[Avodah] Text vs. Practice

[rabbirichwolpoe at gmail.com]

Plz post:
Joel Rich:
> In particular:
> There is a general difference in approach among poskim regarding how
> to weigh local custom against textual authority.  The Tosafot in many
> places endeavor to reconcile the text with the custom (see for excample,
> Shabbat 48a d.h. De-zeitim); other sages more readily condemn custom on
> the authority of the plain sense of the text.

The Pri Chadash wrote a long arichus on Minhag

The Best Overview I've seen is by Menachem Elon which may be found in
any of his major writings.

Not only do posqim differ on the weight of Minhag vs. Text, but some
posqim are self-contradictory

Illustration:
The Tur defends Minhag Ashkenaz re: the bracha of hannosseinlaya'eif
ko'ach -based upon his text of the Ashkenaz Siddur

OTOH he quotes the tshuvos RemaH as virulently anti-piyyut.

Another:
One Hassidic group made drastic changes to nusach Tefillah and minhag
based upon the Arizal, yet in some cases invokes the Maharil to defend
Minhag Avos!

Talk about being Tofeis two contradictory sheetos!

And of course there are various genre of Minhaggim. FWIW I started
systematically covering Rav Hamburg's Shrashei Minhag ashkenaz for a
comprehensive history of Minhaggim

Another interesting sefer is "minhag avoseinu b'yadeinu"
Which even-handedly lists the pros and cons of many of the controversial
minhaggim that are based upon the yearly cycle of haggim etc.

KT
RRW
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