Stuff To Do on Nittel Nacht

By COLlive reporter

A number of Chabad centers around the world are offering Chinese cuisine to members of their communities in what has become a semi-tradition on the eve of December 24.

Nittel Nacht is how Xmas Eve is called in Jewish circles. Back in the day, in the Middle Ages, Jews were forbidden from appearing in public.

“The Previous Rebbe taught that it is customary not to study Torah on that night in order not to increase the Divine life energy present,” the Rebbe commented in a talk on Shabbos, Kislev 25, 5750.

“Each person in his own way must use nittel in a positive way,” the Rebbe said. “Rather than merely do nothing, he should perform acts connected with wisdom, or connected with charity and kindness, or connected with the proper functioning of his home.”

Based on the Rebbe’s comments in that sicha and actions over the years, COLlive compiled 6 things you can be doing (unless you want to go back and comment about “The Call of the Shofar”).

1. Play chess

One of the most common practices, dating back to the 5th Lubavitcher Rebbe Rashab. A picture of the Rebbe facing his father-in-law, the Frierdiker Rebbe with a chess board in front of them in claimed to have been taken on December 24.

SparkChess.com is a premier free single and multiplayer chess game that allows you to play against the computer or challenge your friends. “It sharpens one’s intellect,” the Rebbe once commented.

2. Watch My Encounter

Special for tonight, JEM is opening its Living Torah mobile app for the iPad, iPhone and Android devices for free viewing of their story segments.

Known as My Encounter, these short clips show people interacting with the Rebbe during different occasions, many of them heartwarming, inspirational and even humorous. There’s 400 of them.

The Rebbe actually recommended “picturing the holy image” of the Frierdiker Rebbe during this time. Download the app here.

3. Study at Khan Academy

The Rebbe emphasized to “add in matters of wisdom” with proper intentions on this night, so we refer you to the Khan Academy.

With the backing of Bill Gates and Google, Khan Academy offers free video lectures about math, art, computer programming, economics, physics, chemistry, biology, medicine, finance and history.

Here are 2 samples:

Empires before World War I

Renting vs. Buying a Home

4. Watch a documentary

In 5737, the Rebbe sat to watch video footage of chassidic undercover life in the Soviet Union filmed by Rabbi Berel Levy OBM. The Rebbe recommended that bochurim watch it as well.

We don’t have that video in our possession and a documentary has yet to be made about the heroic Chabad activism behind the Iron Curtain. So instead we offer you the 52 minute film “Inside the KGB: Terror of the Soviet Union.”

Alternatively, you can watch an episode of the National Geographic’s series “Judaism: Inside the Torah.” Titled “Kings of Israel – The Story of King David and the Jewish (Israelite) people,” it reviews the biblical and historical story of Dovid Hamelech based on archaeological findings.

5. Hear stories

When the famed Tanya commentator Rabbi Yosef Wineberg OBM had a radio broadcast scheduled for this evening, the Rebbe instructed that he share chassidic stories instead.

Judaism website Chabad.org has more than 800 Jewish stories from the sages, the chassidic masters, and contemporary Jewish storytellers that can sure keep your earbuds playing for hours.

Check it out at Chabad.org

6. Try sewing

The Rebbe also commented that “the story was once told of a yeshiva student who wore a jacket which was missing a button. When asked why he didn’t fix it, he replied that nittel was approaching and that he was putting off fixing it until then.

“The yeshiva student couldn’t conceive of time that would be spent without any positive input. Hence, knowing that he could not study on nittel, he planned to use the time for another constructive act.”

Check for a missing button and watch this:

Do you have other suggestions? Tell us what you do on Nittel Nacht.