Nittel Nacht | Imamother

amother

Thu, Dec 24 2020, 3:36 pm

This is NOT a question about manners but I couldn’t find a good section for it

I’m truly curious. I was asking my husband and he didn’t know so I thought I’d ask here

For those who hold there is no Torah learning tonight, and also are noheg not to have sx tonight, what do the men do?

My husband said that the Lubavitcher rebbe played chess but I don’t know if that’s true or if different groups have their own traditions.

I hope I’m not offending anyone. We are RW MO and don’t have these customs at all but just for a notice from our local (inclusive) chabad that parsha shiur was cancelled tonight which inspired my curiosity.

TIA

amother

Amber

Thu, Dec 24 2020, 3:39 pm

Mittel Nacht is the 2nd day yom tov by us...

On Nittel Nacht there is a chess competition in my husbands shul.

MommyM

Thu, Dec 24 2020, 3:40 pm

Yes, the Lubavitcher Rebbe did play chess on nittel nacht, and therefore a lot of Lubavitchers play chess. There is a wide range of other things men can do aside from learning especially as this year is Thursday night, they can help clean and prepare for Shabbos.

amother

Thu, Dec 24 2020, 3:40 pm

zaq wrote:

It's Nittel nacht, not Mittel nacht

I apologize. Like I said I’m not familiar with this at all. It’s not observed on my community nor do I speak Yiddish. I will change the title

amother

Babypink

Thu, Dec 24 2020, 3:51 pm

The only 2 things that men do at night is learn and have s-x? There are no other options?

sequoia

Thu, Dec 24 2020, 3:57 pm

The incredible range of how Jews “celebrate” xmas — from Chinese food and a movie, to chess, to just davka refraining from learning and zex... the possibilities are endless!

And then on Orthodox xmas (January 6) we do it all over again.

amother

Fuchsia

Thu, Dec 24 2020, 4:02 pm

Never heard of not having səx on nittel.

But DH amd his friends often get together to play "kvitlech" which I believe is something like poker on nittel.

amother

Thu, Dec 24 2020, 4:03 pm

amother [ Babypink ] wrote:

The only 2 things that men do at night is learn and have s-x? There are no other options?

Maybe I’m wrong. Which is obviously why I asked . But I presumed that what my husband and I do most often (watch Netflix) isn’t What chassidim (who perhaps don’t have tv/internet) do. Again, this is why I’m asking. If the question or the curiosity is offensive I’m sorry.

amother

Thu, Dec 24 2020, 4:05 pm

amother [ Fuchsia ] wrote:

Never heard of not having səx on nittel.

But DH amd his friends often get together to play "kvitlech" which I believe is something like poker on nittel.

Oh yes. I only head of nittel Nacht when I saw a post one year by a woman who said that she and her husband just had sx and they had forgotten its NN and she was panicked and wanted to know if she should call her rebbe. Certainly this may not be a widespread minhag, but this is what I’m asking

Raisin

Thu, Dec 24 2020, 4:06 pm

Since most cleaning ladies are not coming tomorrow, there is plenty to do.

Sequoia, you either keep 25th dec or 6th jan, not both. Well, I guess you can eat chinese food and watch movies but you don't need to refrain from torah studies on both dates.

amother

Babypink

Thu, Dec 24 2020, 4:06 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

So this is another making fun of chassidish thread, I see. So you think the only 2 thinks chassidish men do at night is learn & have s-x?
So we're chassidish and we watch movies, many chassidim do. Or they watch DVD's. You can play a game, go shabbos shopping, hang out with friends, go to bed early, basically you can do whatever you want, whatever non chassidish men do.

amother

Babypink

Thu, Dec 24 2020, 4:07 pm

Raisin wrote:

Many people keep both. The 6th is a longer nittel, more hours.

amother

Thu, Dec 24 2020, 4:07 pm

NotInNJMommy wrote:

FYI Chatzos is on the early side this time of year in many places....just sayin' Wink

Can you elaborate pls? Are the minhagim only till midnight?

amother

Thu, Dec 24 2020, 4:16 pm

amother [ Babypink ] wrote:

I’m not making fun of chassidim. Thank you for answering my question though since I Prefaced and phrased it as I did you could have just assumed I’m a nincompoop with no knowledge or experience with chassidim rather than someone who has any sort of agenda.

amother

Thu, Dec 24 2020, 4:17 pm

amother [ Babypink ] wrote:

Many people keep both. The 6th is a longer nittel, more hours.

I wasn’t sure if the previous response about January 6 was genuine or in jest. Can you clarify which, pls?

amother

Babypink

Thu, Dec 24 2020, 4:20 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

I wasn’t sure if the previous response about January 6 was genuine or in jest. Can you clarify which, pls?

What response? January 6th is also a nittel night. Some people keep only 1 night, some keep both.

sequoia

Thu, Dec 24 2020, 4:23 pm

I mean, thank goodness we don’t have to keep both... or we’d be more xtian than the xtians!

Here in Ukraine, people still call December 25th “Catholic xmas” and then someone always chimes in, “What about the Protestants?” But most people are Eastern Orthodox so yeah, xmas is January 7.