By Avrohom Solomon
Chabad chassidim are careful to cherish and strengthen every custom that has been practiced by elder chassidim from days of old. That is, of course, proper and should be done.
But there are some “minhagim” that have been introduced over time, and you can’t ever question them because “that’s how we hold,” is given as an explanation.
Years ago in our community, there was a bochur who became close to yiddishkeit and chassidus, and even merited to be once by the Rebbe. Before his wedding, we made him an “ufruf,” as customary to be called to the Torah, and made a kiddush following it.
As gabbai, I asked him if he’d like to get the maftir aliya. He declined, saying he did not know the ta’amin (musical cantillation notes), but asked for shvi’i (the 7th reading). Why? He said “because in Chabad it is the most respected aliya.”
We fulfilled his wish, yet throughout the duration of davening, I wondered, where does this “ancient” Lubavitch custom stem from?
And later I figured it out: This bochur was at the Rebbe and saw how a raffle was held for the aliyos to the Torah in the presence of the Rebbe at 770 Eastern Parkway. The chosson that got shvi’i was the happiest, and was considered the “luckiest.”
The reason was simply because the Rebbe would get maftir, the next aliya (and in reality the most respected one), meaning the chosson that got shvi’i would be standing closest to the Rebbe during maftir and would have the zchus to hear him read the whole haftora.
Our bochur/chosson did not understand all that. He just saw everyone wanting shvi’i, and so he understood it was the most important aliya – even in our shul where the Rebbe, unfortunately, wasn’t the one getting maftir.
I thought to myself, “Oh well. He’s a baal teshuva that might have not learned enough or didn’t understood the root of things.”
But, surprisingly, this week I have come across a new book with Minhagei Chabad, which clearly states that shvi’i is the most respected aliya in Lubavitch. A new custom was created…
The younger generation also has new minhagim. When you go into a Chabad shul during Mincha-Maariv, you can see how those wearing single-breasted suits button their jacket backwards so the right side closes on the left.
The source of wearing clothes buttoned right over left is from Kabballah: Right is trait of kindness, while left is judgment. There’s a video of a Jew complaining to the Rebbe about his livelihood, and the Rebbe tells him to wear his suit right over left and instructed him to go to a tailor.
The way those wear it today, with the left button being tucked into the right slot, looks clumsy and it also leads to forgetfulness (“קשה לשכחה”), we’re told.
When I asked a young Yeshiva bochur, why can’t he get another button sewn on (like some do, and the Rebbe suggested on video) so he can avoid buttoning his jacket backwards and look like a mentsch, he looked at me and said: “What do you mean? Everyone does it this way. It’s minhag Chabad!”
And when I ask him why we have a custom to walk around with a suit buttoned the wrong way, he thinks for a moment and comes up with: “Maybe it symbolizes the is’hapcha that comes after the iskafyah…”
While we’re at it, I’ve always wondered the source of walking over the silver spoon at a chassuna. I’ve checked a few seforim and didn’t find any reference.
the rebe writs in reshimos that smelling… is not our custom.
Any source???
Here’s an all time non-minhag classic: The Hiskashrus from Israel writes that the minhag Chabad is to have a lot of schach. But in order to be able to see the sky, one should make holes in the schach with a pole or the like. The source of the holes seems to be from the Rebbe’s Sukkah. A few years ago, Sholom Ber Ganzburg, who was a Mashbak in the Rebbe’s house wrote up some of his zichronos. He writes there that they once were expecting rain and they put down the cover of the schah. He/they then forgot and… Read more »
43
1) Your right arm should have a sleeve on it (not skin) as according to Lubavitch minhag you will be wearing a jacket covering your upper body, revealing your left arm only. Therefore using your right jacket sleeve should suffice.
2) Where did you find that the non-painted side of tefillin has less importance?
To all those giving “reasoning” to the minhag of using the tefillin strap: No one says there isnt some logic reason. There may very well be. But fact remains that there is no such Mekor (root) in written Halacha or Minhag Avoseinu Veraboseinu. This is the very reason for this article, to point out various customs which have possibly become common practice without a real or true source. We have yet to see a responsa from the Rebbe in this regards, nor a personal account where the Rebbe told a bochur to use his tefillin strap. Therefore we can conclude… Read more »
A simple google search has brought me to http://www.haoros.com, to an article written by Rabbi Aharon Berkowitz of Jerusalem. I have copied the original hebrew text below. For those who dont read Hebrew well: Rabbi Berkowitz basically writes that he has seen written discussion on “old-new minhagim” and brings exactly what #28 argues, stating that Shulchan Aruch states that leaning should be on the right hand, and perhaps the minhag started from bocurim seeing the Rebbe using his Tallis and people understood this to mean that you need a chefetz mitzva to shield you (as #45 writes). He concludes, that… Read more »
it’s a halach in shulchon oruch
One of the reasons we use a Tallis in the first place is because its a Chefetz Shel Mitzvah and the Retzuah of the Tefillin is a Chefetz Shel Mitzvah.
quite quick to judge you are
1)the reason why we use the tefilin strap is because we need a covering and your hand is insufficent due to the fact that ones skin is not considerd a covering for oneself 2)there is no problem with kavod hatefilin since yor are using the side that is not painted whereas if you would use your hand tefilin your are using the side that is painted
Isn’t that want most people do. They do things that most people do to be in the group. That’s a herd mentality to me.
to # 2- the Rebbe did not make maftir the biggest, all the Rebbe’im received maftir. the Rebbe explains it in Sichas Simchas Torah 5715,.
