[Avodah] Upsheren

[Meir Shinnar]

> 
> 
> On 5/01/2011 5:27 PM, Prof. Levine wrote:
> 
>> A very significant consideration is also the question if there is a
>> problem of /'chukos hagoyim'/ with the custom.
> 
> The holy Baal Shem Tov approved of it, and that should be enough to
> dismiss any question about its propriety.
> 
> 
Do you have a source?  My understanding is that upsheren was first introduced when the talmide habesht made aliya and saw it in Israel in some Jewish communities - where many think it was adopted from an Arab custom.  However, that would put its adoption in Europe after the aliya of talmide habesht - which would be after the ptira of the besht - so evidence of the besht addressing it would be against this.

Meir Shinnar