A vach nacht (Yiddish:וואך-נאכט, vacht nacht or vakhnakht, lit: "watch night" in Yiddish) is the night before the brit milah ("circumcision") of a male Jewish child, when he is in need of added spiritual protection. A standard "vach nacht" custom, practised by many Ashkenazi Jews, is to have children come and recite the Shema Yisrael and other verses from the Torah near the baby. In Hasidic communities a celebratory meal is held. In many Sephardic communities, the corresponding ceremony is called Brit Yitzchak ("covenant of Isaac".)