Shabbos Shnops and Arizal Tefillin

Question

My parents are of Ashkenazi descent, but I was not raised religious. I have been a baal teshuva for a number of years, and I originally started with Chabad. At the time I took on many of the minhagim of Chabad, but currently I was advised to keep Ashkenazi minhagim, and this is more or less what I am doing.

There are only two Chabad minhagim that I continue to observe. I wear Kesav Arizal tefillin and I recite Kiddush Shabbos morning on a shot glass of shnops.

Not long ago I purchased expensive parshiyos that are Kesav Arizal. I was moser nefesh to buy these parshiyos and I feel passionate about wearing them. My question is do I need to change these parshiyos for Ashkenazi ones, or can I continue to use the parshiyos which are written according to minhag Arizal?

I should add that it is financially difficult for me to buy new parshiyos now. Alternatively, I have an older pair of tefillin which are not as mehudar, but follow minhag Ashkenaz of Kesav Beis Yosef. Is it better for me to use these tefillin?

I really feel connected to the Chabad minhag to make kiddush on a shot glass of shnops on Shabbos morning. It is really difficult for me to give up on making Kiddush this way. What it be alright if I continue this?

Thank you,

Mordechai

Rav Zafrani

I generally rule that baalei teshuva should return back to the minhagim of their grandparents or great grandparents. However, it is very significant that you spent so much money on these parshiyos in order to be mehader in the mitzvah of tefillin. We can add that a large part, perhaps even the majority of the Jewish people wear the tefillin of the Arizal. Therefore, I believe that since you feel so passionately about these parshiyos you can continue to wear them.

As far as making kiddush on shnops, the minhag of Ashkenazi Jewry is to make the day Kiddush on wine. We do not see that any of our Gedolim followed the minhag to make kiddush on shnops. I am not even convinced that whiskey is chamar medina today, and a shot glass is not considered to be a shiur. You should make kiddush on wine, and if you wish afterwards you can make a l’chaim on whiskey.