Aha, so the author mentioned baalai teshuvah, too
Just because “all bachurim do it” doesn’t mean it’s correct!
There is an issue of using the retzua for no reason. The only reason the Rebbe uses the talis is to cover his face during nefilas apayim. The tefillin strap does not fulfill this purpose.
There is a gemara about minhagim that get started by youth without them asking why the elders do what they do.
Yidden should be more learned in general and not do things because he or she sees others do so.
Please give a source
Referring to your article “How New Customs Get Created”, I would like to share our family”s experience with the Rebbe concerning the buttoning of a mans garment, right on left. It has been a tradition in our family for decades, as we heard it from our father, R” Shalom Ber Schapiro, and from his father, Our zaide, R’ Lipe Schapiro: When my Zaidy and father went into Yichidus, in honor of my fathers birthday (he was a young teenager then), the Rebbe looked carefully at my fathers jacket, which was buttoned left on right, then he stood up front… Read more »
1. There is many different minhagim regarding which is the most important aliya. The fact is that in Lubavitch Maftir is the most important followed by Shlishi and then Shishi. In the time of the frierdiker Rebbe which got maftir the Shlishi was given to the Rasha”g the oldest son in law (this is the aliya he got his entire life since then) and Shishi was the Rebbes aliya (then called the Ramas”h) as the younger son in law. I think this is an indication of the minhag Chabad in this respect. 2. Regarding using the retzuoh for nefilas hapayim… Read more »
“No offense”…BUT… OFFENSE. How dare you make a vague and deliberate statement against Baalei Teshuva? For all you know there are countless “gezhe”people who are just as ignorant, who perpetrate these minhagim the same way! It was very nice of you to bring the link to Rabbi Brauns Halachic clarification of psichas haAron during pregnancy, but when I was in yeshiva I saw numerous chavrei hanhola do psicha n that manner, and no one blamed baalei Teshuva! The mashpiim were FFBs! And so am I! Have some Ahvas Yisroel before you attempt Hoicheiach tichiach es amisecho.
#32 you are offensive, very little difference between Ba’alei Teshuvas today and FFB’s… there are just as many misguided FFB as BT, and many BT that are ‘holding’ as FFB
once in empire stiebl i saw a yungerman look around at borchu for a minyan. he counted with his fingers pointing to people that are holding at yishtabach. this minyan had about 30 guys davening and holding with the minyan. when asked why he did this he said “this is the minhag in 770”
Read here: http://thetorahcenter.com/page.asp?pageID=%7B56F73177-782C-4F25-8F70-A6DC14F11327%7D&displayAll=1
Indeed, this Minhag is made up.
No offense to anyone, but I believe these Minhagim are perpetuated and agitated by Ba’alei Teshuva, who do it because they see FFB’s doing it sometimes.
Thanks, I didn’t know that about the Tefilin strap.
there are many more…
What’s the deal with pulling on the ear after a sneeze and about not stepping over someone or they won’t grow are they just something that stemmed from someone trying to get people to listen or did they actually have something that they were based on.? anyone know?
Another Minhag I have seen almost categorically in Lubavitch Yeshiva’s is Bochurim using their Tefillin strap to cover their forehead during tachnun. I once asked a Bochur why he does so, he explained that the Rebbe used his Tallis to cover his forehead during Shachris. But as bochurim dont have a Tallis, he imitates the Rebbe using the Tefillin straps. A Lubavitcher Rov once told me that this is a Minhag Shtus. The reason we use our right hand for Tachnun during Shachris is so we do not degrade the honor of the Tefillin on our left hand ( מִשּׁוּם… Read more »
I hear that when one’s wife is pregnant, the husband opens the Aron Kodesh before Kerias HaTorah. In some places they even ask if there is anyone that needs to open it. It seems like a pretty new minhag. Does anyone know the source?
This is very clearly sourced in the alter Rebbe’s shulchan aruch
While we’re at it…throwing beans during eicha on tisha b’av has become a holy mitzvah in some camps etc. Its roots may stem from combating overly mournful expressions, which were generally discouraged in Lubavitch, but nowadays it doesn’t seem like we need to be concerned about overdosing on aveilus, aderaba, so the beans just make a total mockery of Tisha B’av.
According to the Zohar and the Arizal, Shishi is considered the highest.
