Reply To: Shul's Nusach or the Kahal's Nusach?

ubiquitin,

I think we may be misunderstanding each other. Let me try it this way…

I think we can both agree that if a shul has an explicit policy, then that policy must be followed. My question of whether NS or NK applies is a question of halacha, not of shul choice — what is the halacha when you’re using a shul and the regular minyan of the shul is not there? It’s not a question of what the shul’s policy is. If the shul has a policy, then we all agree that that trumps all. It’s a question of what the halacha is in the absence of such a policy.

The question is, what if the shul does not have (or has not told me) that they have an explicit policy?

If the halacha is that the nussach of the Shul trumps all, then I have to have my friends/family daven the nussach of the Shul. However, if the halacha is the nusach of the Kahal, then we should be free to daven any nusach we choose, since the Kahal is not present at my private affair.

This is only a question when there is no explicit policy stated. It’s all well and good to say “well, ask them.” The question arises when I have, for whatever reason failed to do so and either cannot or do not want to disturb the gabbai of the shul at work or on his day off to find out the policy of the shul.

The Wolf