by Rabbi Michalowicz
1. Women light candles either at the regular time of candle lighting [8:33 PM] or from a pre-existing flame when
the men come home from Shul and are ready to eat. They make 2 blessings: One for the Mitzvah of lighting
the Yom Tov candles and the other “Shehechiyanu” blessing. [If a woman forgets to light candles at these two
times, she may light them from a pre-existing flame the entire evening.]
2. Usually, when Holidays begin, and when Shabbos begins, it is generally permitted to begin the Holiday early,
and indeed, sometimes it is preferable. But we may not begin the Holiday of Shavuos early, so that the Count
of Omer should be a complete seven weeks. Therefore, on the first night Shavuos we wait until the stars come
out, and do not begin Kiddush until then. For this year of 5777, the earliest time to make Kiddush on
Tuesday night is 9:41 PM.
3. There is a well known minhag to bring flowers into shul and one's home as a remembrance that on Shavuos
we are judged on "Peiros Ha'ilon" - fruits. However, one should not cut off branches from fruit bearing trees for
this purpose because of the Torah prohibition of "Bal Tashchis".
4. Many have the minhag to eat a milchige [dairy] meal (and milk and honey) on Shavuos. However, one is also
obliged to eat fleishig [beef] to be yotze [discharges his obligation of] Simchas Yom Tov with meat.
5. In order to satisfy all opinions, it is preferable to have a meat meal both in the evening and in the day of both
days of Yom Tov [4 meals], and to have a dairy meal or snack in the day before your meat meal.
6. However, if one finds it difficult to eat meat so late at night, there are opinions to rely on that permit you to eat
dairy meals at night.
7. All agree that you should have meat meals at least one time on each of the two days of Yom Tov.
8. If one eats milchig but not "hard cheese" (which requires one to wait six hours before eating meat) one need
not bentch and wash again before eating meat. However, one should wash his /her mouth well and the
tablecloth should be changed. (Other poskim require one to bentch).
9. There is a custom to stay up the night of Shavuos and learn Torah. This is based on the Midrash which says
that the Jewish people overslept the night before Matan Torah and Hashem had to awaken them to receive the
Torah. Therefore we stay up all night to rectify their oversight.
10. The Arizal [The Kabalist Rabbi Yitzchok Luria] writes that one who does not sleep the night of Shavuos and
toils in Torah is assured to live out the year and no harm will occur to him.
11. There is a compilation of torah learning known as "Tikkun Lay'l Shavuos" which has The Zohar and the
writings of The Ari'zal as its source, and many have the minhag to say/learn this on Shavuos night.
12. Generally women should not say the "Tikkun Lay'l Shavuos". However, some say that a woman who counted
all the days of Sefiras Ha'omer may learn the portions of the Tikkun which are from Tanach.
13. One who stayed awake all night of Shavuos should immediately, at Alos Hashachar wash one's hands for
Netilas Yadayim without a beracha, and listen to Birchas Hatorah from someone who slept, before one
continues to learn.
14. Before Shachris one should use the restroom, wash his hands and then make the berachos of "al netilas
yadayim" and "asher yotzar".
15. One who stayed awake all night should not make a beracha on his tzitzis. Rather, he should make the beracha
on his Tallis Gadol and have in mind to be yotze for his tzitzis with the same beracha. Someone who does
not wear a Tallis Gadol, should hear the beracha from someone else who will discharge his
obligation.
16. One who stayed awake all night should listen to the berachos of "Elokai Neshama" and "Hamaveir Shayna
Mayeinoi" from someone who slept during the night.
17. One who goes to sleep after Alos Hashachar Shavuos morning (or on any day) does not say the beracha of
Hamapil.
18. For those who have stayed awake all night, the minhag of Ashkenazim is that after Alos Hashachar one goes
to the bathroom, washes ones hands, makes al netilas yadayim, and asher yatzar, and then listens to and is
yotze [discharges his obligation of] Birchas Hatorah, Elokai Neshama, and birchas Hamaavir Chevlei
Sheynah, from someone who slept, and then one says all rest of the usual morning berachos for oneself.
19. While reciting Birchos Hatorah on Erev Shavuos, one may clearly stipulate that his berachos should be in
effect only until the next morning. In this case, he may recite the berachos on Shavuos morning although he
did not sleep.
20. If no person who slept is available, many poskim rule that the berachos of Elokai Neshama and Hamaavir
Chevlai Sheynah may be recited even by one who did not sleep.
21. One may not make any Yom Tov preparations on the first day of Yom Tov for the second night, light candles, or
make Kiddush until after 9:42 PM.
22. Candle lighting and Kiddush are done in the same way as on the first night.