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Shavuot Night Repair

שו”תCategory: HalachaShavuot Night Repair
asked 7 years ago

Hello Rabbi
I wanted to ask what your opinion is regarding the “Shavuot Night Correction”, mainly as a follow-up to your articles that touched on the definition of “study”.
In various communities (mainly Sephardic and Hasidic) it is customary to read the “Tikkun” that was formulated by the Ari and arranged by the Chida.
On the one hand, the matter of being awake at night is essentially a Kabbalistic idea (its initial source is in the Zohar), all that is reasonable to say is that whoever maintains the base because of a Kabbalistic directive, it is better to fill its contents according to that directive. In other words, if you are awake at night to repair “24 bridal decorations,” you should listen to the experts on how to repair them.
On the other hand, the distribution of the “Tikkun” has spread, and today it is recited by many people who do not understand the literal meaning of the verses they are reading, even if they want to understand. In particular, in the Mishnai section of the Tikkun, anyone who seeks to understand the Mishnai presented without context and without interpretation must have extensive Torah knowledge.
In reality, people mumble verses and minhas without understanding and without concentration. It turns out that the first Kabbalistic groups included sages who knew the simplicity of things, and could also concentrate and memorize in this way. Is the reading of people who do not have this ability valuable?
Perhaps a distinction should be made between reciting verses from the Bible that have “textual sanctity,” as you say, and Mishnah, whose sanctity is only in their content?
 

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מיכי Staff answered 7 years ago

Since I do not feel qualified in Kabbalah, I do not know what the correction is and how to do it. If you want to study Torah that night, I would recommend studying and not mumbling. And even for those who know the interpretation of the words of the Mishnah and the verses, there is still at most poor quality Torah study here (a nullification of Torah in quality). If someone wants to do something else – I do not know what to advise them.
The distinction you made between mumbling verses and mumbling Mishnayot is certainly correct. From the explanation, it seems that mumbling Mishnayot is not Torah study at all. Mumbling verses is only abrogating Torah in quality. Although the Maggid told Rabbi Karo to memorize Mishnayot by heart, as mentioned, he knew their interpretation (and as I would not even count on instructions from the Maggid).

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