Editing Minhag (Custom) (section)

==== The Attitude Toward Customs That Are Not Chabad Customs ====
Despite the great sanctity of Jewish customs, Chabad Chassidim are careful to practice only customs that have an explicit tradition from our Rebbeim or from what is accepted among Chassidim and the like, and not to hold onto customs of other courts and communities.

This attitude is drawn from the attitude of our Rebbeim to these customs.

Among other things, in Chassidic tradition it is told about the Rebbe Maharash who absolutely rejected the observance of additional customs that are not accepted among Chabad Chassidim in connection with a house dedication.

Along with this, we find that our Rebbeim explained (also according to Chassidut) customs that are not practiced in Chabad (such as reciting Shir HaShirim on Friday evening), and the Rebbe even made a special index for the book Likkutei Torah on customs that are not practiced in Chabad that were explained by the Alter Rebbe in this book.

We also find that on rare occasions and for special reasons, our leaders and their families did practice these customs, for example, singing Shabbat zemirot at the Shabbat meal.

Additionally, the Rebbe instructed several times to Chassidim who had come closer from other circles not to abandon their ancestral customs, and commanded their educators and mashpi'im not to interfere with them practicing as they had before becoming closer to Chabad.