The role of minhagim, customs, are essential to Judaism and dictate how many, if not all Jewish rituals are performed. Often times a baal teshuva will be unsure as to which customs to follow. For example, a man of sefardic background was born and raised non-observant as his father had strayed from the path of orthodoxy. Bchasdei Hashem he became observant with the help of a Chabad rabbi. He is now facing the following dilema. Should he keep sefardic customs, as after all he is of sefardic background. Or perhaps he should follow Chabad customs as it was due to chabad influences that he became religious, similar to the statement of the Gemara that one who teaches another person Torah it is as if he gave birth to him.

Two things are worth noting before analyzing the question at hand. Firstly, we are discussing the case of a sefardic man who became religious through Chabad. This is an example of a question that may arise. In truth the same analysis would apply if someone of Chabad background became religious through a sefrardic rabbi or a man of litvish background became religious through a chassidish rabbi etc. Secondly, the whole discussion amongst the poskim only applies when the baal teshuva’s father strayed from the path of religious life and his son was in turn not raised with any customs or religious views. In such a situation there is room to discuss whether the child should follow his family customs or the rabbi’s. However, if someone was raised in a religious home, with familial customs, and then strayed from the path and subsequently became religious again, all agree that he follows his familial customs.

Section 1: The View of Rav Ovadia Yosef zt”l
Rav Ovadia Yosef zt”l was asked regarding a young man of ashkenazik background who was not observant who went to Israel and there, with the influence of a sefardic rabbi, he became observant. He began following sefardic customs and davening using the sefardic nusach of Eidut Mizrach as this was the custom of his rabbi. The question posed to Rav Ovadia is whether he should continue to follow sefardic custom or should he change to follow the custom of his family background?
Rav Ovadia writes that he should continue following the sefardic custom and not the custom of his biological family. (Shu”t Yabia Omer 10:9) Rav Ovadia maintains that when this young man’s father went off the derech he in essence severed his familial customs. And when his son was born and raised non-observant he in essence had no mesorah of customs to follow. Therefore, since a sefardic rabbi influenced him and taught him he essentially joined the sefardic mesorah regarding customs and his “father” regarding customs is now his rebbe.
According to the line of reasoning of Rav Ovadia, in our discussion the young man should follow chabad customs, that of his rabbi, and not sefardic customs despite the fact that he is of sefardic descent. A similar ruling is given by Rav Moshe Shternbuch shlit”a. (Teshuvos VHanhagos 1:354)

Section 2: The View of Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach zt”l
The opinion of Rav Ovadia Yosef zt”l and ybc”l Rav Moshe Shternbuch shlit”a that one who strays from the path of observant Judaism essentially severs his lineage regarding customs and his son can now potentially choose another path is quite novel. One can easily argue that since one’s family is Ashkenazik (for example) he is part of that community that has accepted to follow the view of the Rama and it is not something that he can change. Merely being born into that community should seemingly dictate which customs he must follow irregardless of whether he or his father has been observant or not. A similar argument was advanced by Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach zt”l. (Halichos Shlomo Tefilah Chapter 5 Note 37)
Rav Shlomo Zalman concludes that while it is preferable to adhere to his father’s customs if he feels strongly he may conitnue using the custom’s of his rebbi. Therefore in our situation it would be preferable for him to follow sefardic tradition, however, if he feels strongly he can continue with chabad customs.

Section 3: The View of Rav Chaim Pinchas Sheinberg zt”l
Rav Chaim Pinchas Sheinberg zt”l is of the opinion that one cannot break his or her mesorah regarding customs and as long as that community still exists in some form he must adhere to those customs. Someone of ashkenazik descent must keep ashkenazik customs. Someone of sefardic descent must keep sefardic customs etc. (Kuntres Shoalim Betshuva 7) In our situation the young man must keep sefardic customs and not that of his rabbi. (Refer also to Rav Yaakov Hillel shlit”a Vayeishev Hayam 3:7)

Summary And Conclusion
Often baalei teshuva are unsure what to do regarding minhagim, or customs. For example a man of sefardic background was born and raised non-observant as his father had strayed from the path of orthodoxy. Bchasdei Hashem he became observant with the help of a Chabad rabbi. He is now facing the following dilema. Should he keep sefardic customs, as after all he is of sefardic background. Or perhaps he should follow Chabad customs as it was due to chabad influences that he became religious.
There are three opinions amongst the poskim. A) Rav Ovadia Yosef zt”l maintains that when this young man’s father went off the derech he in essence severed his familial customs. And when his son was born and raised non-observant he in essence had no mesorah of customs to follow. According to the line of reasoning of Rav Ovadia, in our discussion the young man should follow chabad customs, that of his rabbi, and not sefardic customs despite the fact that he is of sefardic descent. A similar ruling is given by Rav Moshe Shternbuch shlit”a. B) Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach zt”l argues that since one’s family is Ashkenazik (for example) he is part of that community that has accepted to follow the view of the Rama and it is not something that he can change. Merely being born into that community should seemingly dictate which customs he must follow regardless of whether he or his father has been observant or not. Rav Shlomo Zalman concludes that while it is preferable to adhere to his father’s customs if he feels strongly he may continue using the custom’s of his rebbi. Therefore in our situation it would be preferable for him to follow sefardic tradition, however, if he feels strongly he can continue with chabad customs. C) Rav Chaim Pinchas Sheinberg zt”l is of the opinion that one cannot break his or her mesorah regarding customs and as long as that community still exists in some form he must adhere to those customs. Someone of ashkenazik descent must keep ashkenazik customs. Someone of sefardic descent must keep sefardic customs etc. In our situation the young man must keep sefardic customs and not that of his rabbi.