' לב, וחי"ט ע' שסט ↩
12 ע' 20 ↩
[2] (halacha 388)
[Danger or a sick person]
Question: We learned that one should not recite Tehillim at night until midnight. In a time of distress or for the need of healing a sick person, is it permitted to recite Tehillim at night?
Answer: The Ben Ish Chai wrote1: 'As for what you asked regarding the recitation of the psalm "Ya'ancha" ("May He answer you") for a woman in difficult labor at night, in this matter I am inclined to be stringent even after midnight, and go out and see what the Gaon the Chida of blessed memory wrote in Chaim Shaal mentioned [above], that he objected to the circuits around the deceased at night, and therefore also this thing that they do for the sake of the woman in labor who is in danger at that time is to be of concern; and even though they read this psalm in Tikkun Chatzos after midnight, this matter of the woman in labor is different.' And from his words, that he did not permit reciting Tehillim for a woman in labor who is in danger, it is understood that he held that the prohibition of reciting Tehillim at night includes sick people.
And so too the Or LeTzion2 wrote: 'One should not recite Tehillim at night before midnight, even for a sick person, unless he recites them in a congregation, and after midnight it is permitted to recite in any manner.' And he elaborated on this in Shut Yabia Omer3.
On the other hand, we find many poskim who permitted reading at night in a case of danger to many or for the need of a sick person, as written in Shut Mi Yehuda4: 'But nevertheless, to recite the psalms of Tehillim in the manner of tefillah and supplications in a time of distress for the need of many is not a matter of study .. and I have also known and heard in communities that they would recite, between Mincha and Maariv, the eight chapters [of Tehillim] in a time of distress for Yaakov, Heaven save us ..'.
And in Shut Be'er Moshe (Stern)5 he wrote: I have been asked many times regarding the study of Tanach at night, and in particular, for the most part the question was whether it is permitted to recite Tehillim at night. I answered: Tanach he should not study, and with commentaries it is permitted, and Tehillim after midnight is permitted in any manner, and before midnight for the need of a sick person it is permitted .. accordingly, there is certainly no doubt that for the need of a sick person it is permitted, and there is even a mitzvah to recite Tehillim at night according to all opinions; and even the Chida himself, it is possible that he only did not wish to recite Tehillim without qualification, for perhaps since the holy Arizal of blessed memory wrote without qualification that one should not read Scripture at night, perhaps Tehillim too was included, and out of doubt he did not wish to transgress the words of the holy Arizal of blessed memory, but in a case of a sick person there is certainly no reason to be stringent at all, and especially since in the Talmud and the early and later poskim around the Tur and Shulchan Aruch none of this is mentioned at all.'
And so too his brother wrote in Shut B'Tzel HaChochma6: 'According to what has been explained, it is obvious that it is permitted to recite Tehillim for a sick person at night, for it is merely in the manner of tefillah and supplications..'.
And so too the Tzitz Eliezer7 wrote: 'I was further asked by those visiting the aforementioned hospital and those knocking at the gates of the synagogue in reciting Tehillim for their sick and for their wives who are in difficult labor, whether it is permitted for them to recite Tehillim at night .. from all that has been said it appears to me in my humble opinion that it is indeed proper to permit fully the recitation of Tehillim at night in the manner of tefillah and supplications for the embittered of soul in their time of distress, to entreat and to supplicate before the Creator of all to bring forth from confinement their soul or the soul of their relatives who are bound in the affliction of poverty and iron, as is known and famous in all the holy books that the reading of Tehillim with concentration and submission has the power to repel all kinds of calamities and evil afflictions and every illness and every mishap from him and from the members of his household and his family, and to open locked iron gates and to proclaim freedom for the captives'.
And so too is the minhag in actual practice8, that they recite Tehillim for a sick person or in a time of distress. And so too is written in Shut Vayechi Yaakov9: 'And for this reason we find merit and permission for what is practiced in all the dispersions of Israel — to gather ten to pray in a congregation the psalm "Ya'ancha Hashem" etc., twelve times, for a woman in difficult labor, Heaven save us, and likewise to recite Tehillim at night for a sick person, Heaven save us'.
