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13
II
Minhagei Lita
Customs of Lithuanian Jewry
And a Litvishe Rav's Perspective on Life and Halachah ""lIIiiIIII< III ..oiiI!iIIlJ - ...", .. Contents ... .... Preface...... Backgro~=-_ :: .. Introductio=-_ ~,: ... .. Changing ~.~ .. The Shat::.::~ .. Tzdakah =-.:.: .. The Orde: == ... Handli.ng ::-:. ~ ..... Kaddish.. . .. Shabbos .. . ""!III! ... Rosh ChO::~5J .. Yom To"\'- . .. Selichos... .. Yamim !\-:,::-::..:..:: 4 .. Hoshana .?~-: 1 Rabbi Manuel M. Poliakoff .. Hazkarar_s ~.~:: '.oI!III! ~ 3737 Clarks Lane Parashas Z:::::: Baltimore, Maryland 21215 Laws and C-,,:,s::J
(410) 358-5557 Proper Co=-_::-...:.c Parading P:. ~~.
© Copyright 2008 Rabbi Manuel M. Poliakoff Chillul Has:-.~:::J Tzitzis...... Gartel...... Payos (Side =-:.: Clothing .... Upsherrer:. . • Glatt Kosl-. e:: • I would like to note that for the most part, I treat Minhagei Lita as a homogenous entity. Lithuania itself had several strains of minhagim, one of which was Minhag Zamut. (Zamut was a region of Lithuania, of which Telshe was the J: capital.) However, the differences between these minhagim were slight, almost negligible, even ifthey felt very real for the residents of different parts of Lithuania of the time. Background A commonly-held fallacy is that only within the geographical borders of today's Lithuania did the various Jewish communities observe the Lithuanian customs. The truth is Minhag Lita prevailed throughout most of Eastern Europe, from the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea, Lithuania at Her Greatest Extent including Belarusia (White Russia) and substantial sections of Poland. Later, Chassidic groups living in Poland adopted Minhag Sfarad to differentiate between themselves and the general Minhagei Lita Preface I5 ---"""""'" body of East European Jewry who were not Chassidim and e\-t:-'.. :J who maintained the minhag and nusach of Lita. It is plainly anee:: :::.:: obvious that Minhag Lita was one of the most widespread minhagim upheld by European Jewry. , ~ '- -, Since the end of the Second World War, there have been ana __ - :1 numerous deviations from many of the authentic Lithuanian cor.::-:::: customs. This is largely because most of Lithuanian Jewry ;;. was annihilated or displaced during the war. Communities a were disbanded, and there was no longer any continuity in ",,-her:. ~:-_.=.:; practicing the traditions and customs constituting Minhag 8..:"-:: --~ Lita. -" fift\ C,-;: Today, most people rely upon books to try to reconstruct desl::-'::_ :~ ': the Lithuanian customs, because the living mesorah was - ':::"',-" unfortunately lost. As a result, what is now perceived as j Minhag Lita contains many deviations from what Lithuanian Jewry had truly followed. his -~-es:-_:'.-3 Ironically, one cause of confusion about Minhagei Lita toms ':::.. was the Gaon of Vilna zt"l. His erudition was way beyond -:-::J i\Iish'_,: ; anyone else's in his generation, and his custo:-:-_ prestige was over anor::.~:_ s whelming. Yet when 1":-~:3 -::=. his decisions and Je\\is:: _, recommendations ran counter to the cheris::.': _ traditionally accepted imeci-: c.-_ , The Telshe Yeshivah Building minhagim, no one zeaio-.::s>' adopted them-not ----~------~ ..... ~~{1'S .;__ : 2--: ~ 'lIIii.Jnii 6 IPreface .. ~ Minhagei Lita 1111.'. -- !!ii, -- V ,!Ii i __ ;:<,·!!§!i~__ ··._¥'F_·,-,s:_ :>,!!>,';'-':"~-;::'~-~~~~'> IUA 1,.,..,... 1 iIIlRUJII,Mlll I' .I. L I I J I II .1 I lIId Jt~" iii;HllliIl1l1fllilliUU til .01 dl., J. Lf(g rln U 11 . uilln ] .flllfnO JEt!IU!t....,~_.!. ""."'•." ""',~ ___",_,x,,.,,,,,, , ". .-t.' L¥t.