Minhagim : Custom and Practice in Jewish Life

Parallel to the Halakhic laws that are gathered in the great codes, like the Shulhan Arukh, the minhagim (customs) are dependent on local practices and the regional schools of sages and rabbis. The minhagim played a decisive role in the history of the Jewish communities and in the formation of traditions of religious rulings. They gave stability, continuity, and authority to the local institutions.