If so, in practice the minhag of the Children of Israel is to recite Tehillim at night in a time of distress or for the healing of a sick person who is in danger
Notes:
1 רב פעלים או"ח ח"ב סי' ב ↩
2 ח"ב פמ"ו סס"ד ↩
3 ח"ו סי' ל ↩
4 או"ח סי' כ"ב. וראה גם שו"ת ויחי יעקב או"ח סי' ט ↩
5 ח"ד סי' כב ↩
6 ח"ד סי' מו אות כד ↩
7 ח"ח סי' ב ↩
8 ראה גם בירורי מנהגים - סדר הלילה ע' 218 ↩
9 או"ח סי' ט ↩
[3] (halacha 389)
Question: The prohibition of reciting Scripture at night — does it last until dawn or until midnight?
Answer: In the words of the Arizal in Shaar HaKavanos, which is the source of the prohibition, it is not written explicitly until when the time of the prohibition lasts.
But the mekubal Rabbi Meir Papirsh wrote in Or Tzaddikim1: 'One should be careful not to read Scripture at night before midnight, for it strengthens judgment, except on the night of the sixth [day] it is permitted.'
And this division between the first half of the night and its second half regarding study we find in the writings of our Rebbes the leaders: in the Maamarim of the Alter Rebbe2: 'For the first half of the night is of the aspect of Gevurah, therefore that is the time of the Oral Torah, and after midnight, the Written Torah'. And similarly in the Sefer HaMaamarim of the Mitteler Rebbe3: 'For it is known that before midnight is of the aspect of Gevurah, and from midnight until the morning is of the aspect of the Chasadim, and therefore one studies the Oral Torah, which is of the aspect of Gevurah, before midnight, and that is specifically the time of the study of the Oral Torah — Malchus we call it — and from midnight onward, which is of the aspect of the Chasadim, then is the time of study of the Written Torah, which is of the aspect of the Chasadim of Abba, and the Oral Torah of the aspect of the Gevurah of Imma, and likewise the Written Torah and the Oral Torah are of the aspect of Zo"n etc.'
But on the other hand we find mekubalim who were concerned that the prohibition of reciting the Written Torah lasts the entire night, as the Chida wrote in Shut Chaim Shaal4: 'And the Rav the Arizal of blessed memory cautioned that one should not read Scripture at night, and those who follow the splendors of the minhogim of the Arizal of blessed memory do not read Scripture even after midnight, and this is obvious. And I heard from the wondrous mekubal, the holy society member, the honorable our teacher Rabbi Shalom Sharabi, may his memory be for life in the World to Come, that he was doubtful about that which they practiced to read in the synagogues near daytime Tehillim .. And the mekubalim refrained from reading Tehillim on weekdays as long as the day had not yet shone'5.
And in practice, behold, many of the poskim wrote6 in accordance with the words of the Or Tzaddikim that after midnight there is no concern7.
And so too the Rebbe ruled, as written in Sefer HaMinhagim8, and so too the Rebbe writes in Igros Kodesh9: 'And it appears to me that regarding the Tehillim portion, if he knows the psalms by heart, they should be recited after midnight or before the emergence of the stars, but not from the emergence of the stars until midnight.
And indeed, also in a private audience during the visit of the Chief Rabbis on Rosh Chodesh Kislev 574410 a give-and-take regarding this is brought: 'Rabbi Eliyahu שליט"א: On the verse in our parsha, "וַיִּשְׁכַּב בַּמָּקוֹם הַהוּא" ("And he lay down in that place"), it is stated in the Midrash that here he lay down, but all twenty years that he stood in Lavan's house he did not lie down. And what would he recite? — the entire sefer of Tehillim,' and they ask on this: behold, according to the opinion of the Arizal (and others) one should not recite Tehillim at night? — and it is stated in the seforim that at night Yaakov Avinu studied Kabbalah.
The Rebbe שליט"א: After midnight — it is permitted to recite Tehillim according to all opinions. And if so, it is possible that he began to recite Tehillim after midnight. And further, and primarily: before the Giving of the Torah this limitation of not reciting Tehillim at night did not exist [unlike in the time of Moshe Rabbeinu, at the time of the Giving of the Torah — as we find in the Midrash regarding Moshe that 'at the time when the Holy One, blessed be He, taught him Scripture he knew that it was day'].
Rabbi Eliyahu שליט"א: Regarding the interpretation of the Midrash that Yaakov Avinu would recite 'the entire sefer of Tehillim' at night — I once heard an interpretation that this is along the lines of the recitation of Tehillim at night by David HaMelech, since for David HaMelech this was not in the category of 'Tehillim' (part of Tanach — Scripture), but rather in the category of songs and praises, and likewise it can be said regarding Yaakov Avinu.