#$ti¥ .. D.3,, __ ' -'A _,J"'~~__~~~ even in his home town, Vilna. I will note some of these vari ances as we come across them. Another cause of deviations from Lithuanian custom was the Chafetz Chaim zt"l, who included a number of decisions and recommendations in his Mishnah Bernrah that were contrary to the prevailing custom, often without explicitly stating so. As long as there were Jews in Lithuania to provide ::.: __ ~s a living example, this was not a problem. Today however, when these communities unfortunately no longer exist, peo ple are unable to determine the original custom. During the fifty years after publication of the Mishnah Bernrah until the destruction of Lithuanian Jewry, communities did not adopt those decisions and recommendations of the Mishnah Bernrah that ran counter to the traditionally accepted minhagim. Not even in Radin, where the Chafetz Chaim had his Yeshivah, did the community change the traditional cus toms in favor of those urged by the Chafetz Chaim. Hence, many people today mistakenly assume that whatever the Mishnah Bernrah recommended must have been the accepted L,._ _ __ :::: custom in Lithuania. Again, I will point out some of these _ ._~s anomalies as we come upon them. This teaches us how careful we must be in preserving Jewish customs. The Torah requires us to respect and maintain minhagim just as the earlier generations loved and cherished them. The fundamental principle of Al titosh toras imecha-Do not forsake the teachings of your mother3 was zealously upheld throughout the Jewish world. 3 Mishlei 1:8 Minhagei Lita Preface I7 ~""" Today's generation is confused, searching to find the real Introdl Minhag Lita from among the many existing customs. I hope I T--.::, will be able to dispel some of this confusion by delineating its CL:S:J the authentic Lithuanian customs regarding a number of old _;:-_~ select areas, the first of which will be tefillah. metic":':': methe :::~ ness. and :::. Be('a---=~~ Yesh:-';:j toms -: tunes ~'..:J ate 1:: :':;J Litcis : text. :-::-: of. I :.. ::. ml 3:: from .'-. ~ ..: text, '-j us i: 8 IPreface Minhagei Lita JIi7;:' ,fii Ain5QJII.C'·lmcr .. ~-·- "I'.JIiI)liliU lin .illuUI'M _.it'll...! ..L'.'.! .. -"'""...... -.. "._=c '. ' -'-~m~1 .~!IlIlIIilnIlllIJlnIL . .1] II! I III' , _. A '-~--""-",,~~., %_~ '.IIIIIIIJ.·•• U1W,U I, J.. '.. • . ..' U ] L. a. E.>I'i! .ft .•., ...... ·,"",._,·w '" ---'-_"~'_m~'-'---1 e !IIIIIIIII!IIi-IIJlIlllllIll .. ! tll-. n: ." ._', I lIlT • k -". ,,"".,., ."h."·'" m': .•"~0'~~_'7I,~-1 illIIIlJ WI II lUll . I II It I ..ilL .IL.· $ '1 4 3 I. .21... I!. ,,'.~_.u.. """¥'~",40'_-1 1h2IiiIIIiiI!II. Jlitllrl.1111 ill 11 Lr.··r jj. U'•.II . r 1 r _J . l?~'!LJE·.!L. ··"CO!...... _ %F"~~" .-~ .-'--. -- ~~~_. __ ."",.,",:,,,,=i:;"";:;,,,,"~~.oa;;._';;:'.~,,~·-,",-~"""":':'..,,"-=~-~·~··~- ~~~.~.~'"""~.~'~-~=- 2 _. 71 1 • ·--~.q.r .. I iliF J ill 11111 111. •• __ ( 1_ llin tJ. TIIIJ .1 --.-""---~~~,=.::---~=:,=£=",-----~~"""",~ ~-" !.~_~::_.!_---_--~2~,!,="""","__7 I t nvn. I ·.1 ',mil.: l.'--- Laws and Customs ~ -I'm C)'. ,~£ A basic difference existed between the Jews of greater 11••1111 . , lli.l.. n!ii$ Lithuania and other European Jews which led to many differ ~, ~j ences in halachah and cus g~ 1F .~. toms as I shall attempt to "The virulently militant Reform point out. This difference was movements triggered a caused by the European Jews strong orthodox reaction in reaction to two antithetical the Torah-true communities." forces in Jewish life---the Reform movement on the one hand and the Chassidic movement on the other. The Lithuanian community however, did not undergo these pressures and the changes they engendered, as I will explain. The virulently militant Reform movements in Hungary, Germany, and Austria triggered a strong conservative Ortho dox reaction in the Torah-true communities of those countries. Note: Do not be confused by the use of the word "conser vative.» It has nothing to do with the conservative Reform movement with which we are so familiar today that we call simply, Conservative. I am referring to a conservative Ortho dox reaction to the liberal Reform, which we today call simply Reform. Most Jews today have no idea how far the Reform move ment strayed from Jewish tradition. The Reform denied the Divinity of Torah, as they still do, changed the day of rest from Shabbos to Sunday, abolished bris milah, and declared that they did not look forward to a return