3 weeks

Question

Rabbi: I appreciate your prompt response and agree with you that we should not change our Sephardic minhagim. I also agree that there is still a lot of nonsense (Averoit) going on in the community. My point was in terms of the 3 week period. The implication from the response from the previous post was that we have changed our customs from Sefardic to Ashkenaz. My point is that it is not so. The change was from a state of minimal observance to a much more religious observance but all according to Sephardic laws and customs. It is my understanding that most of the rules of this community are based on the rulings of Hacham Ovadia Yosef SHLITA. Whenever the people are told that we are not observing the Halacha they say thats Ashkenaz. When Glatt Kosher was first introduced years ago they said that "thats ashkenaz". When we were told that women must cover their hair they said "thats ashkenaz" When the first yeshiva weddings started with separate dancing for the boys and separate for the girls,they said "thats ashkenaz" When the yeshiva boys refused to kiss the girls they said "thats ashkenaz". The changes that have slowly evolved in our community are not changing our sephardic customs,but to the contrary, are restoring our Sefardic customs according to the Shulhon Aruch. And this was done primarily by Sefardic Rabbis who studied in those Ashkenaz places, but were also very proud of their Sephardic heritage. Who's wearing the "gartel"?