0

Is there a difference between an ענין and a מנהג? If so, what is it?

Examples differentiating the concepts would be useful.

El Shteiger
  • 2,991
  • 18
  • 29
  • 3
    Why would you think they are the same? What do you know about these words already? I'm familiar with a meaning of the second but not the first – Double AA Apr 11 '19 at 17:47
  • Maybe we should add these to https://judaism.meta.stackexchange.com/q/581/ instead of asking their meanings here? – DonielF Apr 11 '19 at 19:00
  • @DonielF How can we add them to the glossary without knowing what they mean? – Alex Apr 11 '19 at 19:05
  • @Alex What I mean is that someone who does know what they mean (like Avrohom Yitzchok apparently) should add them there. (I’m actually kinda surprised that minhag isn’t there already.) – DonielF Apr 11 '19 at 19:07
  • @DonielF It can't hurt to leave this question to figure out if the meaning might not be so straightforward. Especially if we already have one person who seems confused about it. – Alex Apr 11 '19 at 19:09
  • ענין is as there is a consistent reason to make this. Perhaps this is not a custom at all. Minhag is simply a custom – kouty Apr 11 '19 at 20:36
  • https://judaism.stackexchange.com/questions/91982/is-there-an-inyan-to-pronounce-each-word-clearly-in-davening#comment298960_91982 – Dr. Shmuel Apr 11 '19 at 20:48
  • 1
    I believe most people when they use the term don't know what they're saying. – robev Apr 11 '19 at 21:19
  • 2
    Inyan can be translated idea or reason. Minhag means custom. They aren't directly related at all although one could speak of an idea or reason behind a custom. – Dude Apr 12 '19 at 01:41
  • https://judaism.stackexchange.com/questions/100874/ptij-what-is-the-inyan-of-the-konami-code-in-uncle-moishys-song – Dr. Shmuel Apr 12 '19 at 04:10

1 Answers1

-1

The way I've always heard them used is akin to the difference between a chiyuv, requirement, and a chumra, a stringency.

So a minhag would be more binding, and an inyan is more voluntary.

There is a minhag to do xyz, so make sure to do it, vs there's an inyan to do abc, so it's nice to do.

(As a side point most times that people talk about something being an inyan, it is something they have no comprehension about the action or the reasoning behind it. Their use of inyan makes a minhag logical.)

user6591
  • 33,638
  • 2
  • 39
  • 81