Hot answers tagged minhag
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The custom of eating dairy on Shavuos is mentioned by several ראשונים including:
רבינו אביגדור צרפתי- probably the earliest source (12th century), possible one of the בעלי התוספות
פירושים ופסקים לרבינו אביגדור הצרפתי על התורה (מהדורת הרשקוביץ, ירושלים תשנ"ו) פסקים תקצה-ח
The Kol Bo (סימן נב)
Orchos Chaim (הל' תפלת המועדים אות יג)
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In Bereishis Rabbah 37:10, R. Yose says:
הראשונים על ידי שהיו מכירים את ייחוסיהם, היו מוציאין שמן לשם המאורע. אבל אנו שאין אנו מכירים את ייחוסינו, אנו מוציאין לשם אבותינו
"The earlier generations, who knew their genealogies, would name after events. We, however, who don't know our genealogies, name after our ancestors."
(Etz Yosef explains that ...
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In general, I wouldn't post just a quote, but it so perfectly addressed the question...
From Hayom Yom (29th of first Adar), written/compiled by the Lubavitcher Rebbe:
In responding to L'chayim there are two versions:
L'chayim Tovim Ul'Shalom, "for good life, and for peace." The reason for this blessing is that the first time drinking wine is ...
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Minhag Yisroel Torah Orach Chaim 292:6 "the Minhag is that on Shabbos at the time of Mincha not to wish your friends Shabbos Shalom since it is the time of the passing of Moshe Rabeinu".
Nitei Gavriel Hilchos Yom Tov 2 Page 389:10 mentions in the name of Sefer Minhagei Yeshurin Os 80 and Sefer Matamim, since the passing of Moshe Rabeinu, Yosef HaTzadik, and ...
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after the circumcision, the foreskin is buried (some prepare a dish with dirt in it to "bury" the foreskin immediately). Some bury it in earth that has a new tree planted in it as a symbolic connection but the operative point is respect and burial for the body part.
cf Do surgically removed body parts require Kevurah?
the comments on the question which ...
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Kitzur Shulchan Aruch (131:1) states:
ואל יחשוב האדם שזוהי כפרתו ממש, אלא יחשב כי כל מה שעושין בעוף הזה, היה
ראוי לבוא עליו בעונותיו. ויתאונן על חטאיו, והקדוש-ברוך-הוא ברחמיו יקבל
תשובתו.
A person should not think, however, that this ceremony itself actually atones for him. On the contrary, [he should look at the ceremony as symbolic in nature, ...
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The debatable:
Kabbalistic sources about beards, or about spiritually-destructive forces involved in removing a beard. Much ink has been spilled over how much facial hair was worn by the kabbalist Rabbi Menachem Azariah of Fano.
Cutting your beard means you're trying to look like a non-Jew. Chasam Sofer vehemently opposes this argument, observing that in ...
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Rama writes, when discussing how to spell the various Hebrew months in a Get (Shulchan Aruch EH 126:7):
אייר, בשני יודי"ן; ואם כתב בחד יו"ד, פסול, אם לא בשעת הדחק. ויש נמנעין ליתן גט באייר, אך במקום הדחק נותנין וכותבין בב' יודי"ן.
Iyar is spelled with two Yuds. If one wrote it with one Yud, it is invalid except in pressing circumstances. Some ...
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There is a concept from the Gemara (Pesachim 8a) known as שלוחי מצוה אינן ניזוקין - mitzva messengers are not harmed. When one is going on a trip that involves potential risks, some are of the custom is to give them a small amount of money to give to charity at their place of destination, so that they are effectively turned into "mitzva messengers" until ...
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The oldest reference to this tradition that I am aware of is the Taz ("Turei Zahav"), by David haLevi Segal, 17th c.
הלוחש על המכה או על החולה ורוקק ואחר כך קורא פסוק מן התורה אין לו חלק
לעוה"ב
One who whispers over a wound or over a sick person and who spits, and
who then recites a verse from the Torah has no portion in the world to
come.
...
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Only Ashkenazic communities read all five megillos in a public setting over the course of the year. Sefardic and Chassidic communities generally will only read Eicha on Tisha B'av and (of course) Esther on Purim, but not the other three on the shalosh regalim.
The custom to read Ruth on Shavuos (as well as Shir Hashirim on Pesach, I think) is mentioned ...
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In theory, as long as it's intrinsically worth a perutah it's good enough, but there can be no misunderstandings about what it is! If she thinks she's getting a diamond when in fact you're giving her a cubic zirconia, then it could be claimed the kiddushin occurred under false pretenses. So we avoid stones or fancy engravings.
THEREFORE, to avoid any chance ...
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This custom is mentioned in the Shulchan Aruch (OC 610:1). It is supposed to serve as a reminder to avoid marital relations on Yom Kippur. It is common to allow at least some light into the bedroom: see "The Laws of Lighting Candles for Yom Kippur" by R' Yosef Zimbal.
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Nitei Gavriel Nisuin1 37 mentions this in the name of Shaalos U'Teshuvos Pri Haadama 3:10, Shaar Hamifakaid Kidushin 16b 12, Klilas Chasanim 10:4, Shulchan HaEzer 67:3. However he mentions that many Gedolim oppose this Minhag based on the Biur Hagra 25:1.
