Tradition
"Tra-di-tion!" The image of Tevye, the Russian Jew, striding about his hometown in Fiddler on the Roof and singing the glories of tradition summons up ideas of noble heritage and and cultural history. Many of us come from families rich with meaningful traditions. God himself prescribed numerous traditions in the Old Testament for the Israelites to observe throughout the year. But the Bible warns against elevating traditions above the truths (see Truth) that they were given to reinforce.

This is what had happened by the time Jesus came to earth. For many Jews (see Jews), especially the religious leaders, the Jewish festivals and rules had completely lost the significance for which God had designed them, and they had become merely an opportunity for the Jews to assert their superiority and exploit the poor. Jesus confronted those for whom religious tradition had become an empty rite rather than an act of sincere devotion to God.

Examine traditions carefully  instead of following them blindly. Keep those that inspire faith, but beware of those that are empty legalisms.

Jesus condemns those who replace true devotion with mere outward adherence to tradition.
Matthew 15:1-9
Mark 7:3-13
We should guard against the influence of ungodly traditions.
Micah 6:16
Colossians 2:8