Video of Throwing Towels

If it puts pressure on these fools to stop this “Minhag” then it’s 100% beneficial.

I refuse to believe this is an actual minhag with any basis in anything real or holy.

As far as I know, chassidim, same as the rest of us, are born with a yetzer hara, and get a yetzer tov when it’s time for them to start behaving like good Jews who take responsibility for their actions. And as is the case with the rest of us Yidden, the two both have great influence on their actions.

@Pro Jews- after reading Moshe1994’s response, I agree with you. I am pained to see such virulent negativity on a Jewish site.

Golfer and moshe have done a perfect job to prove the OP right. Also, they are doing a good job in promoting many negative stereotypes about Litvaks…

The article with the video was perfectly respectful. YWN probably realized that such a video was going around, and Rabbi Hoffman wrote an article reminding everything that it’s a legitimate minhag.

I hadn’t heard of it, and I found it interesting and well-written. I like to believe that it was posted for people to view as interesting, not to view it hatefully.

Throwing towels at someone holding a fire is not exactly the smartest minhag

Whatever the reason might be for trying to get the person to lose Kavanah, you should use a safer way than throwing towels near a fire.

I was told by a Rav how many yidden were R’L in the burn unit at Staten Island Hospital because fire wasnt taken seriously

IDK, this seems pretty ridiculous to me…

Every single thing that was done in past generations does not necessarily need to be copied, much less turned into some sort of religious ritual.

To quote a similar idea from a somewhat different context:

running the risk of leaving the mistaken impression (particularly on impressionable young minds) that this is somehow a legitimate practice consistent with Halachic-observant Judaism just because some people have done it at some point in the past.

The mistakes of the past must be taught very carefully so as not either legitimize those mistakes, or belittle those who have made them. This is a delicate balance

Photoshopping tznius

As to whether there was any point in publicizing this video (besides bringing in ad revenue for YWN, of course;), perhaps it should serve as the starting point of a conversation about what practices from the past should or should not be reenacted.

It’s a cool way to storytell and teach us about how much we had to go through to remain committed to Yiddishkeit.

Apology & Update please:

Apology: I watched the 2014 YWN video and wrote a couple of critical responses that weren’t approved.

I’m sorry because my comments were ignorant, judgmental, and harsh.

Ignorance et al: I hadn’t read the article at the time but posted in height of feeling disturbed by the video.

After learning more, it reminds me of eating maror on Pesach to symbolize the bitterness that we bore in Egypt.

Here is an excerpt from YWN:

“…it is a genuine Minhag that dates back hundreds of years. In a nutshell, this is what is done:

In Chassidish communities of Poland and Hungary, it has been the custom when the Shamash is ready to light the Chanukah candles in shul, for children and others to throw hand towels and other items at him both before and during the lighting.

The custom is still practiced today in numerous Chassidish minyanim.

[Vishnitz] page 31).

What is the reason for this custom and where does it come from?

The custom is cited in the name of the Sanzer Rav, but quite feasibly could have dated before this as well. The Halichos Chaim, written by Rabbi Aharon Kluger cites the minhagim of the Klausenberger Rebbe Rav Yekusiel Halbershtam (Chanukah p.18) and explains that the purpose of this custom was to vividly demonstrate how things were during the time of the Greeks and the Hellenists when a Jew wished to perform a Mitzvah. He was laughed and jeered at, unless the Mitzvah was performed in their specific Hellenizing way.

Yet another given for this custom by the Klausenberger Rebbe is that on the chance that the Shamash feels a sense of empowerment and haughtiness in fulfilling this Mitzvah so publicly. The clothing and towels are thrown at him to demonstrate that he has accomplished nothing (See Yehi Ohr 5733 p.67).

The custom to light in shul only dates to the times of the late Rishonim. It is interesting to note that neither the Rambam, the Rif, the Rosh, the Ohr Zaruah, the Eshkol, Rashi, nor the Machzor Vitri mentions the custom of lighting in shul. The earliest authority to mention the custom is the Baal HaIttur. Indeed, the first to mention that a blessing is recited is Rav Yitzchok Perfet, the Rivash (1326-1408). The Maharam Shick (YD) stated that the Chasam Sofer actually did not recite a blessing when lighting in shul.” (YWN 2014)

That video is an extreme example, presumably taken at a yeshiva without supervision, rather than a shul. As someone commented on the article: many would fulfil this minhag by half heartedly throwing a towel or two, not the litzonus and disregard for safety shown on that particular video.

LB + 1,000!

There are safer ways to remind people they are not Yotze than throwing towels at a person holding a fire.

And have have to make fences around things, Just because the idea is just to throw a towel or 2 nowhere near the person, some people disregard this and are throwing at the person hold the fire. Just like we must make other Takanos to prevent bad things from happening

I wonder whether some so-called “minhagim” don’t originate with some basic act of thoughtfulness that is subsequently imitated by onlookers out of context.

For example, setting up an oil menorah can be a messy job. Perhaps on one such occasion, a leader helpfully tossed a towel to the fellow who needed it and the event took on a life of its own.

“Must have been paying too much attention to things happening IRL”

Wow! Wish I could say the same…

I don’t think the actual minhag was to act you a bunch of bochurim throwing towels like mishagoyim as the minhag most likely to throw a towel before the Bracha & these bochurim wanted to have some fun so they kept throwing it over & over gain. The bochurim were even smiling in the video.

golfer I second your bracha for LU!!! 🙂

Golfer – “Live and let live” is an appropriate motto in certain cases. This case is one of them. They have a certain Minhag that has a basis and Rabbinical backing. It is none of your business.

The comparison to the Maccabees and Hellenists is completely inaccurate:

1. The Hellenists weren’t just “living and let living”. They were copying.

2. The Hellenists were oiver on clear-cut issurim.

3. The Maccabees told the Yidden to fight the Yevanim (and maybe the Helenists? I have to brush up on my Chanuka history). They were allowed and supposed to do this because the Gedolim of their time told them to.

There are times when we are supposed to give mussar. This is not one of them. And even if there were a chiyuv to give mussar, it would have to be given to the people doing it. You are not allowed to speak badly about one person to another. That is completely assur.

They have Rabbinal backing. This is their Minhag. Leave them alone. Our obligation is to judge favorably.

So, yes, in this case, “live and let live” is the right attitude.