The Rebbe שליט"א: But even regarding David HaMelech it is said "חֲצוֹת לַיְלָה אָקוּם לְהוֹדוֹת לָךְ" ("At midnight I rise to give thanks to You") — specifically after midnight11'.
If so, according to our minhag the care not to read Scripture at night is only until midnight.
Notes:
1 זמן השכמת אדם בבוקר אות יא ↩
2 עה"ת ח"ב ע' תתקכ כ' ↩
3 במדבר ח"ב ע' שכו ↩
4 ח"ב סי' כה ↩
5 במנהג אבותינו בידינו - שונות ע' תיא הערה 61 העיר מדברי אדה"ז בשו"ע או"ח במהדו"ק סי' א ס"ח, ובמהדו"ב סי' א ס"ב שכתב שאחר חצות יעסוק בתורה שבע"פ, אך להעיר שבסידור כתב שאחרי חצות יעסוק בזה"ק. ואכמ"ל. וראה עוד במנהג אבותינו בידינו שם שהביא עוד שאסרו גם לאחר חצות ↩
6 נסמנו במנהג אבותינו בידינו שם עמ' תי ↩
7 יש שהקילו דווקא בתהלים לאחר חצות וראה מ"ש בכף החיים סי' רלז אות ט עוד צד להקל דוקא בתהלים: 'אמנם בענין אמירת תהלים המנהג לומר אחר חצות ואפילו בלילי חול ונראה הטעם משום שהוא שירות והודאות וכתיב חצות לילה אקום להודות לך וכו' ועיין ברכות ג' ע"ב ודוק' ↩
8 עמ' 20 ↩
9 חי"ח ע' לב וראה גם חי"ט ע' שסט ↩
10 תו"מ תשמ"ה ח"ה ע' 3102 ↩
11 להעיר ממ"ש החיד"א בשו"ת יוסף אומץ סי' נד ↩
[4] (halacha 390)
Question: From when does the prohibition of reciting the Written Torah begin — from sunset or from the emergence of the stars?
Answer: It is written in Shut Mi Yehuda1, regarding the recitation of Tehillim between Mincha and Maariv: 'And see in siman 131 in the Taz, subsection 8, regarding Nefilas Apayim, that as long as it is not certainly night but rather twilight — and his honor could have taken counsel within himself here too to be early and begin reciting the psalms of Tehillim before it is certainly night, and if it happens that it stretches somewhat, there is no concern, since he began permissibly, as is understood.'
That is, he equates the prohibition of reading Scripture at night with the time during which Tachanun is not said, since these two laws are equivalent and stem from the fact that the night is defined as a time in which there is a strengthening of judgment2. And therefore he wrote that one may recite Tehillim as long as it is not certainly night3.
And so too it is written in Sefer HaMinhagim4: 'It is known that at night, beginning from the emergence of the stars until after midnight, one does not recite Tehillim..', and so too the Rebbe writes in several letters, such as in Igros Kodesh5: 'And it appears to me that regarding the Tehillim portion .. they should be recited after midnight or before the emergence of the stars, but not from the emergence of the stars until midnight'.
However, we find in several letters that the Rebbe notes that our minhag is not to recite Tehillim from sunset. As brought in Igros Kodesh6: 'But regarding Tehillim, our minhag is not to recite it from sunset until midnight (apart from Yom Kippur and the like).'
And so too in Likkutei Sichos7: 'In response to your question, where it is not possible, one completes the Chitas portions on the following night, except that our minhag is that one does not recite Tehillim from after sunset until after midnight (apart from Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur)8'.
Based on this, ideally it is proper to be early and finish the recitation of Tehillim before sunset, but in a case of need, such as one who did not manage to finish the Tehillim portion, he may continue until the emergence of the stars; but after the emergence of the stars he should not recite until midnight.
Question: Should one be lenient to read Scripture on the night of Rosh Chodesh?
Answer: The Ben Ish Chai wrote9: 'One should not read Scripture on weekday nights, and the reason is that Scripture is in [the world of] Asiyah and the night is of the aspect of Asiyah, and all is judgments, and one should not arouse the judgments, as Rabbeinu of blessed memory wrote in Shaar HaMitzvos parshas Va'eschanan — see there. However, on Shabbos night and Yom Tov night one reads Scripture and there is no concern, and likewise on the night of the sixth [day] one reads the twenty-six verses and there is no concern, but the night of Rosh Chodesh, its law in this matter is like the rest of the weekday nights'.