to Eretz Yisrael, to mention only a few of their doctrines. Later, they forced the Minhagei Lita Laws and Customs I53 notoriously devastating alteration in the wording of the Bal Hasks",':1 four Declaration, changing Palestine from the National Jew move:::-.,e::J ish Homeland to a National Jewish Homeland. This seemingly religio',,:s minor modification has caused Jews the world over so much contic.:;:'i blood, tears, agony until this day. Had the wording remained dema:::' ; "the," no one else could have ventured to lay claim to the O~e I land. However, with the wording "a," others had an excuse to in Liti::'_ 3 assert their claims to it. The Reform cannot even begin to Lita ,\':e::-f repent enough for this crime against the Jewish People. We the R&'-:'j do not condemn the common Reform Jew because he was in SC1::::3 misled; the condemnation applies to the movement's so to dec::'!: called rabbis and leaders. direct>: This radical Reform movement aroused the ire not only of koshe r the traditional Jews, but also even of many Reform Jews, and koshe: i led to the establishment of a Conservative Reform movement. appro:,:::.::: The Chassidic movement on the other hand, deliberately meat. Sf:'i introduced all kinds of not commonly followed stringencies in sougr.t ;? halachah to intensify what to them was ecstatic devotion and was dedication. never ,'0, exclus:'e Consequently, these two contradictory forces-the Reform movement and Chassidus-caused the development of a strong conservative counter-movement among the Orthodox nities -;;,-: in Western Europe. This counter-movement included the after ~".-~ adoption of much excessive stringency that the Orthodox estab:':s: designed to protect themselves against the perilous ticula.:-··.· 9lftlt. influences of the times. Lithuania's Orthodox communities, ous estab:':s~ .11 on the other hand, had no Reform movement to deal with, nor did they feel threatened by the Chassidic movement. The seco~::: . '. ba'al ::;, .- II!!I!I!IIIIiIi 54 ILaws and Customs Minhagei Lita Oi'l.!IIIIIlII.'" lliil'llll.. iI Clt,)1 iT . mv £ JJ • JI.II~_ "'.'~ " --.-.-. ill •.n!ilIi!liJI". r $II!) f I _ I!!IltJ!¥" -'-""'~""""~-'''',,",~.y !1II~!III.U]rTII. I I I. MI •.• J UL... ' • ___~-;~.~~,,-- ~_I!~.'JlmIUILI . _. __ SZ.-- _..1 ._. 2_~'--:C',@_-, §"'·"'.c·'o"·'· ~/ •.~-." •.-~"',,"'-.- •.,-. M M8J!II!J£~Z&i!!\!!l ~,Jh\ij' Sf] ""E,.~!''-,~::_~~c~,_-~}'i\i>-~?!_,,~'-+--0:~~.L~:~''-~"- ~:~~:::::: . . . _.nnU·!imll!llllmilililil,' 7 'nrIWlI',.I~Hi!i' un' '1, lillI, J II! Inll! J[ II 11i!II~!I!i' .. 1. l!!!!!i!II!t_ I, i . '.' J J ,11,.1"" i"~ '~"' '~i' ii!lliillllililll~i' i~il ~ _-- the Bal Haskalah, which was present in Lithuania, was a secular ;.:::.. :mal Jew movement that did not challenge the normal Jewish life on - =--:c seemingly religious grounds, as did the Reform. Jewish life in Lithuania :-,-7:::- so much continued to develop in a relaxed atmosphere that did not ~ ~ =_"'- -emained demand a resort to uncommon stringencies and customs. ~ <= :::n to the -~ One example of the absence of unnecessary stringencies ~ =-:-_ ::,xcuse to ~i in Lithuania was in the area of kosher meat. The butchers in ~ -~ .,' ;.-::::=-= begin to Lita were generally the most insistent in their demand that ...... ~ ,:;:. :::eople. We the Rabbi be a great scholar, because they knew the greater ..... ~ :.:=.-=..se he was in scholarship he was, the greater would be his qualification ~ to decide halachic questions more leniently. Such leniency ~, directly affected their livelihoods. In fact, the term "glatt ~ ~ C'" =--_ot only of kosher" did not even exist in Lithuania. Meat was either ~. ~ I=--=-=-_ Jews, and kosher or non-kosher which, of course, is the correct ~" approach. (For a more detailed discussion of glatt kosher .t·.•...... - ~ :.. _eliberately meat, see page 68.) Even in those places where some people sought glatt and was available, by far most of the meat sold -•• !II! was simply kosher. In fact, in Eretz Yisrael as well, there - never was an Ashkenazi communi1y that maintained an ~ .liItlL· exclusively glatt kosher standard until today. ~ Reform :::::lent of a The stringencies adopted by various European commu -:':-_e Orthodox nities were continued and augmented in the United States :....