[Avodah] What's the Truth About Tashlich?

[Moshe Y. Gluck]

R' YL, quoting R' AZ:

>From the Aruch Hashulchan (OC 583:4) it seems that tashlich was far from a
universal custom; furthermore, the Aruch Hashulchan has an ancillary problem
with the custom. He advises women not go to tashlich so as not to create a
mixed scene. If they do go, he suggests the men should stay home.18
Evidently, the custom was not very important to him.19
-----------------------------------------

 

His conclusion, "Evidently, the custom was not very important to him," does
not follow from what the Aruch Hashulchan says or what R' AZ quotes. What R'
AZ quotes is only a proof that the Aruch Hashulchan was more concerned about
hergel aveirah then tashlich. Looking inside in the Aruch Hashulchan, one
sees that he also mentions that some have objections to the minhag, and he
uses that as a reason to be meikil from fulfilling it if it might lead to
hergel aveirah. It is not, however, apparent at all that the custom was not
very important to him.

 

Midei Dabri Bo, I just heard a great story (from the baal ha'uvdah) about R'
Nosson Tzvi Finkel. A talmid (who related the story to me) was accompanying
him to tashlich. R' NTzF was unwell and weak and they got to (IIRC) Batei
Ungarin he stopped and started saying tashlich. The talmid didn't start and
when R' NTzF saw he motioned that he should start. The talmid said, But
Rebbe, where's the water? So R' NTzF pointed to a yellow cap in the ground
and said that there was a mesorah that the Mei Shiloach ran under there. So
the Talmid said, but Rebbe, there's no water there now?! So R' NTzF said,
You think too much like an American! You think Tashlich is about the water?
It's about Davening!

(Hope I got all the details correct; the gist of it is how I heard it,
though.)

 

KT,

MYG

 

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