And so too it is written in Shut Rav Pe'alim10: 'Teach us also whether the prohibition of studying Scripture at night applies also on the night of Shabbos or Rosh Chodesh, for we have heard people say "Chodesh and Shabbos, read Scripture" .. and regarding the night of Rosh Chodesh it also appears that it is correct to be careful, and "sit and do not act" is preferable, and even though people give the sign "Chodesh and Shabbos, read Scripture"11, this matter is not mentioned in the words of Rabbeinu the Arizal of blessed memory, and therefore since it is possible [to fulfill the obligation] through the study of Oral Torah, "sit and do not act" is preferable ..'.
And so too it is written in Kaf HaChaim12: 'And it is implied there in Shaar HaMitzvos that on Shabbos night and Yom Tov [night] there is no concern — see there. And so too the Ben Ish Chai wrote in parshas Pekudei os 7, but on the nights of Rosh Chodesh it appears that its law is like the weekday nights. And so too the Ben Ish Chai wrote there.
If so, in practice on the night of Rosh Chodesh too one does not recite Tehillim, and according to the plain language of Sefer HaMinhagim, there is no leniency at all apart from Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.
Notes:
1 או"ח סי' כב ↩
2 וראה גם בשו"ת שיח יצחק סי' קטז ושם שגם השוללים תחנון בבית השמשות י"ל שיתירו קריאת מקרא כי 'נפילת אפים שאני, דבו תגבורת הדין יותר ..' ע"ש ↩
3 ולהעיר שאדמו"ר הזקן פסק בסי' קלא ס"ד שבזמן בין השמשות כן אומרים תחנון, ולפי הנ"ל ה"ה שאומרים אז מקרא ↩
4 ע' 20 ↩
5 חי"ח ע' לא ↩
6 חכ"ב ע' רצב ↩
7 חי"ח ע' 435 ↩
8 בבירורי מנהגים - סדר הלילה ע' 216 כותב להקל ולומר עד צאת הכוכבים, מכיון שיש דיעות המקילות בכלל בכל ענין אמירת תהלים בלילה, ובפרט שכך כתוב בספר המנהגים כהוראה כללית ↩
9 שנה א פר' פקודי ס"ז ↩
10 ח"ב או"ח סי' ב ↩
11 להעיר משו"ת יין הטוב ח"א סי' נד שחולק וכתב '.. ומזה י"ל לכאו' דגם בליל ר"ח יכול לקרוא מקרא' ↩
12 או"ח סי' רלז אות ט ↩
[5] (halacha 391)
The study of this halacha was dedicated for the merit of the soldiers, for the recovery of the wounded, and for the return of the captives - by R' Eliyahu ben Matisyahu Borodin
Question: Does the care not to recite Tehillim at night apply also on Shabbos night and Yom Tov night?
Answer: We learned that the source of the care not to recite Scripture at night is in the writings of the Arizal, and there it is brought that on the night of the sixth [day] there is no problem reciting Scripture, and these are the words of Shaar HaMitzvos1: 'On the rest of the nights of the week it is improper to read Scripture, because Scripture is in [the world of] Asiyah and the night itself is of the aspect of Asiyah, and all is judgments, and it is improper to arouse the judgments, but on the night of the sixth [day], since the sixth day prepares for Shabbos and the mercies are aroused on it, therefore one may read Scripture even at night..'.
And from these words the Chida learned that all the more so on Shabbos night itself one may read Scripture, and these are his words in Shut Yosef Ometz2: 'On the night of the sixth [day] it is written in Shaar HaMitzvos there that it prepares for Shabbos and the mercies are aroused on it, and one may read Scripture at night — see there — and the matter is all the more so on the holy Shabbos night'.
And the Ben Ish Chai wrote3: 'However on Yom Tov it is obvious that one recites Tehillim, since it is called Shabbos, and Yom Tov is no different from Shabbos in this matter, and this is plain and clear'.