-_c1uded the after WWII. Traditionally, Jewish communities followed their -- Orthodox established laws and customs. However, the Americas-par ::-_e perilous ticularly North America-had a large influx of Jews from vari ::Jmmunities, ous communities from around the world, and could not establish a uniform body of laws and customs. During the : :'J deal with, c.:r;ement. The second half of the 20th century with the wonderful rise of the ba'al teshuvah movement, this lack of an established reli- 11inhagei Lita Minhagei Lita Laws and Customs I55 , lliutliinUiFILSL r It W'i f T ' ...= ,~,2~~~,'~,r~,~"~~'," ',wilcn_lId, li'ilU mlE [i'Q.I'II!'l!,,'f'I' 'f! Ir' ',T4~==O"~,',e;,'CO """'-1 1r:l .XIIi. F 4UI '.Ii ',,",!I'M iii ]' ,",,"'-'C,'"',=_'~~"n" "I 'rlUil'.llliilt"C c t, '11:: " ~,','O=O"" C].I]ilri~:'·'··· t '~'.-'-~'-."g. T"'~-] tt-·---~·-' '-r_"---~ ~T Tt - Ii bUs& iI:~.Willllliii'~""ll' "Lllrll ,HI' iflJllFn rT 'F ' 1 , ! '1'.111.1'. "r" ""'1"1 ','fUr f -=.~c__'H"=',O"O ,-' ""'1 II ,_un T n:T' 5 "1' r ," 1,,1 ,":IIiJ__rC" " , '~ln'l':lI!nW! It" ";B' "I 'n 'F1ll•••'.i'l'Uilrnlli'iir!1I'Jf'f'll •• ==,~==,~o~,'~, Iii' 1ii~IIJlllillllillil.lrpr'i'lp'!n ••• 'N1 it r IriM" '". j'lff_nlP '$ , =,.-", pC lW en - 5 """",~?o-:r-""_-~- 1 r!pt>II~iI" ' ------.+ =*"'',' ",.", Iii Q " ::::::=iii!IiiIIIIIIII ]~~:~ gious precedent became a problem. In the absence of estab ..... halach~l ..... lished tradition, the Rabbis turned to the Mishnah Berurah as ~ (kulah...... their guide on the assumption the Chafetz Chaim's decisions ...... discuss:~l were in accord with the generally accepted Lithuanian cus ":::~~ mudic :':'::€ toms. Unfortunately, this is not so. There are many instances ~ ~- where he recommends practices not in accord with minhag The :j '11Iil.'...... Lita, although he fails to state this. Consequently, the Rabbis betwee:-. ::' .......... today-without realizing they are doing so-advocate conduct who "~S1: f'lmlPlll. ,.illllt not in accord with Minhag Lita. Chachc.""':i Oft rillllllllllllli ~ explain ~ ~ In this section, I want to discuss several basic Jewish ~ chumrc.;-, laws and customs, their roots in authentic Lithuanian prac iiIliIIIiIIIIII of a ve~.' f - tice, and the unfortunate deviations from authentic tradition ...... wideh' :-~::'t ,(!Ii- ...... ••1 evident in many of our present day Orthodox communities, On ::':''':,1 • most notably in the United States. My hope is that a clearer ...... - understanding of Lithuanian customs will propel a movement should =3 ,~... if he \,'e:-~ ~ back to Orthodox practice that is fully resonant with the ...... essence of authentic Torah-true traditions. scholars ~ ~ Mishna:-,. ~...... Proper Conduct ~ The :-t ~ Before I deal with specific Jewish laws and customs, their ~ this COr:::::-3 ,~ authentic practice in Lithuania, and the Subsequent aberra ~ ~ person ==, ~ tions in many Orthodox communities today, I want to bring ~ nance ',',--=- ::_":, -"~ up the Torah view of proper conduct in general. This discus ~ he conce;:'5 ,~ sion should serve to lay down basic guidelines for evaluating Thee ~ '...... our approach to halachah and minhag, and shape our per -,~ diffe::-~~ ~ spective of the chosen topics we will be highlighting. act ~ ...... a churr. r:: ~ 0 ...... What is the Torah view concerning the proper attitude for ,.... gemara 'ii1iiiIIIII!III a person to adopt in their religious observance? Some people ~~I!/IIIMIIMII ,'~ (chumrah) believe one should embrace every stringency in 28 ~'- c,,~, Brac'r::5 ' ,*!oiII!IIIIII!II 29 Pesac;':- :-1 'C~'~~ 30 Ibid.. :: =- -:~i~li/i!IIII!IJIIIl i"..-, 56 ILaws and Customs i.;:H~JIIIIIIII:I! Minhagei Lita ':lm;!lIIIIIIIIIi MinhagE: ~':,: ,,'"",llh.' ".">iI!IiIiiIIIIII 'l!rtl!n!llfllltllill I III rpp- .~!d_-_-!lb _L±&El£Q,,!L"i XL" "' - ...... -"=-."