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Minhag

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Minhag (Hebrew: מנהג "Custom", pl. minhagim) is an accepted tradition or group of traditions in Judaism. A related concept, Nusach (Hebrew: נוסח), refers to the traditional order and form of the prayers.

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Minhag and Jewish law

Halakha (Jewish law) as derived from the Talmud is considered binding upon all Jews. However, in addition to these halakhot, there have always been local customs and prohibitions. Some customs were eventually adopted universally (e.g. wearing a head covering) or almost universally (e.g. monogamy). Others are observed by some major segments of Jewry but not by others (e.g., not eating rice on Passover). These Minhagim exist in various forms:

Discussion in Rabbinic literature

Various sources in Rabbinic literature stress the importance of a long-held tradition, culminating in the statement "the minhag of our fathers is [equivalent to] Torah" (e.g. Tosafot to Menahot 20b s.v. nifsal). Custom can thus determine halachic practice in cases of disagreement among rabbinic authorities. In numerous instances, Rabbi Moses Isserles warns that one should not abolish long-held customs. (Isserles' gloss on the Shulkhan Arukh was, in fact, written so as to delineate Ashkenazi Minhagim alongside Sephardi practices in one code.)

Despite the above, a minhag does not override clear biblical or talmudic enactments, and one may not transgress the latter for the sake of the former. In fact, any minhag that intrinsically involves an element of halakha violation is considered null and void (see Or Zarua 1:7).

The Talmud (Pesachim 50) rules that a valid minhag accepted by previous generations of a family or community is binding upon all later generations. The Rosh (Makom Shenahagu, 3) states that the Talmud's ruling fundamentally applies to practices undertaken by learned individuals; innovations by the unlearned need only be followed publicly. Other halakhic authorities hold that the Talmud's ruling applies to all valid practices initiated by either learned or unlearned individuals (for discussion of this point see Bach and Beit Yosef to Yoreh Deah 214; Shach, ibid., 214:7).

In most cases, personal acceptance of a new minhag is tantamount to vowing performance of that minhag. Consequently, abandonment of such a minhag typically requires hatarat nedarim or sh'eilat chakham, halakhic procedures for absolving oneself from oaths.

Present day

The acute displacement brought about by World War II and the Holocaust, and the large-scale immigration to the United States, various European countries, and especially the State of Israel, have led to a "liberal mixing" of various minhagim, and arguably the falling into disuse of certain customs. In addition, the baal teshuva movement has created a large group who have no clear tradition from their parents. In response to these phenomena, certain scholars have focused on the minhagim, and attempts have been made to revive minhagim that have fallen into disuse.

Nusach

Both the words nusach and minhag, can also be used for liturgic rite or liturgic tradition; see Different Jewish rites and Popular siddurim under Siddur. In general one must pray according to one's "Nusach of Origin". (Perisha rules that if one abandons a nusach that has been accepted universally by the wider Jewish community, his prayer is disqualified and must be repeated using the accepted nusach (Arba'ah Turim, Orach Chayim, 120 ad loc).

"Nusach", although usually used as above, also has implications as regards "community minhagim" in general; the main segments of traditional Judaism, as differentiated in terms of Nusach (broadly and narrowly) are:

External links and resources

References

Resources

 

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