But the holy Rebbe of Munkatch wrote4: 'The meticulous ones had the practice to be stringent in this and we have not at all heard that they would recite Tehillim (even in a congregation, whose merit is great) in the first half of the night (except on the night of Yom Kippur, when they then recite also the Thirteen Attributes and wrap themselves in a tallis, as is explained in the Arizal)..'. And it is implied from his words that only on the night of Yom Kippur, and not on the other Shabbosos and Yamim Tovim.
And there are some who wrote5* that even the words of the writings of the Arizal who permits on the night of the sixth [day] refer specifically to the reading of the twenty-six verses which he discusses there. But this is not a permission to read Scripture at night.
And so too is our minhag, as brought in Sefer HaMinhagim6 and elsewhere, that our minhag is not to recite Tehillim on any night apart from Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. And from the plain language it appears that "any night" means also Shabbos night7 and Yom Tov, on which according to our minhag one does not recite Tehillim8.
Shavuos night
Even according to our minhag that one does not recite Scripture on Yom Tov night, it is customary to recite Tikkun Leil Shavuos, at the beginning of which is the reading of verses of Tanach. And the Alter Rebbe explained the reason for this9: that Shavuos is the opposite of all the nights of the year10, and these are his words: 'Therefore on Shavuos night, when we draw down the Keser, those who occupy themselves with the Torah at night [study] the Written Torah before midnight and the Oral Torah after midnight, whereas on all other days their times are the reverse, for the first half of the night is of the aspect of Gevurah, therefore that is the time of the Oral Torah, and after midnight the Written Torah. But because in the Keser there is a complete inclusion of Chesed and Gevurah, and before it darkness is as light, therefore we reverse, to indicate and to draw down the aforementioned aspect of Keser.'
Hoshana Rabbah night
Our minhag is to read the sefer of Devarim before midnight11. [And the Yaavetz noted on this in his siddur12: 'The minhag has already spread to remain awake on this night and to read Mishneh Torah [Devarim], in commemoration of how the king would read at the conclusion of the Sabbatical year. Although it is far-fetched in my eyes — and the study of Scripture also is not in its proper time at night, as is explained in "Beis Talmud" — nevertheless I bow my head in this to the minhag that has already been established13'].
And regarding Tehillim, it is written in Sefer HaMinhagim14: 'It is known that at night - beginning from the emergence of the stars until after midnight - one does not recite Tehillim, apart from Rosh Hashanah, the Ten Days of Repentance, and Yom Kippur and Hoshana Rabbah (and Hoshana Rabbah itself - after midnight)'15.
If so, in practice according to our minhag one does not recite Scripture on all the days of the week, including Shabbosos and festivals, apart from Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur (and the Ten Days of Repentance), Hoshana Rabbah - Mishneh Torah [Devarim] before midnight and Tehillim after midnight, and Tikkun Leil Shavuos
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Notes:
1 פר' ואתחנן ↩
2 סי' נד ↩
3 שו"ת רב פעלים או"ח ב סי' ב ↩
4 *ראה באריכות הנסמן בשו"ת וישב הים ח"א סי' ו ↩
5 ע' 20 ↩
