[Avodah] Succah Decorations That Were Made For Non Jewish Holidays

[Micha Berger]

On Tue, Oct 11, 2011 at 06:41:54AM -0400, Prof. Levine quoted from Revach:
> The Shevet Halevi (2:10) says that even if it is written on the box that 
> it is made for the Non Jewish Holiday it is permissible.  Moreover he 
> adds that since it was made by a machine and not a person, a machine 
> cannot have intentions for avodah zara.  (Moadim L'Simcha)

I'm wondering why the Moadim LeSimchah's statement is relevant. I thought
the only consecrations by a non-Jew to AZ that has any halachic chalos
is the AZ itself (for a Jew, it requires worship before we consider the
idol to be AZ) and taqroves. And a snowflake window decoration isn't an
offering to Yeishu.

This is saying that not only is it mutar if a person made the Xmas
decoration, but it wasn't even made by a person?

I also find it interesting that Revach didn't find a citation for saying
that the kinds of decorations we would use in a Sukkah are made for the
civil Xmas, not the original religious holiday. (You know, the holiday
the US allows within "church vs state" featuring the fat guy in a Coca
Cola uniform.) I could see arguing that the decoration is derekh Emori
rather than full-blown AZ.

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger             It is our choices...that show what we truly are,
micha at aishdas.org        far more than our abilities.
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