
Customs - Minhagim
LinksPower of Customs
Differentiating between Custom and Law: Eruvin 62b, 72a; Taanit 26b
Customs which are against the Law: Rosh HaShanah 15b; Bava Metzia 70a
Not changing one's personal custom: Megillah 22b
We don't change customs, because they may have been created to deal with specific circumstances that could recur: Beitzah 4b
Paternal Customs
In doing work on Erev Shabbat: Pesachim 50b
Folowing one's paternal custom where it is against the majority, and the father had a personal reason for practicing it: Pesachim 51a
Local Custom
The strength of local custom in determining commercial law: Bava Batra 2a, 83a-b
The difficulty of establishing local custom when populations from different places settle in an area together: Bava Metzia 83b
"VeChen Ama Davar" - And so the nation speaks - Affirming Law: Pesachim 54a
Against creating sects with differing customs: Succah 43b [and see Rashi top of 44a]
One should not differ from the local custom, so as not to cause strife: Pesachim 50b-52a
Not differing from a local stringency, even if one knows it to be incorrect: Pesachim 50b-51b; Megillah 5b; Nedarim 15a
Not differing from a local stringency, in cases where differing will [not] cause local laxity: Pesachim 51a
Custom Overrides Eliyahu the Prophet: Yevamos 102a (Regarding Type of Shoe for Chalitzah-Rite Severing Levirate Bond)
Going in accordance with the stringencies of one's original AND current locale: Pesachim 50a-52a
Where one travels from/to Israel to/from Bavel: Pesachim 51a
Above, where one plans to return to one's original locale: Pesachim 51a
Bavel is considered to be subservient to Israel in Customs: Pesachim 51a
The customs of the "Daughters of Israel": Niddah 5a, 14a
Specific Legal Issues which vary with Local Customs