6 וראה ג"כ אג"ק ח"י ע' קלד: 'מ"ש אודות מנהגו הטוב לגמור ספר התהלים בכל יום *וכן בש"ק* וחושש אשר עי"ז נצרך יהי' לו למעט בהקביעות לדא"ח או למעט בעבודתו. הנה לאחר כל זה לדעתי ימשיך במנהגו הטוב באמירת התהלים כנ"ל .. *וכיון שמלבד שעות הלילה עד חצות לילה*, הרי מותר לאמר תהלים כל היום, הנה אם לא יספיק הזמן בבקר הרי יוכל למלאות בשאר שעות היום'. וראה גם בספר הליכות ומנהגי שבת מברכים (ע' קפד) מובא שא' מזקני החסידים שאל את הרבי מאחר שקשה לו לקום מוקדם מה יעשה בקשר לאמירת תהלים? *וענה לו הרבי שיכול להתחיל לומר התהלים אחר חצות הלילה*, ומזה נראה שההקפדה גם בליל שבת, וכפי שמובן מספר המנהגים. (אך יש שהעירו מהמסופר שהר"ש לברטוב שאל את הרבי ביחידות שהיות והוא צריך ללכת הרבה זמן בכדי להגיע להתוועדות של הרבי בשבת מברכים, מה יעשה עם אמירת תהלים כי אין הזמ"ג לגמרו ולהתפלל, וענה לו הרבי: א) שיכול לומר תהלים כשהוא הולך בדרך - בע"פ, ושאין צריך לומר המזמורים כסדרן. ב) שיכול לומר תהלים בין השיחות בהתוועדות. *ג) שיש עשרים וארבע שעות במעת לעת*. שהכוונה 24 שעות כולל את ליל שבת, ובמילא מובן שמותר לומר תהלים בליל שבת. אך ידוע שאין ללמוד ולדייק משמועות. ובפרט בנידון דידן שי"ל שכוונת הרבי באופן כללי שיש בשבת 24 שעות ובמילא יש מספיק זמן להכל, ולא שנדייק שיאמר דווקא בחצי הראשון של ליל שבת. ואכמ"ל) ↩
7 וראה אור ישראל גליון טז עמ' קלב הע' 13 שי"ל שהכוונה חוץ מימים המפורשים בהאריז"ל שהם ליל שישי (וכ"ש שבת), אך נשאר בצ"ע, וכן העיר בבירורי מנהגים - סדר הלילה ע' 207 שדוחק לומר כך ↩
8 מאמרי אדמו"ר הזקן עה"ת ח"ב ע' תתקכ, ובמאמרי אדמו"ר האמצעי במדבר ח"ב ע' שכו ↩
9 ולהעיר שאכן בתחילת הלילה אומרים תורה שבכתב ובחציו השני של התיקון אומרים תושבע"פ ↩
10 כמבואר בשער הכוונות ענין סוכות דרוש ו, ופע"ח שער הלולב פ"ד ↩
11 שער העין - שער שמיני בתא הרצים - הושענא רבה (מהדורת אשכול ח"ב ע' תז) ↩
12 בספר מנהג אבותינו - שונות ע' תטו הערה 90 מבאר ב' אופנים: א) שהתקנה לומר את משנה תורה זה עיקר התקנה, משא"כ תהלים שלא היו חלק מהתיקון ונוספו לאחר מכן ולכן נאמר דוקא לאחר חצות. ב) שו"ת שם משמעון או"ח סי' ד ד"ה ואולם 'שמשנה תורה היא כתורה שבע"פ שהיא במלכות דנוקבא כנודע וממילא שפיר יש לקרות בלילה' ↩
13 עמ' 20 ↩
14 וצ"ע הכוונה וכפי שהעיר גם בבירורי מנהגים - סדר הלילה ע' 217 הערה 108) שהרי אחרי חצות למנהגנו אין הגבלה גם בשאר ימות השנה. (ואולי הדיוק הוא בגלל ספר דברים, שנאמר בחצי הראשון של הלילה א"כ רואים שבלילה זה מצד גדרו יש היתר. ועצ"ע) ↩
[Scripture with commentary] (halacha 392)
Question: What is the ruling when one studies Scripture with a commentary, such as one who did not manage to study the Chitas portions during the day — may he study them at night?
Answer: The Mishnas Chassidim wrote1: 'One should be careful not to sleep until three hours into the night, but rather study a little, and he should not study Scripture because Scripture without a commentary stands alone in [the world of] Asiyah, the place of the strengthening of judgments, and it is improper to arouse them at the time of their dominion, which is night.' From his words it appears that when one studies Scripture with a commentary there is no concern.
And so it is stated explicitly in Yesod VeShoresh HaAvodah2: 'You may study a verse with Rashi's commentary even at night, for what the Arizal cautioned — that a person should not study a verse at night — his caution is regarding one who reads the verses without a commentary; therefore a person should be careful, when he studies a verse at night, not to recite even a few words as written without the la'az translation, even words whose meaning is understood and familiar, such as "וַיֹּאמֶר ה' אֶל יְהוֹשֻׁעַ" ("And Hashem said to Yehoshua") and the like — he should be careful not to recite them without the la'az translation, since he is cautioned and bound not to read a verse without a commentary at night, and what difference is there to me between a whole verse or a third or a quarter [of one]; but when he explains the matter, each word in the la'az language, there is no danger at all, except in the study of a verse.' And so wrote many of the poskim, cited in Shut Yabia Omer3.
But regarding what the Yesod VeShoresh HaAvodah wrote — that one should not permit if he recites a few words without a commentary, but rather he must explain word by word — the Shut Avnei Tzedek4 disagreed on this and permitted to read a verse in its entirety and afterward to explain it, and these are his words: 'This we have not heard and do not hold; rather, if one reads a verse and explains it with Rashi's commentary and in our spoken language to one another, it is fine and there is no concern at all, and if so, since he studies the Chumash with Rashi's commentary and explains each verse in our language to understand them properly, it is permitted even at night..'.
