The short answer
By tracing the source: law (halacha) comes from biblical or rabbinic authority; custom (minhag) is communal practice. A minhag can become binding within a community, and rabbis debate how far a custom can override or shape law — so the line is sometimes contested.
Why people ask this
This is a subtle but important distinction that explains why practices vary by community while law is more shared.
Key terms
- Minhag
- A communal custom, which can become locally binding.
Jewish perspectives
- Traditional: minhag can be binding within a community, sometimes even overriding certain leniencies.
- The weight of a minhag is itself a debated halachic question.
Scholarly & historical context
Customs developed regionally (Ashkenazi, Sephardi, etc.) and sometimes acquired binding force; rabbinic literature works out when and how.
What is agreed upon
Law and custom are distinct, though they interact.
Where the disagreement begins
When a custom can shape or override law.
Practical consequences
Expect local variation; ask which practices are law vs. custom in a community.
Original sources
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