Leil Shishi: Minhag or Meshugaas?

This week’s Leil Shishi took an entertaining and thought-provoking turn as we tackled the fascinating world of minhagim - and how seriously we take them.
We began by exploring two very different approaches to minhagim: Rambam’s cautious approach, versus the Chasam Sofer, who saw minhag as carrying the full weight of Torah law once accepted by a community.
Armed with this background, students worked in groups to sort through dozens of cards containing real (and questionable) Jewish practices. Was this one halacha, a real minhag, or just a meshugaas - something baseless or exaggerated? Lively debate, laughter, and sharp thinking filled the room as students defended their classifications and challenged one another’s assumptions.
We concluded the evening with a well-earned supper of hotdogs, rounding off an engaging and thought-provoking session in true Yavneh style.