Soc.Culture.Jewish Newsgroups Frequently Asked Questions and Answers URL: www.scjfaq.org/faq/13-06.html

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Question 13.6:
How does the Sephardi/Ashkenazi differences differ from the O/C/R differences?

Traditional Sephardic and Ashkenazic Jews agree that the oral and written Torah are from G-d, and that the sages may rule on halachic matters. The differences in practice are mostly in culture and customs. Traditional and liberal Jews disagree on the Divine origin of the oral and written Torah, and on the ability of present-day sages and secular scholars to overrule earlier halachic decisors.

Also, Sephardic Jews tend not to separate along "denominational" lines, but rather "observant" and "non-observant."

The FAQ is a collection of documents that is an attempt to answer questions that are continually asked on the soc.culture.jewish family of newsgroups. It was written by cooperating laypeople from the various Judaic movements. You should not make any assumption as to accuracy and/or authoritativeness of the answers provided herein. In all cases, it is always best to consult a competent authority--your local rabbi is a good place to start.

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