A closer look
Pulling an all-nighter usually involves cramming for exams, but classical Kabbalists did it to accessorize a deity. In the esoteric text of the Zohar, Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai framed the holiday of Shavuot not just as the giving of the Torah, but as the ultimate cosmic wedding. Practitioners engage in Tikkun Leil Shavuot, staying awake until dawn to study mystical texts. They aren't just reading; the Zohar claims this act is the literal equivalent of stringing jewelry and sewing the bridal gown for the Shekhinah (the divine feminine presence), preparing her to aggressively reunite with the masculine aspect of God.