However, there are opinions brought down that Shvii is the highest, for a number of reasons, IMHO;
(a) Shvii “defines” Shabbos since other regular days never have 7 Aliyahs
(b) Shtei Kedushos; Barchu at the beginning and Kaddish at the end (assuming no Hosafot, Acharon, etc…)
(c) Chazak aliyah at the end of each Sefer
(d) Other major Parshyios; Tefillin in Bo, Akeda in VaEyra, etc…
This is very perceptive.
Mr. Gabbai discovered the secret to these minhagim. It very, very good, than finally we live in a smart generation what has perceptive people looking into minhagim so we will never be fooled again.
We are very lucky to have smart people what tell us “How New Customs Get Created.”
This is the golden era of Jewish leadership.
The source of this minhag is a sicha from the Frierdiker Rebbe.
I’m pretty sure I also Heard that though it’s only meant to be temporary untill you sow a proper one
What about the minhag of davening at 3:00 in the afternoon. I’m pretty sure we’re the only Jews who do that. Oh right we do it because we wake up early and learn chassidus…
Such a disgrace to chassidus.
“Oh well. He’s a baal teshuva that might have not learned enough or didn’t understood the root of things.” Thanks for the vote of confidence.
you’re on target
As I remember hearing the story from rabbi YL Schapiro the Rebbe told him to ask his mother to saw a button on the inside.
there are so many things that are not as they should be. What did you gain by bringing to peoples attention things that do not harm anyone!!! You just caused people to doubt ALL minhagim as stusim and lokshen. Please when you see people doing things like this that DONT HARM anyone. REFRAIN from being AMALEK. Just look at all the negative comments Hashem Yerachem!!!!
HaYom Yom 8 Menachem Av What good is Chassidus and piety if the main quality is lacking – ahavat Yisrael, love of another – even to the extent of causing (G-d forbid) anguish to another! At least pick some better minhagim if you are going to take a _ _ _ _ on someone. What about the ancient Chabad minhag of triming your beard, dressing like a goy, and having your wife use the eruv? I mean if we are really going to put people in their place the day after Tisha B’Av we might as well have a party… Read more »
The Ari Zal said that on Pesach one should do all the chumros, the more the better, even if they don’t make sense. So this is yiddishkeit.
was that always the custom – that you must have one each day for seven days and the whole community has to offer etc.
bs”d
what’s the book called? i want to see what other new minhagim we have!!!!!!!!
i heard that the rebbe told him or his brother that you could tell your mother to so a button underneeth and that button will go in the hole on the the left side
We understand that there are areas in Judaism and Chassidishkeit that are going to be interpreted, or in terms of what you are expressing angst about, twisted, in different ways by multitudes of people. In regards to minhagim, I confer to what number 6 said. I would also like to add that legitimate minhagei Chabad, that is, as given over to us by the Rebbeim in explicit fashion, or by word of mouth with legitimate witnesses; in the proper context, are utterly cherished and upheld. I recall part of a letter of the Rebbe, in English in either the introduction… Read more »
Those that do those “minhagim” are SINCERE. I wonder how many of our confused youth which don’t do ANY minhagim or “minhagim” were inspired by the writer of this so-called op-ed. I could imagine that some will DIScontinue some minhagim due to the “inspiration” of such an op-ed.
I read clearly in a Igros from the Rebbe, The Rebbe told a bochur to ask his mother to sew on a button on the other side of the jacket.
i think that the fact that shvi’i is the aliya next to maftir which is the rebbes aliyah is a good reason to want shvii (thus making it preferrable).
Espesially as a chosson just the association of my aliya aas the one next to the Rebbes is special. (albeit perhaps not in fact a minhag…)
yet how much more special is it to give up that coveted aliyah to another chosson who you feel wants it even more than you…. (!)
yes, we are waiting to see the Rebbe get maftir again!
Just cuz you cant refrain from eating (kosher lpesach) pizza onpesach doesn’t mean the chumros turn people away
If you want to know things as they really are, go to the sources and study. But most people, especially this generation have an attention deficit, are lazy brained, coupled with click-click, google Wikipedia. So, very few ever learned shulchan aruch or minhagei chabad as edited by the Rebbe. Tell a lie enough times, it becomes the truth. On the flip side – minhag yisroel torah hee, and achrei rabim lihatos, so eventually that IS the way “we” do things. There aren’t enough learned folks, so the sheep followers abound and create the “we.” Even most current “heilige tznius” laws… Read more »
How about the new minhag of after horachamon they say baal habayis hazeh
A minhag is very important not only in keeping it but if I can say so even more important is not to create new one’s
I am on the same page
I once heard that Rabbi Shalom Ber Shapiro was by the Rebbe and the Rebbe commented on the fact that his buttons were buttoned left over right, so R’ Shalom Ber told the Rebbe that his buttons are only on the one side, so the Rebbe showed him how he can twist the jacket to make it right over left.
Correct me if I am wrong. Perhaps we should call him and ask him
Shishi is always the highest in mystical circles and the Rebbe makes Maftir the highest.
Extremism is what turns young people away. Making up Halachos and Minhagim destroys Jewish lives.
The author failed to mention the extremism when it comes to Pesach cleaning and the like, which makes people dislike the Yomtov altogether.