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Hazon Ovadia Purim pg. 199
מה שנוהגים להתחפש וללבוש מסיכות בפורים, אין כל איסור בדבר.
It is Mutar to dress up Purim.
What is Asur on Purim?
Cross dressing
Inviting magicians
Making fun of the Rabbis on Purim
(All from Yalkut Yosef 695)
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Shulchan Aruch (OC 476:2) writes that those who have the custom not to eat roasted meat on the Seder nights refrain from eating any type of meat that requires slaughtering, including chicken. Although the Korban Pesach could not be offered from such meat, we are still concerned people may come to permit other types of roast. However fish meat is ...
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R Shlomo Aviner, in Shut She'elat Shlomo, mentions 4 reasons, which are brought here in short:
The gmara in Shabbat 152a, says that the splendor of man's face is the beard הדרת פנים זקן. That's the natural and whole looks of the Israeli man, as R Yehonatan Aibeshitz mentions in Ya'art Dvash, part A.
The daily shaving is bothersome and causes bitul torah ...
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In "What's in a Name", the English translation of Zusha Wilhelm's sefer "Ziv HaShemot", the following is stated:
1) Some say that one may name a male child after a female. (See Bris Avos 8:37; See also Koreis HaBris, Posach Eliyahu, note 8; See Kuntres HaShemos (revised edition), Vol 7, p. 10; See Sefer HaBris, p. 313; See the Midrash on Pinchas (13:12) ...
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I live in Sydney Australia and I can say definitively that yes the custom is to stay up all night and learn on Shavuot night. I have never heard the suggestion that staying up all night is related to the time of sunrise/sunset at that time of year. I have many friends in South Africa and can say that they have the same custom as well.
My inclination is that ...
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Off the cuff, I can say that this was done for at least 2000 years. Rabban Gamliel the Elder, who lived at the end of the Second Temple era, was succeeded by his son Rabi Shimon [ben Gamliel], who was in turn succeeded by Rabban Gamliel II, who was in turn succeeded by Rabi Shimon ben Gamliel II.
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It goes back at least to אברהם's generation.
There is also חנך. Although I see no commentary about the first חנך, it seems on its face that they are two different people, since their lineages are listed as being different (one from קין and the other from שת).
And there is also למך. (See the Wikipedia entry for an interesting comment on the similarities ...
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Just to add to @DovF's answer. It would seem that making the person your emissary to do any mitzvah would accomplish the same thing, since the main thing is that, as your emissary, he is protected from harm. (see my answer here)
However, Tzedakah has an added benefit of "saving one from death", as the Talmud (Shabbat 156B) tells us.
So you get the double ...
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I don't have a source for the custom, but I think it's irrelevant. The onus is upon him to show a source that it isn't tznius. Standing for a woman in general certainly isn't a violation of tznius - in fact the Gemara says one is obligated to stand up for the wife of a talmid chacham (Shevuos 30b).
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Jewish Action, Summer 2005 edition, has a "What's the truth about..." column by Rabbi Dr. Ari Z. Zivotofsky on not meeting for the week preceding the wedding. His main point is the lack of old sources for this custom, but he does cite several newer sources and the reasons they give. See there for the details, but the reasons and post-facto rationales offered ...
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As @GershonGold mentioned in his answer, Mincha time of Shabbat is associated with the passing of Moshe, Yosef, and David. One of the ways we commemorate it is by not greeting someone by wishing them a Good Shabbat at Mincha time. [The Mishna Berurah S"K 6 on Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chaim 292:2) tells us that this is why we say Tzidkatcha after the Amidah in ...
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One justification given by Rabbi Shmuel Wosner (Shevet HaLevi 4:23) is that nowadays Mayim Achronim is only a chumra and it was not one that women accepted. [This reminds me of what some say to justify women's not davening maariv.]
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The Lubavitcher Rebbe (Sefer Hashichos 5750 vol. 1 page 351 footnote 132) quotes the Tzemach Tzedek's explanation of the Chabad custom to recite selichos only until Rosh Hashana and not during Aseres Yemei Teshuva:
עד כאן (עד ר"ה) - מצות אמירה, ומכאן ואילך - מצות עשייה
Until Rosh Hashana the emphasis is on speech, from then after the the emphasis is ...
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Nitey Gavriel (Yom Kippur Perek 20 Sif 19) writes that many have the custom not to whip on Erev Yom Kippur. He cites as a source Kaf HaChaim (O.C. 607:40) who claims that Erev Yom Kippur is considered a Yom Tov and we do not give lashes on Yom Tov. The Nitey Gavriel notes that this is the prevelant custom in Zitshov, Tshernobil, Gur and Amshinov.
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Nitey Gavriel (Hilchos Sukkos pg. 378) quotes the Shu"t Zakan Aharon (OC 30) who proves from the Gemorah (see below) that Lechatchila one should not reuse another's Hoshanos. He (Nitey Gavriel) suggests that doing so is considered shameful to the custom of the Nevi'im of hitting the Arovos, and that since there are allusions to judgment and severity it is ...
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Rav Yosef Messas a"h (he served as Rav in Tilimsan Algeria, Meknes Morocco, and as Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Haifa) held that wearing costumes/disguises on Purim is absolutely forbidden as hukas hagoyim and that its origins stem from an imitation of the pre-Lent festivity of Carnavale which itself has origins in the orgiastic paganism of Bacchanalia. He ...
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