Categories: In Print / Halacha & Hashkafa

Is It Proper To Admire "Seasonal" Lights On Someone's Yard?

By Jewish Press Staff

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January 3, 2024, 5 AM ET

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What About Attending A Walking Tour Of Said Homes?

Today, most of the holiday lights one may see are of the Santa and Reindeer theme and have very little actual religious symbolism. Some are extremely elaborate in their lighting, color and design that one can only imagine the elaborate planning and expense that was involved. Many of our gentile neighbors look forward to this time of year to show the best that they can do to provide a “joyous display.” In today’s world, where actual religious observance both by Jew and gentile is on the wane and statistically in even greater numbers in the majority gentile sector of the population, it is actually good to see some form of religious reminders by our gentile neighbors To take a stroll and see how the Joneses do it is akin to taking a stroll in any other sightseeing tour. I am reminded of the tale of the sainted Rabbi Levi Yitzchok of Berditchev, zt"l, who was once on his way in his horse drawn carriage, being driven by his faithful gentile driver. As they passed a church the rabbi bid the driver to stop. The dismayed driver looked to the rabbi and realizing what was expected of him exclaimed “Rabbi, I don’t believe in that [to cross himself]! Rabbi Levi Yitzchok was insistent and said he wished not to proceed until the driver acquiesced the rabbi’s request. The sainted Berditchever proclaimed, I do not wish to be driven by one who has no belief, one who is an atheist. I've mentioned it before and I will mention it now again. The sainted Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, zt”l, saw the lack of belief across much of the world, thus he created a specific campaign, to address what he saw as a major issue facing mankind, the introduction of a “Moment of Silence," whereby each would take the opportunity to contemplate his Creator. Hollywood and the mainstream types preach to some degree a G-dless society. If we wish not to see a general breakdown of society we need more belief in some sort of religion, especially as we do not proselytize. Let each observe in his/her manner just as we, Jews, are free in these great democracies to observe our religion in the ways of peace – darkei shalom. – Rabbi Yaakov Klass is chairman of the Presidium of the Rabbinical Alliance of America; rav of Congregation K’hal Bnei Matisyahu in Flatbush, Brooklyn; and Torah Editor of The Jewish Press. He can be contacted at yklass@jewishpress.com and Rabbi@igud.us.

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There doesn’t seem to be a halachic violation to admire “seasonal” lights on someone’s yard or to attend a walking tour of homes with these lights. The consensus opinion within the Rishonim is that Christianity is considered idolatry, at least from a Jewish perspective. The Shulchan Aruch (Yoreh De-ah 142:15) rules that we may neither listen to musical instruments of idolatry nor gaze at ornaments of idolatry because we benefit from listening to or looking at the idolatry, as the case may be. However, the Shach (Ibid., 142:33) clarifies that this prohibition only applies to idols themselves which are worshipped. However, one may gaze at ornaments that are made for beauty and not for worship. It would seem that “seasonal lights” fall under this category since they are not worshipped. Even though I don’t believe that a technical halachic problem exists by admiring these “seasonal” lights, I would hope that an admiration for this display does not compare to the excitement that we have for Jewish holidays and all of the beautiful customs and decorations associated with them. It may be technically okay to admire a “seasonal” decoration, but our passions and excitement that we experience and that we share with our children should primarily be generated from our holy tradition and not from a different religion. – Rabbi Jonathan Muskat is the rabbi of the Young Israel of Oceanside, a rebbe at Shulamith High School, and a pastoral health care liaison at Mount Sinai South Nassau.

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It goes without saying that a frum Jew wouldn’t admire any religious dimension of any non-Jewish holiday light displays. We are dealing here regarding taking pleasure in viewing holiday light displays for aesthetic purposes. In today’s secular and atheistic popular culture that we find ourselves living amongst, we sometimes find ourselves aligned with and identifying with those non-Jews who still hold onto religious/ traditional way of life. For this reason, we may not feel anything wrong or disturbing about their holidays or with enjoying some of their artistic sights. Despite the fact that we have more in common with the devout among the umos than the secular, it doesn’t take that much to know and remember that in the not-too-distant past, this time of year was a time of sakanas nifashos and much persecution for many Yidden living in many parts of the world. Many with such a perspective might feel repulsed by light displays. Baruch Hashem we live in a time and place where the holiday season doesn’t mean danger, and we must thank Hashem for that, and most of those with the lights are friendly and don’t think like the Cristians of old. But It doesn’t seem proper for a Yid to participate in a formal tour which in a way gives honor of the goyish chogah. – Rabbi Yehoshua Heber is Rav of Khal Tomchai Torah at Yeshiva Torah Vodaath and Dayan at Bdatz Mishptai Yisrael.

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If we’re dealing strictly with pretty lights or trees or things the like, there really aren’t halachic problems, and I do not think there is anything forbidden. However, nativity scenes or things with a religious connotations are totally in a different class. There is a reason why Jews have almost a minhag not to learn on Nittel Nacht, because on that night, the night they call Christmas, it was typical for the local priests to preach hatred against the Jews, and the local gentiles would get drunk and go beat up Jews. It was almost a minhag in many places not to go on the streets to the beit midrash, because you would get beat up and even killed. We have suffered through almost 1500 years of hatred, oppression, and persecution via the Christian church, Catholic in particular. In that sense, it’s important to remember, and there should be a sense in us that it may be nice to look at, but there’s a tremendous amount of negative history behind it. – Rabbi Ben Zion Shafier is founder of The Shmuz and author of 10 Really Dumb Mistakes That Very Smart Couples Make (available at theshmuz.com).