We engage in practices of mourning for the destruction of the Temple at many moments in our lives. According to kabbalistic sources, the middle of the night is an especially fitting time to arouse heavenly mercy to end the exile and rebuild the Temple. Accordingly, kabbalists instituted a sequence of hymns and supplications to be said at midnight. This is called Tikkun Hatzot, “Midnight Rectification,” and it can be found in prayer books.

Previous generations customarily went to sleep in the early hours of the evening. Pious individuals would then rise at midnight, recite Tikkun Hatzot, and study Torah until the morning service. Nowadays as well, some people get up before dawn to say Tikkun Hatzot, or stay awake until midnight and recite Tikkun Hatzot before going to sleep. The vast majority of the public does not recite Tikkun Hatzot today; it remains a practice followed only by exceptional individuals.