[Avodah] Selichos - Especially before Midnight

[Michael Poppers]

In Avodah Digest V23#199, R'Micha wrote:
> I once wondered on list whether Yekkes lack the minhag to say Berikh
Shemei, or whether they explicitly removed it -- whether because of "ana
avda", post-Sabbatean fears of Qabbalah, or some other reason. <
A few centuries ago, everyone lacked this "minhag" (which it isn't -- it's
part of the seider hat'filah in many places nowadays).  Once added by a
q'hilah to the nusach, I would think that saying it is minhag hamaqom and
that the same Halachic rules apply to it as apply to, say, the tzibbur
saying "n'qadeish" at the beginning of Q'dushah (also a recent innovation
counter to the practice for so many prior centuries that only the SHaTZ
says it -- see the very first "Sharashei Minhag Ashk'naz" Vol1 piece...and
while you're enjoying that volume, see the piece on "Brich Shmeih" which
appears there).

> The difference would be whether a yekke in a Berikh Shemei reciting
minyan should say it with the tzibbur because he has no reason to be
poreish, or whether he has an explicit minhag mandating he miss it. <
Talking about prior onlist conversation, you and I have talked about this
subject, too.  One's personal predilections do not outweigh minhag hamaqom,
but what one does in private, e.g. washing (however one performs that
washing) before Qiddush, isn't a "lo sisgod'du" issue even when the vast
majority of the community does otherwise.

G'mar tov and all the best from
--Michael Poppers via RIM pager
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