<br><div><span class="gmail_quote">On 10/8/07, <b class="gmail_sendername">Prof. Levine</b> <<a href="mailto:llevine@stevens.edu">llevine@stevens.edu</a>> wrote:</span><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">
<div>
<font size="3">The following is an excerpt from the article
<i>"Segulot, Superstitions, & Darchei Emori" </i>that
appears on pages 63 - 75 of the Fall 2007 (Number LIV) issue of <b>The
Journal of Halacha and Contemporary Society</b>.<br><br>
Finally, we have the truly pagan superstitions. The classic example of
this is blowing out candles at a birthday party and making a wish. To
fully appreciate this we must consider the source of this
custom.<br><br></font></div></blockquote></div><br>Given a cheifetz of Avodah Zoro can be nullified by a goy [bittul]<br>lI wonder nowadays that since many of these sueprpsitions that USED TO BE AZ have the status of being Batel because they have been secularized - therefore no issur is hal anymore.
<br><br>I would speuclate the same MAY be true for Halloween which has pagan/Xtian origins but is has really evolved into a secualr Purim style masquerade for most people.<br><br>But even if it is teachnically muttar, I concede it is certainly no mitzva to imitate this stuff. The question might then devolve to mutav sheyioyu shoggegim.....
<br><br> <br><br>- <br>Kol Tuv / Best Regards,<br><a href="mailto:RabbiRichWolpoe@Gmail.com">RabbiRichWolpoe@Gmail.com</a><br>Please Visit: <br><a href="http://nishmablog.blogspot.com/">http://nishmablog.blogspot.com/</a>