Had we met for Shavuos...

Some members were away and we did not meet this YomTov. This coming week will be a Simcha in the Shul and this will be our "Tashlumin"!

Had we met this week for Shavuos Davening the following would have been on the "menu": 

1. First night we would have begun Maariv shortly after Mincha with a brief pause for "Eruv Tavshilin" (the shul waits a few minutes to give someone who forgot a chance to run home and quickly make one!) Someone would have spoken, and we would go straight to Maariv (during Bein Hashmashos) as it is not our Minhag to wait for "Temimos". This is discussed in Shoroshei Minhag Aschkenaz- but to put it briefly, the original Hakpadah was not to make Kiddush before Tzeis, and it was only later extended to Maariv, and, apparently, did not catch on in Western Europe. Why not wait anyway?  

2. It is good to keep one's own minhagim, to have emunas chachomim in our minhagim, and to preserve the idea for Klal Yisroel that there are different minhagim in different communitites. Furthermore, I find it concerning if we would wait longer for Temimos than for Motzi Shabbos... 

3. Even very well established minhagim and hakpados mentioned in the Poskim, were not always universal. 

4. Last year my family and I were the FIRST ones at the night learning, a full half-hour before people began showing up! 

5. The Maaravos! Yigdal! YomTov Kaddish! 

6. Full Kabbalas Shabbos on the second night. 

7. Very long Piyutim, Matnas Yad, Rus read quietly, Shavuos Niggun, and I hope one day to be able to read the Aseres Hadibros (my bar Mitzvah parsha) in the Yekkesh way (very special). Azharos in both days' Mussaf is a very old minhag shared by the Sefardim. Hear more about them HERE.

8. Akdamus is actually said as written: After the first Passuk. (Yetziv Pisgam" is not said.

   I think it is well known but the reason it comes after the first passuk is that in Talmudic and Gaonic times (and after) there was a "translator" who explained every passuk after ther Baal Koreh. This was his "Reshus" before explpaining the Matan Torah!