[Avodah] Adorning the Shul with Greenery on Shavuos: Minhag Yisrael or Chukos HaGoyim?"

[Micha Berger]

On Wed, Jun 01, 2022 at 05:51:40PM +0000, Prof. L. Levine via Avodah wrote:
> From
> https://ohr.edu/this_week/insights_into_halacha/9889

The problem is, if you want to invoke the Gr's shitah on Chuqos haGoyim,
there are many other minhagim to question.

Including another one of Shavuos -- eating milchig. The first metion of
that minag is from the Kol Bo, written in Prevance, probably by R Aharon
b Yaaqov haKohein (Lunel, 1262-1325). There was a Christian custom of
Wittessontag (White Sunday) in Provence, or Wittesmontag (White Monday)
in Germany, in the week before their Pentacost, where the custom was to
drink milk. (It was a big day for baptisms and wearing white.)

All totally inoccuous. The custom comes from it being long enough after
the cows have been eating grass rather than dried hay for the milk and
cheese to taste better.

But, the non-Jews did it first. We copied, and then found our own
symbolism in the practice.

So, the Gra apparently didn't know that history, because leshitaso that's
equally problematic.

And Purim costumes arose in Italy, where costumes on Carnival were already
a thing among the Christians.

Also from Italy -- cassola, ricotta cheese pancakes. The original latke.
And admit it, the connection to Chanukah is pretty weak, as it is based
on a story about Yehudis and Holefornos, who was a Babylonian general
living at the end of Bayis Rishon. From the Apocrypha. (And possibly a
story based on Yael in Shofetim.)

In short, I don't think this is a can of worms we don't want to open.

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger                 Today is the 47th day, which is
http://www.aishdas.org/asp   6 weeks and 5 days in/toward the omer.
Author: Widen Your Tent      Hod sheb'Malchus: What is glorious about
- https://amzn.to/2JRxnDF             unity-how does it draw out one's soul?