[Avodah] ceremonies in halacha

[Eli Turkel]

<<But a short while back, I encountered what appears to me to be a direct
contradiction to RYBS's position in the Y-mi. Yuma 2:1 (10b) we are told
that they held 4 separate lotteries to divide the avodah, "kedei laasos
pumpei bedavar", and again at 2:4 (13b), we are told that extra kohanim
were used to carry the ayil up the kevesh for the same reason.

Opening up http://etymonline.com/index.php?term=pomp we learn that
the English "pomp" is from the Greek meaning "solemn procession,
display".

So, "kedei laasos pumpei bedeavar" means that these things were
NOT halachic, and in fact practices done in the BHMQ only for their
ceremonial value.>>

We also have the ceremony of cutting the Omer done to show up the Saducees.

However, more generally there are many ceremonies in Judaism. When many
people do it we call it a minhag rather than a ceremony.
One example is lighting the chanikyah in shul which even has a bracha
though the origin is not very clear and even for those who do not recite a
blessing on minhagim.

Though RYBS would disagree the Chabad custom of lighting a menorah in
public places is certainly ceremonial.

-- 
Eli Turkel
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