[Avodah] What is a minhag?

[rabbirichwolpoe at gmail.com]

Ben Waxman:
> Yes but what defines a holy religious custom? When the Rema brings down 3 
> opinions of the rishonim and says that the minhag is like X, is that a holy 
> religious custom/minhag in the same way that say kitniyot are?

No 
Minhag 1 is a p'saq choice

Source:
See TB pesachim 103A

Amar R Yochanan:
Nahagu ha'am k'divrei BH v'aliba R Yehuda

Note: AISI this minhag changes psaq FROM a stam mishnah TO a braisso in
a Tosefta

So a minhag could similarly change P'saq from a default sefer (EG Bavli)
to another sefer (EG Y-lmi or Tosefta)

Qitnoyyos is a minhag because it was an anonymous g'zeria that was
nispasheit

Source
TB Hullin 91a top
Rav Ashi amar lo nitzrecha ela lishmeino tetanya shemeinu muttar [halachically] V'yisroel Q'doshim nahagu bo issur [anonymous Minhag lehumra, out of syag or q'dusha]

Shma Mina T'las
1. An anonymous g'zeira can morph into Minhag Yisroel
2. Hazal could ratify a minhag they didn't initiate
3. That Minhag could become a "derabannan" 

How? THe Rambam treats this minhag as a full "divrei soferim" [iirc so
does the Stamma d'Gmara, but I can't locate it now]. Of course that might
be limited to minhaggim in the Talmud Bilvad and THAT could include the
"minhag" to say Hallel on Rosh Hodesh!

Summary
Minhag 1 selection of P'saq from amongst authorities (this is the most
frequent "type" in mechabeir and Rema)

Minhag 2
Anonymous "g'zeira" that is nispashet

For more details see
Menache allon (EG in Enc Judaica)

KT
RRW
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