If so, there are those who permitted studying Scripture at night provided that for each verse one studies its commentary, and therefore ideally it is proper that he at least study some commentary on those verses that have no Rashi commentary.
And so it appears from the Rebbe's letter5: 'Regarding your question that on the short days of the winter, due to his being busy with his occupation, it is doubtful whether he will manage to study the Chumash portion and Chok LeYisrael during the day, and he asks whether he should study this at night. Now, I have not heard an explicit ruling on this, and it appears to me that regarding the Tehillim portion, if he knows the psalms by heart, they should be recited after midnight or before the emergence of the stars, but not from the emergence of the stars until midnight. And regarding the Chumash portion and Chok LeYisrael, he may study them not all at once, but rather divide them passage by passage during the day, and of course it is also possible in the store, and if for this too there will be no free time, then he should study them with a commentary on each and every verse, since in a pressing situation one can explain that this is included in the category of Oral Torah, and especially since in our times many are lenient in the matter of studying Scripture at night, even though this is brought in several seforim...'.
But it should be noted that in Sefer HaMinhagim6 it is stated without qualification: 'It is known that at night one does not recite Tehillim but one does recite the Chumash and Tanya portions'.
If so, ideally it is proper to study the Chumash of the Chitas portion during the day, but when one did not manage to study during the day, he may study at night with Rashi's commentary, and it is proper that on those verses which have no Rashi commentary he study another commentary.
Notes:
1 שער השכיבה פ"א מ"א ↩
2 ש"ו פ"ב ↩
3 ח"ו או"ח סי' ל ↩
4 יו"ד סי' קב ↩
5 אג"ק חי"ח ע' לב ↩
6 ע' 20 ↩
[Shnayim Mikra at night] (halacha 393)
Question: Is it permitted to recite Shnayim Mikra V'Echad Targum on Thursday night or Shabbos night?
Answer: We learned in the previous halacha that when one studies Scripture with a commentary, it is permitted even on the days when one is careful not to read Scripture at night; if so, ostensibly, since one reads also the Targum, this is considered the study of Scripture with a commentary, which is permitted1.
But on the other hand, there are some of the mekubalim who wrote that one should not recite Targum at night, even on the nights when reading Scripture is permitted, since Targum is not read at night. As the Rama"a of Fano wrote in his sefer Maayan Ganim2: 'And Targum is only by day and not at night at all, so as not to strengthen the attribute of judgment excessively, and not on Shabbos and Yom Tov ever, neither for the Torah nor for the Prophets, for then Malchus is included in the male, and it has no reading of Targum on its own etc. And Chol HaMoed is not in the category of Yom Tov for this law etc. And specifically an individual is the one who should not recite Targum on Shabbos and Yom Tov, but a congregation, since their power is great to give honor to the Targum at all times, and the Kaddish always is sufficient proof — if they came to translate the parsha or the Haftarah in a place where the practice is so, it is fine.'
That is, according to his words one should not permit the reading of Targum at night, and likewise he wrote that on Shabbos and Yom Tov one should not read Shnayim Mikra at all, even by day3.
And regarding the prohibition of reading Targum at night, the Chida also agreed in Machzik Bracha4, and these are his words: 'And know that on every dawn of the sixth [day] it is said there to read twenty-six verses in Shnayim Mikra, and I heard in the name of the wondrous mekubal, the holy pious one, the honorable our teacher Rabbi Shalom Sharabi of blessed memory, that the master said that at the dawn of the sixth [day] one should study the aforementioned twenty-six verses as Scripture without Targum, for in the true words of the Arizal of blessed memory there is no mention of reading Targum at the dawn of the sixth [day], and by way of truth it is not fitting to read Targum, end of his words; and so too I found in the sefer Soles Beluleh in the name of the disciples of the Arizal of blessed memory, that at the dawn of the sixth [day] one should read Scripture alone — see there.'
If so, we have seen that there are mekubalim who did not permit reading Targum at night, and there are among them those who prohibited even on Shabbos.
But on the other hand, there are those who wrote that from the words of the Arizal it appears that he was not concerned regarding the recitation of Targum on Shabbos, and we also do not find explicitly in his words a prohibition regarding the recitation of Targum at night.