._____,_,. "I!,' '1fi"'.,'•._"~ ~. f I .." .~---~,~~."--""" f" - nr:fimf"':~" vr, lit L1Jul1:Ci L=~."i=~,"r____i '~'~:'ijCyiJliii ". i( If. -'j''', MrJ _ ~·";'~-"~'l't"_-.i-M",A£':·~ ~~".JJlfJlrj ',11-:V .*It .L "'tN/Jilt "'f'. i:f'~ '. 'lr fT' iii= tim "1.1 to fu~~l''-IG ~b."'m";C4;'_~--=;'M' I ,,' ).-.,,,.,•. , i" / ~ f :fit: JiIl'iI(litItl1Ilitijf L ,,'-'iii "[[ titillll it _.'1 ruwri ~;,"'E;~;:_=~, r r"I"' .. ~ of this caliber, they made distinctions. The gemara35 relates been scc:.:::( how Mar Ukva declared "I am like 'vinegar the son of wine' "Ifllli! of the fe~7.' : when compared to his father, who observed such a great .;~= years ag:. '!ill."·'illIII stringency concerning the separation between meat and milk. ...., JIiI!I!U keit? W1:e:1 ....'. Mar Ukva himself did not follow this strict opinion, for which with G-c.7 he labeled himself "vinegar." An even more astounding exam nian Je,7'0 ple of refusing to follow stringency is the incident when a piety in :;',.:1 11111••iIII. certain scholar, following a chumrah, ruled a food not kosher. ,~ ~ When Rav Hisda discovered this, he ordered the food forced ChiIJu/ Has 'PlIi_ M down that scholar's throat.36 The =c ,~ ,,~ chillul He::;; "~ The above examples demonstrate that many of the strin clarifica::.: :J gencies commonly advocated and observed today at the insti "~ classific2.= 'J ,g''''' gation of some rabbis are in violation of halachah due to their ~ '''~ -ti[ extreme nature. As we examine some customs, we will • ~ ,-,'llf_' encounter several such examples of stringencies that are not only incorrect-they are antithetical to a Torah true perspec • ~ tive. ~ ""'~ Parading Piety "",tiilOiIIIIiIIII Peop~::- § ~ ,,~ Our treatment of proper conduct leads naturally to the is in fulf",,-: x',Jii'" n ~ subject of parading piety-that manifestation of poor middos ing his :-:''':''-:: ',;,.,~ ,t~ and which is often at the root of improper observance. consider 5''': ~ ,"~ branding ':-..: ""', The faculty and students of the Talmud Torah of KeIrn, .",~ FurtheIT.:", :: ,+~ the Yeshivah founded by Rav Simchah Zissel Ziv, the chief ,,',-, a huma:: " ,,;;~, disciple of Rav Israel Salanter and undisputed heir to his ""~ ',.~ position of the leader of the Mussar movement, would have human 1:;::-~=- ",'iill!llilli d,'~ Nm·;, "'~ ..~ 35 Chullin 105a. The halachah requires one to wait six hours between higher '", eating meat and milk. Mar Ukvah's father however, would wait until the "c·~ next day, 36 Ibid., Il1a ?'"c_ ,,'d_ ""'ilII!IIl!!l'"' ",""'-, 60 ILaws and Customs ?h'~ Minhagei Lita Minhage:' _::.::: ';""~ ",';\-' '",,,,,'iIl!IIIlI/, '1,'::L:!;mllljWtiill!IUlmli_i!tI!i!~~n¥.AiI' ttgiLAMlI6t U lUI Ii! . It! ,'4tS!et:Hl ._!@:'~ ';,'tt:J1",,_- ,S!!l4J,,-1fIj~, 'j~, • '1j~Ii:;~, ,M!IP _1fJL K" ",,_~'HilJ __":~.~ S" ~"~.:j,i1j.~kJ-,,,JU atHIit.lt ttL ..i M[' ,\I.l1tJI:t~,R.~j!i-.-!wJ!lt!i";T.},mf~,::,\ti.¥!:t;fI:I!I!£Q,[!:P""~.. ~lI!~,@"lUj1~,,&·,~j!'§jlftil. ~L..L.. l"'!\~,-",,-*'-C" ii~;;t1ii~~--._.~gi.•" 211J_ )tt.JJii.$AlU1:tL.,.:",,, .tll!Jlj{·.Ju~r,LK" ,Jj( ·o·f-;.~.tlir ~ ""'-:j;;i1*~.!flliE!!_. I .AiL 1 it _~_IOI."'-JJt!)l!.~~,_ -'li,.·, . .\ .•,.,-". j,.~ _,)' ~:!!I!:'1fL&l .!lI_BIIl!4l~ ',-,;/~' ·h,'iH!;'lI!liGafa-.uam___A¥:mtftalltM,. ,_ b4i! a.a V 11t.;" 1M J -, ",,«.IJ@!!f4" ;ijj;t( Q,c JIlt -",',JUI@!lJf!£.E , 4C __ ,-LX _.= __.,~ _i!J(jAi; \WL - """,=''''=-~'0J~=_" "--- t J&i :w:a:i;lIl<::::::'="iLnc;:.TC·..ili.,..,,~,~- ,',_"'" ,.;"'.:~<_.', ~'~";-T'"..i:,:," .'ji--.--tt5litr- -ib~iU":~-'··M- -'H= i =-".17["-- ~=~f"~~~:- ,- -'ffiiCO'hiCTY ointS71'Sitli.WClSft- _I JI!j~q¥~~!it~i1f'~';:; '--""""'<""'~"'!Oi; I :-'~- It -~'--l R - :f' 'i.ti'C ""i1' --)--';'£l-'jijF"-iil-'~ii :;MimtliR .....I!It":--jilir-·¥I. _ riti.illi~I!III~j!l:!!;;!~_ - Tr-'~:-'f~--Jil-(-I~M, .utPWir:"'·~-plio1ijiIt4;tt rii< -C.fi~"~AATij~~(iii!litili: '~__"'*'t_"''''I0''''.....""""_'...itt...• ..._,·,.,__...... ' _%ii~ --"-.~~_f!ilt-"'·r' "wid1'¥~·;;,ii;ilti'~'~fCii~.7.:'".