Alternative Nittel Nacht Used for 770 Visits

Groups of chassidim from Boro Park who observe Nittel Nacht on January 6th chose to utilize Wednesday night to visit 770 Eastern Parkway, touring the shul and hearing about its history.

By Anash.org reporter

Groups of chassidim from Boro Park who observe Nittel Nacht on January 6th chose to utilize Wednesday night to visit 770 Eastern Parkway, touring the shul and hearing about its history.

The custom of Nittel Nacht is observed by refraining from learning Torah on the evening of the day marking the birth of oso haish. After the advent of the Gregorian Calendar, different non-Jewish groups celebrate their holiday on two separate dates, leading to Nittel Nacht being marked on different days in different locations.

The Rebbe explained that the timing of Nittel Nacht does not follow the Jewish calendar, but rather, the secular calendar. The date must be determined by the observance of the local non-Jewish population. The Jews of each country observe this custom on the eve of yom eidam (lit. the day of their calamity, used as a metonymy for festival) as it is celebrated by the non-Jews of their country. In the United States, this sets the date as December 25th. In a location with variances in the dates for the non-Jewish yom eidam, Nittel Nacht is observed on the date that the majority of the local non-Jews celebrate.

Some groups of chassidim, however, continue to observe Nittel Nacht on the day it was observed in their country of origin. In accordance with their custom, they refrain from learning on the evening of January 6th, and some took the opportunity to visit 770, where they were shown around and stopped to speak to bochurim.