22 November 2023

The Sin of Celebrating Foreign Holidays

10 Kislev 5784

Tomorrow is a goyishe holiday (holy day) in America during which countless numbers of Jews will attach themselves even more firmly to Eisav.  This is the end result of cultural assimilation.  It's bad enough that Diaspora Jews engage, but too many have brought that avodah zarah with them into Eretz Yisrael.  

And, that is besides all the families which celebrate in their private homes in memory of the Old Country.

But, what, you may ask, could possibly be wrong with it?  It's "giving thanks to God," isn't it?

I can't possibly explain it better than it was written by Rabbi Yair Hoffman and posted at Yeshiva World News, Thanksgiving and Halacha.  Read and learn... 

THE QUESTIONS (Excerpt)
...The questions rather, however, are, is it permitted to express one’s appreciation within the context of following the rituals of the Thanksgiving holiday? We may further ask, what is the exact nature of the Thanksgiving holiday? From a halachic perspective, is it a religious holiday or a secular holiday? And what, exactly, is the halachic definition of a religious holiday?

It is clear that these are the questions that must be resolved and addressed. They must be addressed using logic and reason rather than emotion. No question of law or halacha should be addressed with emotion as the underlying motivation, as noble as the motivation may be. Each person should, of course, address the question to one’s own Rav or Posaik.

So, let us begin. The issue at hand is the prohibition of “Ubechukosaihem lo sailechu” (VaYikra 18:3). What are its ramifications? The Shulchan Aruch and Rama (Yore Deah 178:1) discuss the parameters: “We do not walk in the customs of the Ovdei Kochavim..(Ramah) Rather, one should be separate from them in one’s dress and in his other actions. This is only prohibited in matters that they do which involve immodesty.. or in a matter that they do as a custom or law with no basis to it.. and it contains within it a smattering of Avodas Kochavim that they have from their ancestors..”

The underlying issue is, therefore, does the holiday in question contain within it a smattering of Avodas Kochavim that they have from their ancestors? 
[Read the rest HERE.]
Meantime, the City of New York is getting ready to host an estimated 3.5 million people along the Manhattan route of the annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.  Preliminary information indicates that it will be celebrating the best of the gashmiut that America has to offer.

Unfortunately, the Jews and Muslims are putting a damper on things...


4 comments:

  1. I am so happy you addressed this. Like all other Americans, American Jews are indoctrinated (not taught) that Thanksgiving is a national holiday with no religious overtones. I remember as a kid not knowing how Xtian the pilgrims really were until I was a lot older. It is celebrated as a cultural thing, and no one stops to think that this is the ways of the goyim. I can relate a similar thing that happened to me here in Israel. I was working for a hi-tech company and the Director of my group along with a couple of others were British Jews. They wanted to have a Xmas lunch as apprently this is a customer in the UK, similar to Thanksgiving dinner is to America and many UK Jews do it as well. I asked a Rav who told me unequivocally that this is totally assur. It was a shock to me at first this would take place in Israel, however, it is clear that this is the plan of the Eruv Rav here as well to do what they can to destroy religion and turn Jews away from the Torah.

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  2. As a side note, gentiles are also not allowed (under the Sheva mitzvot) to make their own religions and holidays
    Therefore, it's not even legitimate for them.

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  3. The stole the land from the original peoples there.

    Giving thanks for stealing land.
    The land belongs to the First Nations. Period!!.
    People say, that there was territorial fights among the originals.
    Well originals fight for whatever... its their business.
    GIVE USA BACK TO THE ORIGINAL PEOPLES... ALL OTHERS OUT!!!

    Its all Bah Humbug!!1

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  4. I just returned from a shopping run to Yerushalayim and while I was there, I stopped in at the Stiematsky Bookstore. What did my eyes behold as I walked in the door? A children's book on display entitled "My First Thanksgiving." I was thinking that the indoctrination needs to start when they're young when I remembered the American Cultural Center on Keren HaYesod St. (You know where that is, along the Gay Pride Parade route?) It's sole purpose (on the surface at least) is to promote American culture in Israel. How can there even be such an institution in Eretz Yisrael???

    When HKB"H removes the obstacles from our path, we are going to have one big clean-up job facing us here.

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