YOELI: Wow, Yos, that’s a lot of coffee…
YOSSI: Well, we’ve got a big night ahead of us Yoeli!
YOELI: True. But you don’t wanna get sick! Anyways, Yos, do you know why we stay up all night on Shavuos?
YOSSI: Because there’s great food in shul? Just kidding. Because we overslept at Har Sinai, no?
YOELI: Yes… and no. Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai is one of the first to mention this minhag. He would stay up all night, and he describes it as “the friends of the kallah who stay up with the kallah the night before her wedding.” They help her get ready and prepare her for the great day ahead! Shavuos night is an exciting night, meant to help us get excited and prepare to receive the Torah!
YOSSI: And the food?
YOELI: Oh Yos. Over on that hill, right there in Tzfas, an amazing story happened. Rav Yosef Karo and his “chevraya” were sitting and learning on Shavuos night when they heard a bas kol! It said “Ashreichem! V’Ashrei Chelekichem!”
YOSSI: Wow! Maybe if I drink enough coffee, I’ll hear a bas kol too!
YOELI: Very possible! Ha Ha! Also, it’s well known that Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai had the same shoresh neshamah (root neshama) as Moshe Rabbeinu. It’s called “Neshomah Klallis” and it is able to relate to every other neshamah. Just like Moshe brought down the revealed Torah to the world, R’ Shimon revealed the hidden Torah. It was like another Matan Torah! With the ruach of Lag Ba’omer, and the 49 days we’ve counted so far, tonight’s the big night! The night we’ve been preparing for all these weeks! The night of “The Chasuna!”
YOSSI: Okay, I’m ready. Let’s get ready for Matan Torah! Good Yom Tov, everyone!
This article was found in Nekuda Tova Issue 37 Shavuos 2025.