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Wednesday, 26 Adar I, 5784
  |  March 6, 2024

How New Customs Get Created

From the COLlive inbox: A gabbai at a Lubavitch shul tracks how two "ancient" Chabad customs were recently created. Full Story

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Silver Spoon at Chasuna
July 31, 2013 7:30 pm

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.

to 51
July 29, 2013 9:18 pm

the rebe writs in reshimos that smelling… is not our custom.

Smelling havdalah candel???
July 23, 2013 9:00 pm

Any source???

Holes in the Schach
July 22, 2013 5:11 pm

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 »

TO #43
July 22, 2013 6:13 am

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?

RE: Another old-new Minhag
July 22, 2013 5:56 am

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 »

RE: Another old-new Minhag / Using tefillin Strap
July 22, 2013 5:44 am

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 »

to #28
July 21, 2013 12:12 pm

it’s a halach in shulchon oruch

RE: Another old-new Minhag
July 19, 2013 3:33 pm

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.

wow #1!
July 18, 2013 10:18 pm

quite quick to judge you are

to 28
July 18, 2013 10:13 pm

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

to#39
July 18, 2013 7:59 pm

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.

M A Seligson
July 18, 2013 7:23 pm

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,.

to #20
July 18, 2013 6:46 pm

Aha, so the author mentioned baalai teshuvah, too

to #36
July 18, 2013 6:13 pm

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.

to 23
July 18, 2013 5:44 pm

Please give a source

Our family's experience
July 18, 2013 5:22 pm

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 »

aliya and tefilin
July 18, 2013 5:14 pm

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 »

32 what on earth do u mean!?
July 18, 2013 2:47 pm

“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
July 18, 2013 2:39 pm

#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

how about a minyan?
July 18, 2013 1:07 pm

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”

To #27
July 18, 2013 11:57 am

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.

28, very interesting
July 18, 2013 11:56 am

Thanks, I didn’t know that about the Tefilin strap.

lol
July 18, 2013 11:24 am

there are many more…

"two old minhagim"
July 18, 2013 11:24 am

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 "NEW-OLD MINHAG": TACHNUN AND THE TEFILLIN STRAP
July 18, 2013 10:54 am

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 »

Opening the Aron Kodesh
July 18, 2013 10:37 am

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?

Shulchan Aruch
Reply to  Opening the Aron Kodesh
July 17, 2021 11:51 pm

This is very clearly sourced in the alter Rebbe’s shulchan aruch

beans
July 18, 2013 10:08 am

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.

Arieh
July 18, 2013 10:06 am

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…

Citizen Berel
July 18, 2013 9:58 am

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.

#5 horachamon... Baal habayis hazeh
July 18, 2013 9:47 am

The source of this minhag is a sicha from the Frierdiker Rebbe.

To #2
July 18, 2013 8:08 am

I’m pretty sure I also Heard that though it’s only meant to be temporary untill you sow a proper one

minhagimo
July 18, 2013 7:59 am

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.

Only a baal teshuva
July 18, 2013 7:56 am

“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.

#6
July 18, 2013 3:02 am

you’re on target

To #3
July 18, 2013 2:39 am

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.

what did you gain
July 18, 2013 2:11 am

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
July 18, 2013 2:11 am

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 »

#1, the extremism on Pesach is directly from the Ari Zal
July 18, 2013 1:47 am

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.

sheva brochos
July 18, 2013 1:26 am

was that always the custom – that you must have one each day for seven days and the whole community has to offer etc.

whats the book?
July 18, 2013 1:14 am

bs”d
what’s the book called? i want to see what other new minhagim we have!!!!!!!!

to #3
July 18, 2013 12:57 am

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

I hear you, Gabbai...
July 18, 2013 12:27 am

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 »

Amalek
July 18, 2013 12:19 am

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.

Regarding Button
July 17, 2013 11:49 pm

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.

7th Aliyah
July 17, 2013 11:15 pm

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!

to 1
July 17, 2013 10:43 pm

Just cuz you cant refrain from eating (kosher lpesach) pizza onpesach doesn’t mean the chumros turn people away

Learn
July 17, 2013 10:28 pm

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 »

very good
July 17, 2013 10:18 pm

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

aaah
July 17, 2013 10:17 pm

I am on the same page

Regarding item #2 with the buttons
July 17, 2013 10:15 pm

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 according to Arizal/Kabbalah and Chassidim
July 17, 2013 10:12 pm

Shishi is always the highest in mystical circles and the Rebbe makes Maftir the highest.

Fanaticism and extremism
July 17, 2013 10:07 pm

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.

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