~fM8J.,!ii -n"_~:.ti~~miWkliJj~:; _~il!lrtillFi' ~_lI!!ihh:,> ~_;3") ~~~~ji' been scandalized by the modern trend of parading piety. One l" ::-elates ,_1''''111';;' ~~;" =' \vine' of the few survivors of KeIrn sadly remarked to me some forty --",.' ~"""" .., years ago, "You are a Lithuanian Jew-you call this Yiddish t ;:. great _.,dft RlI~llw:;'; ;:.:::-.:. milk. keit? Where is the admonition of the Prophets to walk humbly "II[III!f'"~':*'~< _i, with G-d?" He was right. The ideals and character of Lithua ~-" .: -::- \\'hich 1 #lI.A~~:;; nian Jewry in accord with Torah did not tolerate parading '1I!I!lI!IIII!I!IIl"'.""'.""';.' ,~"""r~-' piety in public. 1P F f'W.•,.tc U.,:l1 !IIIIII! ''''', Chillul Hashem J' A. 'p"F L'::::' forced The most grievous problem caused by parading piety is ILl F,',£, j kt-'¥'" chillul Hashem. I must preface this section with the following t J t I.;"" _JlIIT ._ ill L,01¥:' ::,.e strin clarification. The mitzvos of the Torah fall into two broad lUlU. flit''''"" t!!i>"'" e :':'-.e insti classifications: $ ; t!!l "'t" .pm.ta. ttii-u-:P;~ l-"::: to their 1.-£ --:t;;Ji;;;~_-".-.. • Those pertaining to man's relations to G-d, his JiliMibilli!llJ;. s we will .. ;'." ritual obligations ::;:.. are not _!lb$~:._:._R~'u dr-- '_:Utiiil.,_~' • Those pertaining to man's relations to his fellow l:: ;;erspec f:i!fl--.-;!!I.;I;~ man, his human obligations. .tIIIIJI.'!III!l.1,. r ,-- ,m. _JH4M,_, ~ People generally judge piety by how scrupulous a person is in fulfilling his ritual obligations, even if he is lax in fulfill _!iat!:L} ___ ~';l-r" ~-"-Y to the ing his human obligations. Chazal, however, not only do not 111'11. J5IIi!!"'""" c." middos _Ill_*-Y-r~FfIjijp ... ,,,,,,,, consider such a person pious, they severely condemn him, branding him as someone who causes people to hate G-d. KeIrn, Furthermore, the Torah teaches us that one who sins against _liIlIun,,]!) ". ,,', :he 8hief illliillllll:i!!lil.! a human being is a double sinner, because a sin against a '••;,! "', to his at i.1!!. " human being is also a sin against G-d. ".·,YLlld have Now, while I do not believe the frum community has a _;MJ# .i'" _,0.1. higher percentage of people who sin against their fellow man ;lSiU':- _-;.:.QI,U': .:4" -=·:::-,~,-een .111!!.:., J ,,::,:: until the IUJlillililliil! ,'''' 'lin!: .fI.,.""'" 'I!iitUL, .' "",, )l1I*1II{0, ~.l,Mu-£ k~ Laws and Customs 161 :.:'nhagei Lita Minhagei Lita ~~~!\!fj'K" ';~;l!;;'" ~":" -3.; ~ relates been scandalized by the modern trend of parading piety. One ~;¥,. of wine' of the few survivors of KeIrn sadly remarked to me some forty ,~~;;:-'" '~'JlltQRP;"- ~ - - a great '~fu' years ago, "You are a Lithuanian Jew-you call this Yiddish :~"" •.... ~", - "----:d milk. keit? Where is the admonition of the Prophets to walk hUmbly -,' ~, :-·:;,r which with G-d?" He was right. The ideals and character of Lithua ~.". ~"'i'" exam nian Jewry in accord with Torah did not tolerate parading ~"i' ~-.•,. .:::- \vhen a piety in pUblic. ~'" ~""" ~ .., =-_ =- kosher. Chillul Hashem ~.",. forced ~, The most grievous problem caused by parading piety is 1IIIIiIIIIIIIII"" aM ,)I':-:-i;7 chillul Hashem. I must preface this section with the following ~-, ;,= :_""le strin -"","" clarification. The mitzvos of the Torah fall into two broad ~" E:.: -:::'"l.e insti _1.111.."'" classifications: ~.:,:. to their _uJjjJJ, ~-,r,~' c.'_e ~", • Those pertaining to man's relations to G-d, his dll,:JIl ex ,", _t,;:,,,;r \\'e will ••JRt!!k.iil#"~ ritual obligations ~". :'::'3.: are not lIIa.III"""·'" __U?l1W,-,-,b.' t.:e ?erspec • Those pertaining to man's relations to his fellow ~'" _i11tJJ#L -.p.~'I: man, his human obligations_ ~.".. eiM_ t*k:'>;;'Z; ~,... , People generally judge piety by how scrupulous a person ;•• __"F!')l1'--;-£' ilWnUl.:--;,,'. j~,,{ti? to the is in fulfilling his ritual obligations, even if he is lax in fulfill _!Iii_)tJ;1bn"'~ ~:::- middos ing his human obligations. Chazal, however, not only do not ••:!lLjt_,'lt-I !tiII.•4•.L-~' consider such a person pious, they severely condemn him, U!lf I'll]*,,#t,'flt~ 'lIIMINL L"" branding him as someone who causes people to hate G-d. j_!.t.