On the night of Shavuos, many people have the custom to recite Tikkun Leil Shavuos. Tikkun Leil Shavuos is said to have been officially established by the holy Arizal, Rabbeinu Yitzchak Luria zt”l. The chag of Shavuos celebrates the giving of the Torah to the Jewish People, but, according to the Midrash, B’nei Yisrael overslept on the morning they were due to receive the Torah, and they had to be awakened by a shofar blast from Hashem.
Tikkun means “correction,” and as a correction for having overslept, the Arizal initiated the custom of all-night learning. Rather than sleeping late, we don’t sleep at all. However, this custom appears to go back even earlier. According to one version in the Zohar, talking about the night of Shavuos, the Tanna writes as follows: “We learned that the Torah that we must labor in on this night is Torah SheB’al Peh (Oral Law), so that together we are purified from the deep wellspring of the stream. Because of this, the early chasidim (pious ones) did not sleep that night and toiled in Torah.”
There was once a man named Matzliach “the Antique Dealer,” who lived a few hundred years ago in Tunisia. He loved Torah, although he himself was not an outstanding scholar. And, though he was not very rich, he gave charity generously. He was particularly known in the Jewish community for his special custom in connection with Shavuos, the festival of the Giving of the Torah. Every year, he invited ten scholars to his home on the first night of Shavuos. He prepared a fine feast for them, and after the meal they would recite the special “Tikkun” prayers and study Torah the entire night in his home.
Matzliach started this tradition when, years earlier, he learned of the custom of staying awake on the first night of Shavuos. At the time, he was greatly surprised to hear that the night before Hashem gave the Torah to the Jews at Mount Sinai, they did not stay awake! Indeed, they slept soundly, so that when Hashem descended to the mountain early in the morning, His chosen people were not there! Matzliach always believed that it wasn’t that the people were not eager to receive the Torah, but rather that they wanted to be well-rested and refreshed for the great moment of Divine Revelation. And so, it became the custom of Jews everywhere to make up for this by staying awake on the night of Shavuos, in this way “correcting” what had happened. In fact, this is what “Tikun” means: correction.
One year, when Shavuos approached, Matzliach found himself in a difficult situation. Business hadn’t been good, and not only didn’t he have money for his usual feast, but he didn’t even have the funds for food and wine for the holiday. Sadly, he told his wife Mazal about his predicament.
“I still have my precious earrings,” his wife Mazal said, taking them off and giving them to him. “Take them to the pawnbroker to get a loan until things improve.”
Matzliach took the earrings to the pawnbroker and received a tidy sum. As he was walking home, Matzliach met the chief rabbi of Tunisia, Chacham Rabbeinu Hai Tayeb zt”l.
“You saved me a trip,” the Chief Rabbi said. “I’m going around collecting for our poor, so they can celebrate Shavuos with joy.” Without hesitation, Matzliach gave the rabbi the money he had just received from the pawnbroker.
On his way home, as Matzliach wondered what he would tell his wife, he heard his name called. “You are known as the ‘Antique Dealer’? Well, His Majesty, the ruler of Tunisia, has sent me to buy a set of antique coffee-cups. I have no idea where to get them,” said one of the servants of the ruler. “But you are an antique dealer. Get them for me, and you will be amply rewarded.”
Matzliach sprang into action and in a short time, found another dealer willing to sell him the exact set for a cheap price. Immediately, Matzliach went to the Royal Court and was introduced to the ruler. “This is just what I wanted,” he said with glee, as he held up the antique set. Then he asked how much he must pay for the cups.
Matzliach was an honest businessman. After hearing the price he had paid, the surprised ruler asked, “That’s all you paid for these precious cups? The ruler of Tunisia is not looking for bargains. You shall be paid what I deem is their full value!”
Matzliach left the palace with a large sum of money. Walking home, he met the Chacham Hai Tayeb again. “Rabbi, I can now afford to double my donation,” Matzliach said happily.
“Thank the L-rd, we both did well today,” the Chief Rabbi said. “Have a happy Shavuos.”
Indeed, it was a happy holiday for Matzliach and his wife Mazal. And what made them happiest was that this year, they could observe their custom of celebrating Tikkun-night as they always did.
Rabbi Dovid Hoffman is the author of the popular “Torah Tavlin” book series, filled with stories, wit and hundreds of divrei Torah, including the brand new “Torah Tavlin Yamim Noraim” in stores everywhere. You’ll love this popular series. Also look for his book, “Heroes of Spirit,” containing one hundred fascinating stories on the Holocaust. They are fantastic gifts, available in all Judaica bookstores and online at http://israelbookshoppublications.com. To receive Rabbi Hoffman’s weekly “Torah Tavlin” sheet on the parsha, e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
