Q&A: Nיטל Nacht
NYיטל Nacht
Question
A question for the honored Rabbi.
According to Hasidism, there is supposedly a great commandment to refrain from Torah study on this night, so as not, Heaven forbid, to give life to the forces of impurity on the night when Jesus was born. Some are even careful to cut toilet paper for all the Sabbaths of the year, symbolizing the excretions that came out of the Jewish people in the form of Christianity, Heaven forfend.
But does the fulfillment of these important commandments—both the prohibition (refraining from Torah study) and the positive act (cutting toilet paper)—not itself strengthen the forces of impurity through sparks of holiness that sustain Jesus and his apostles?
Answer
I assume this is trolling, so I’ll only say that there is no such thing as “commandments of Hasidism” unless you are engaging in idolatry in partnership—and indeed, there is something of that in Hasidism.
Discussion on Answer
Nowadays, the question has lost its practical relevance. We have a received tradition, via the Bnei Brak patent repository, that forty rabbis can abstain on your behalf on NYיטל night, and you can continue studying Torah to your heart’s content. (Said in good humor. Please don’t take seriously.)
That definitely could address the concerns, but it seems one should make sure that those doing the abstaining belong to the Lithuanian stream (and for the strictly meticulous, even the hardline faction), so that they do not, Heaven forbid, do it with NYיטל intent, in which case impurity would profit.
Does the Rabbi have any connection with Kupat Ha’Ir? Even if it is too late for this NYיטל night of the major observance, they could still launch a quick campaign in advance of the minor NYיטל, which falls on the night of January 5–6, God willing. Perhaps they could offer little “ashkuki” kits that the great sages of the generation played with at the grave of Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky to anyone who donates the numerical value of NYיטל (to be stringent, one should spell it with a tet) as a standing order.
Far be it from me to troll. But I was concerned about the practice of my Hasidic friends—that their abstaining from Torah or their commandment of toilet-paper cutting is of no benefit at all; on the contrary, they may even be causing harm by channeling vitality to the forces of impurity.
However, according to the Rabbi’s words, since this “commandment of the pious” is in their hands, it is nothing but idolatry in partnership, and therefore there is no concern that they are adding vitality to Jesus and his crew.
But on second thought, if we’re dealing with toilet/benefit, since they are idol worshipers in their NYיטל custom, they thereby generate forces of impurity, and one should be especially concerned on this night, when harmful spirits are about, and the hovering spirit of Jesus the false messiah is celebrating his Georgian birthday. So perhaps it would be preferable that they not be strict about the commandment of NYיטל.
On the other hand, if they engage in Torah study and refrain from splitting toilet-paper rolls for Sabbath needs, then once again it turns out that they are blowing vitality into the husks of impurity, and round and round we go.
Conclusion: Woe is me because of my Maker, and woe is me because of my inclination; woe is me from a commandment for the sake of idolatry, and woe is me from idolatry for the sake of a commandment.