----~-, of KeIrn, AIlfllI!iiU.j" "'" Furthermore, the Torah teaches us that one who sins against 0:.-. chief a human being is a double sinner, because a sin against a _ •..)A!P ;U~ ::'e:r to his :llIlIItk. human being is also a sin against G-d. uiJlfltEJ:J~" ,M) "'·41"' <;"'.- Y~ld have liIil.IIii!.~...x. JitIL!>lm .. m.' Now, while I do not believe the frum community has a JJl1j(P II o;,"!' JJi:.tJ.oc,,', .,:~ c. :'-:::-.'.-een higher percentage of people who sin against their fellow man ~_.)tijf.,~~ ~. -1[' .'k Q • m::r >:~: u::1til the JI!1liJ!Lil4Jf.:_.. ,~, ilMlil.1 tu".f, r.t,,~ n-'--' Illlrt ',J'-: Jffi*-'~ fJI!I".w!. ~J.•:, __ ~ _'.~~Y'}cagei Lita Minhagei Lita Laws and Customs I61 11..1. ,I. I . g- 'f NI I; *J IW1U~l.b!i",.4C*I~-II.I11.!U"'I::lm2jJ!\i'!\.fJ:'.;"'t.-~,~;·~,:=·, ~:'!:::::I'J:::)...~:r.,JC~-:::.=:g<=~~-==-;;;;:~..:.:..'-::..(-:;:;> .• lll...· .'11111 ;:t4Il# ~~t..'7',(~:;..=-~",:",c:;;,="";"_'~"-;';;;;;'::;l.:."ti"""~':-"x.=--...~",,,,"~--,;:'~- ...... __...... _ ...... _ ...._ ....__" .._,..._2._.__#M"ff*-~""l!pkA'!~-h"t2=~'F=1!.!;;i:;;,:~.2H.!::':,+;.;;;;.c';t'...:;... ;~--""-'-".,,_'O~~"=,,:::. ~iQI@. 4 , Ii C.' II mW~II~"ltml~~IlF;y).::".Yti'J!il'1t-~-'I!'!dl,;:-'wJr..,":!'·_~~-l';r·"~",.=.';:r;;-."C~;:;,':"',J2:HI!1,~,a;;~i!..-,-"';; . Ea:' ~d,_"\V*·.h~~"~~"·~r~l'!"""'t'l.~-c;:.<.~~~'='"J'~~~~'l""""~~ *i \#1 'r;•••lil¢iI~.mfilW:$:tn:.r~,$tl~m:v::·l\l.\~7:o:;~j~.;,;'.r;;" ,';,-:'''-,.,~-·vt·-~~·r,--'''-"~~-;":-c"';:::=-,7i.1i.·.:;:::r,li;--'?l:t;..-Z-w:::,,,..,.,~, --',""," _m ",.,___...... _ ...... __...._ ....___- ...,"'_____m_llrt!!!¥fuJ'~~~.#i :-;':1"L <_...... ioOi!__...... _ ....__..._ ...._ ...." ___ "'\~".J)f¢4.!~~"',,,..~~~="".;e:-~~----"',,''''-?...... '''"''~.~~~~~.,:~c.;,.,_.:...-.'- - ______UiWiild!tli_·lI'I>o--* ""'iC"''''''''"'~b!F'''''?:-e:L'':.-c;::,-z,·=~-===-:e=...~~.=-=_---::;--:.:::-=- ~- -~~ than the non-religious community, it occasionally seems so M for two reasons. r- n-gM, 5. -'7 J -;'iu'n' fif"] ri' f --'.-::j . ,-~ ---J:t uii """'" Firstly, when an ostensibly religious person sins publicly, iIIIIiIi --~ - - - I 'in .'Rd~_liflf'flt II'pj! it creates a terrible impression and becomes newsworthy. >~,~)' Hp' Ii' jfiji" :::. ==.1 ~"~~ People expect more from someone who appears religious. . ~iI)'l. 11'1' --- :_J ~:::~ , q "1("- i"~.l '" :L--;;Uiili'i 't'~njH'.$Sf!ii-lfjrt' Secondly, even though no one is perfect, When a religious ~~--,~3 ::~UM~' .~·~:','::'~.!~i~;~~~':' person sins even inadvertently, it becomes a choice news '.'m~:Ii.,_,Jli',ri.r¢t!.'·rt',:i! -:~_l ",~J die iii!" tilr1ttli~" w' item and spreads like wildfire. ooilllio~.I'iI!i'''· . flU!" •••fn''''h': ;,,,-;,,~s,' " -''fAt' '1 'rifT.", iii,' The same is true concerning the sin of intolerance. People 1 ~~~iII J ulfrlr· 1!IfI!I.ltl', • .t· Jm~'; "'r "'TMUlii@W'Iqtflll expect the religious community to be above such behavior. I ~~.lil!nj, I. t' fMWflMq' :,;.;,).)~j( - '~$t't1" wet"! } am convinced the intolerance expressed by the non-religious -'1l'";ID,mii ElaJ1MI.''l'n'''dP' c~...:_-= '::: -J.t;~"!k l·'IP'I.lllii!q,. community toward Observant Jews is greater than the intoL ""iX'-9JlIli.f·linlf'1fh~ -&1 d)(lU '!t.!f"lt.,rt#wie'f erance of the religious toward the non-religious. Yet for the :A'01 'ltT aff "r. ~1I'UI1.t .-\ '!"'1~' l"jl1"iLihW 1 /,.'01 'I' 'iIIi~'1I ;i It", same aforementioned reasons, When the religious commu ,;;~~I4'!I*ii\lWj!fl_tWtt ',d'~~'"" ""f}-''lrM '>'> fT nity expresses any intolerance, it quickly earns a place in the ,ti;",,"!ln'ril!!lh1iiUMIrl limelight. gEL---=-~-=t :;.$" ';- "'ilN" 7"$ f" rlliiflllliWisrlB ac-:. j <"-'ilk rtf iri,tfH ... . t'tf'!'i.n:~' ".5'1 " This then is the situation tOday-the slightest infraction /:::';i? ijiW%i' llH"1 .j' t-' '="! J 'lIIillitWlftUiM? against one's fellow man is so high profile that it could eaSily me:: "::-Ji'irrTJt ...Ii escalate to the stage of chillul HaShem. It follows that the ::;, <''''''0,'''1' r- 'fiIIil_ '. 