By Rabbi Dovid Goldwasser `Anticipation...`

Pearls of Wisdom Posted 6/4/2003

It is a custom, as cited in the Shulchan Aruch, to stay awake and learn Torah the first night of Shavuos. Some people say the special Tikkun Leil Shavuos, and others learn any of the various seforim of Torah Shebiksav or Torah Sheb`al Peh.

The reason for this minhag is, according to one Midrash, that on the night before Kabbolas HaTorah (the receiving of the Torah), some of Klal Yisrael went to sleep. They didn`t evince the proper anticipation or enthusiasm for the greatest event in history — Kabbolas Hatorah. This was not an honor for Hashem. To rectify the deeds of our forefathers, we stay awake all night and show our eager anticipation to receive the Torah.

According to another Midrash, when Bnai Yisrael were at Har Sinai, they were only willing to accept the Torah Shebiksav, the Written Torah. Hashem had to force them to accept the Torah Sheb`al Peh, the Oral Torah, by lifting Har Sinai over their heads and telling them that they must accept the Torah.

The Midrash continues that at that moment, Moshe Rabbeinu was standing at the top of Har Sinai. He was completely enveloped by clouds. He could not see whether it was night or day. However, when he heard the throngs of people standing by the mountain studying Torah Sheb`al Peh he knew it was night. Therefore, we stay up all night to atone for the fact that initially, we were not so willing to accept Torah Sheb`al Peh.

The Zohar gives a most interesting reason for staying up all night (Parshas Emor). Shavuos is compared to the wedding day, where Jewish people are the kallah, and the Torah is the chosson. The Jewish people bring a dowry to the groom: the dowry consists of all of the hours of learning of the previous evening. It is then evident that the bride can appreciate and understand the full value of her groom.

The Tikkun Leil Shavuos consists of selections from Chumash, Navi, Kesuvim, Mishnah, Taryag Mitzvos, and Zohar. It once happened on Leil Shavuos that the Dubno Maggid came to the house of the Vilna Gaon. Both stayed up all night to learn. However, while the Maggid was learning from the Gemara, the Vilna Gaon chose to read the Tikkun. After a while, the Gaon asked the Maggid why he didn`t also read the Tikkun. The Maggid replied with the following parable:

There was a textiles salesman who was very successful. When he called on his customers, he would carry with him only a small book of samples.

The man had a neighbor who was very poor. The poor man said to himself, "If my neighbor can make such a great deal of money showing scraps of material, I`m going to do the same." His wife made him a booklet with all kinds of remnants of cloth pasted inside. However, when he came around to the different dealers, he was upset that they would not even listen to him.

He finally went to his rich neighbor in discouragement to find out the secret of his success. The neighbor explained: "The book that I take along with me has small samples from tremendous rolls of material that are available from the factories that I represent. When my customers see what they like, they choose the pattern and then I deliver as much as they want.

"However, when you who go around with this booklet, you`re just showing some scraps of material that do not represent any stock!"

The Maggid then explained to the Gaon: "Rabbi, you have already learned through all of the seforim. Your vast knowledge spans the entire Torah. Therefore, when you read the brief paragraphs from each sefer of Torah, as found in the Tikkun, they represent the sea of Torah that you contain. However, I am just a simple Maggid. The samples of the Tikkun do not mean as much in my situation. It would be better for me to go through the learning so that I can gain the stock."