As written in Pekudas Eliezer5: 'And I in my poverty practice thus, countless times, to read Shnayim Mikra on Shabbos night, when I have not read it together with the holy society, when I have the burden of the mitzvah of Torah study that involves writing, which must be specifically on erev Shabbos. And I have no free time on the holy Shabbos day, so as not to neglect the public Torah study of the holy society, may God protect them, and therefore I read Shnayim Mikra on Shabbos night. And as for what the Rama"a of blessed memory wrote — behold, according to the view of the Rama"a of blessed memory in the third statement he said that one should not read Targum on Shabbos and Yom Tov, and this is contrary to what is written in Shaar HaKavanos, that the Rav the Arizal of blessed memory read Shnayim Mikra on the Shabbos day etc. And to grasp a little of his words regarding withholding on Shabbos night what was not written explicitly in Shaar HaKavanos, and to set aside the matter of the holy Shabbos day which was written explicitly in Shaar HaKavanos — behold, what have I to do with this business, to grasp at all the secrets that the Rav the Arizal of blessed memory did not reveal in the Eight Gates. Granted, a thing that is prohibited according to the law of the Talmud and the pillars of instruction and the poskim, or a thing that the Rav the Arizal of blessed memory revealed to be prohibited even though according to the law it is permitted — it is proper to withhold, even though through this I cause myself a little distress for some reason; but a thing that is not prohibited according to the law at all whatsoever, and is among the secrets that the Rav the Arizal of blessed memory did not reveal — I have no compulsion to cause myself a little distress, even for the details that were not explicitly revealed to the contrary in the words of the Arizal of blessed memory.'
And indeed it is brought in the sefer HaYom Yom6: 'The Nesi'im of Chabad would review one or two parshiyos on Thursday night, the dawn of the sixth day. On Friday after midday they would begin again from the beginning, and review the entire sidrah with the Haftarah. On Shabbos morning before davening they would review again from "Sheviei".' [ = The Nesi'im of Chabad had the practice to review one or two parshiyos on Thursday night, the dawn of the sixth day, on Friday after midday they had the practice to begin again from the beginning, and they reviewed the entire sidrah with the Haftarah, and on Shabbos morning before the tefillah they had the practice to review again from "Sheviei"'].
If so, we have learned that there are those who were stringent regarding reciting Shnayim Mikra at night and likewise on Shabbos, but our minhag is that one may read Shnayim Mikra at night, and likewise on Shabbos, at night and by day.
And regarding the conduct of the Rebbe, in the sefer Bekodesh Penimah7 the personal attendant Rabbi Sholom Ber Gansburg relates that he recalls having seen several times that the Rebbe reviewed the sidrah in Shnayim Mikra after the Shabbos night seudah. (Dressed in a sirtuk, but without a hat and gartel).
Notes:
1 ולהעיר שבלא"ה דעות רבות שבליל שישי וליל שבת מותר, כפי שראינו בהלכה הקודמת. ועוד כדברי הרבי (אג"ק חי"ח ע' לב): 'ובפרט שבזמננו זה כמה מקילים בהענין דלימוד מקרא בלילה' ↩
2 דף א' ע"ד וראה באריכות בכ"ז בשו"ת וישב הים ח"א סי' ו ↩
3 אך ראה במעין גנים שם דף ג' רע"א שכתב לגבי שמח"ת: 'ואח"כ בו ביום יקרא פרשת בראשית שמו"ת, הואיל ולא סגי בלאו הכי, ועוד שהוא יו"ט שני כדלקמן, וכיון שהותר לו התרגום לפרשת בראשית, הותר לו ג"כ לפרשת הברכה תחלה כיון שהוא מצוה בשעתה וכו'' ↩
4 או"ח סי' קנו ס"ק ו. וכ"כ בסי' רפה ס"ק ט: 'אין לקרות הפרשה שמו"ת באשמורת אור הששי קודם שיאיר היום כי כתבו גורי האר"י זצ"ל שאין לקרוא תרגום בלילה ועמ"ש לעיל סי' קנ"ו'. וראה גם כף החיים למהר"ח פלאג'י סי' כז ס"ק ה ↩
5 ח"ב או"ח סי' רפה ס"א ↩
6 ד' טבת ↩
7 ע' 14 אות טז ↩
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