Inquiry with custom
Rabbi, I have a problem – on the one hand, it is very important for me to find out the origin of things and understand the things I do. This helps me especially with things that are difficult for me (in practice or in the mind) – after I understand and clarify things, it is easier for me to carry them out. On the other hand, the feeling is that my clarification can only lead to a worse situation – my clarification never has any meaning for the Kola, or even just for changing what is happening now (even if it does not make it easier for me) – because everything that I practice today in practice (and I have a hard time with it – and that is why I clarify) has an obligation on the part of the custom in it – that is, no matter how much I clarify and come to the conclusion that something I have done up until now is foolish or unfounded, I must follow it because that is how everyone does it. And this is quite burdensome to me – also in terms of the motivation to clarify things in depth… I understand that this is mainly a question for a psychologist, because if it is forbidden, then it is forbidden. But I would be happy if the rabbi could perhaps try to map out the areas that we are unable to touch even if we think there is an error there [every mimra in the G.M.? Everything that the majority of Israel does and practices is obligatory – no matter when it was created? (legumes?), everything in the Shulchan Arash – because it was accepted by the majority of Israel?], and in which area is there more room for the conclusions of our clarification in practice…?
thanks.
It’s difficult for me to present a clear mapping here. I’m finishing editing a trilogy, the third book of which deals with these things, among other things.
As a general rule, not everything that everyone does is automatically forbidden (perhaps there is a halakhic custom here, and if you think it is a mistake, then from your perspective perhaps the custom is not binding, because it is a custom of jurisprudence and in your opinion it should not be ruled that way). Beyond that, there are very few things that everyone does.
If you’d like to be more specific, please provide one example question and we can work on it.
Thanks. Regarding the Dug - a friend told me that he does not say the requests of the Merciful at the end of the Birkat Hamazon after the fourth blessing - because it is an addition of the sages of the generations after the Gemal; and if the Rambam blessed the 4 blessings and did not add requests, then we can trust him. Apparently he is right, but the Jewish custom of blessing everything, is there anything to be done about it? The same goes for later additions and psalms in the prayer, or in the Birkat Elavaneh, etc. Thank you!
It is true that they used to bless the continuation as well (and so are the other examples you gave), but this is not a binding law but a custom. However, there is a law to observe customs, and therefore as long as you do not have a positive reason to deviate from them, I do not see why you should do so. If for some reason you think it is harmful or wrong - there is room for leniency.
I saw that many people asked here about the authority of customs, but I would be happy if the rabbi would explain the source of the obligation in them - I understood that it is related to the authority of the Talmud, and therefore the question is actually about this as well (because it seems that the main reason we are obligated to do so is because it is stated in the Gemara). Is the obligation of things said in the Gemara a "do not deviate"? (I understood that there are those who say that the Gemara has the validity of the Sanhedrin - does the rabbi agree?) And if not - is it a Kabbalah that the first generations accepted without dispute - what is the halachic status of this Kabbalah? Does it have a formal halachic status at all?
The authority of customs is not necessarily related to the validity of the Talmud. We have accepted the Talmud over us and it has the same authority as the Sanhedrin. Is there a “do not deviate” rule about this? I don’t know. Perhaps public acceptance gives it real validity even in the matter of “do not deviate”, but I’m not sure. It is possible that the basis is indeed a custom, but this is a category of court customs and not a custom that starts “from below”.
As a rule, the custom is binding by virtue of the verse “Do not forsake the law of your mother” (see Pesachim, beginning of the chapter, where they practiced it) and some have seen it as a kind of vow.
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