'Ili' fie, ,rejtn members of the religious community are responsible to guard .. ")~,<; .. i!i""''W'i._1i ~,.\;i:1' 'rrw""w:!'l' ;,@YU'-ttlttMM against any form of parading piety, of a "holier than thou" ·"'g;e'itff'flllllllll'n. attitude, and conduct themselves modestly. ~'b;1it"" ~' t, $"-PMrtle. ble _ ....-l1il.fi1iln'"'..~ """"'~ "IO!" Tzitzis ;s5~ . --:--~'-:j mr"""iri1fH' ; TIl" Mis;·' ',-~l"'T fW - p'ftta We begin OUr discussion of specific laws and customs '<~ ton: . ;iw:12'f___ '.;;""' with the mitzvah of wearing tzitzis. The Shulchan Aruch rules .,"""'...... one should wear the tallis katan on top of the clothes. The ,-:...~~~~~ ~",."",,--. 1;;"1;""_ Ari, however, disagrees, maintaining one should wear it ,';f,0!i.5l-~' ";,;:J:0"~llli~~~~ under his shirt. This was the custom not only in Lithuania, "''''''",1~ S!'k;'iJ;>~i1l!~' ,,~"5~l';~'mh1l!!~Jj 62 ILaws and Customs .-:i"-ll~:;:!·ltli!!lrJ'~ Y:~::,-i::i;~tJw.i~!; Minhagei Lita ':."'H"11~'!l!tfi!ji!!j.lIW -t~¥."'l!:.!i!!$~l~ -.. ,"H,21;!iE:!fi~~~b'illi8!;§lii'~~jjh~ c:::~~~;~~~:;l-~~~,~'X·V!ilV)J"r"' '.:"hV~"""""',"':'" W1l",,,'1'j;",,,"t<_£¥"1',,-""'~~~ ~'if\~~"'" ''''''~.-,~ ,",',:,,',':;l;I~"iilIi~H;i.:i!3,""':,'·""~~"',,~~!'<',!!ilIi~!""!!!>!Il.:,".""'~"'."""':"l""""""""',.""""",..,,,,·,.,",~- --'-'''''''''1,---, ·;;~t1i;!!~~~1(!!!'~~~"':,?,;~Jft'4l1iLd!:l!:!Xl!<¥,l;!t"J!~JI$~W\lLJ,",\?,"I/f, t )",.~I!,eUUIl!!!,.,.,~,!",:,,~, !t @~)"s#.~'.y"""""''''''''''~' ".~ \;~l't~k1~!l~~f,'?m-;;:'tf~~~/~t~~t'f... ~:,C.~! ~W:, 1.1 ••'i~§I .f. ?1~':'-~~~~""'I'''''''------",eems so including the yeshivos, but wherever Minhag Lita held sway, with the exception of some Chassidic groups. The Magen ::;:: publicly, Avraham takes issue with the Ari's decision, and concludes ---;-;:sv\Torthy. that even the Ari agrees to expose the actual fringes. Although the Mishnah Berurah agrees with the Magen Avraham, he does not mention the prevailing custom in _ 2. religious Lithuania does not follow the Magen Avraham. No one in ::-_::ce news ~~,~-.¥f.t+;. Lithuania wore his tzitzis hanging out as people do today, not -,.. even the Rabbonim, not even in Radin. -"""" ~.-. -e_ People ~-.,.. Great scholars of earlier centuries have ably and ade ~,""' _ehavior. I ~". quately dealt with the Magen Avraham's difficulty with the ~",.. ;. ::: =-_ -religious ~...... Ari. However, I find it difficult to understand the Magen ~~t·_·'~ intol .. ~,. for the Avraham's position. According to him, the controversy ~q,:"'., ~J.~ between the Shulchan Aruch and the Ari centers around the ~,;... -"," garment rather than the tzitzis, since he states that even ~'" ;:~2.ce in the ".!l!R!l~"" according to the Ari one must display his tzitzis. The question ~'F'" ~ •.. , .4 ..•. -····· then is, where do we find anyvvhere in the Torah a require £jtI'4itu.tlJ~'~Lc.,., .: :::fraction ~.. ment "to see" the actual garment (tallis katan) rather than the c :-.:ld easily tzitzis? The only reference in the Torah to "seeing them" -:'MQJ4~·..---- :"".""" " 1,;-;:: :hat the !i!1IiI1I"0!!'·"'·"""'" refers specifically to the tzitzis. Thus, the Ari must have been l1""t!~l.,-,1!"il:'? T""" ::~e to guard ~ .... referring to the garment as well as to the tzitzis. It is impossi • ""'lI!!"";"."" . :'::an thou" ble to argue that according to the Ari one must expose his ntGL,-:·. _W7'- :-."- ,U.,J --:1.. '.3"1 i,r,',C tzitzis, contrary to the opinion of the Magen Avraham and the ~Jl'ffJJ.-~ J :J"o,"" _a,t.:,l~P2:5· Mishnah Berurah. Apparently this is the reason for the cus AJt).:-. __ ,~ _.,:, h'~';" _~-j.U !11L. H, _ ",,'~'"'7-' tom in Lithuania not to show the tzitzis.37 1J!MI¥"MII}4L, ~"4,. :::: customs Iw :,:S,{~ _)~til 1l0_1"c ,-J~Jtnl :_ --:~ch rules :hes. The Il1i!WU(.. ~ L bnL k. tt~,. "' :.t Jf!~l#p:y"~F': "U!t"irk. ~.'~' 1::'O"X wear it 37 Shulehan Arueh 555: 1 states that on Tisha B'av one should wear the tallis katan under one's clothing. This indicates that the reference is to It) :'::huania, the tzitzis as well as the garment. J..,J*r..~~ JJ"'iM" , Minhagei Lita _\~:':hagei Lita Laws and Customs 163