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<a href="https://ohr.edu/this_week/insights_into_halacha/9889" id="LPlnk449091">https://ohr.edu/this_week/insights_into_halacha/9889</a></div>
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<p>In many shuls around the world, <em>Chag HaShavuos</em> represents ‘going green.’ I am not referring to becoming environmentally friendly, but green in a more literal sense. In honor of
<em>Shavuos</em>, many shuls, such as Rav Breuer’s K’hal Adas Yeshurun (KAJ) in Washington Heights, New York, and Shomrei HaChomos in Ramot, Yerushalayim (Rabbi Fuch’s shul), receive entire forest-like makeovers. With branches forming a
<em>Chuppah</em>-like canopy over the <em>bimah</em>, trees set up next to the <em>
Aron Kodesh</em>, and greenery abounding, many entire shuls are festively festooned for
<em>Zman Mattan Torah</em>.</p>
<p class="elementToProof">Yet, we find that other shuls do perform some adorning, but in a much more minimalist manner, using only flowers and grasses. And of course, there are shuls where no special
<em>Shavuos</em> decorating is done at all. Indeed, there is quite a varied spectrum of
<em>minhagim</em>, with each <em>Kehillah</em> and <em>shul</em> following its own traditions.<a href="https://ohr.edu/9889#_edn1" title="">[1]</a> This article sets out to explore the main prevailing
<em>minhagim</em> customary throughout <em>Klal Yisrael</em> in relation to this <em>
inyan</em>, as well as their <em>halachic</em> background.</p>
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<h2><strong><em>Minhagei Yisrael - </em>Seeing Green?</strong></h2>
<p>This is why in practice, this <em>minhag</em> has a wide spectrum of variations in its observance.</p>
<p><em>Kehillos</em> of Ashekenazic-German origin (<em>Yekkehs</em>),<a href="https://ohr.edu/9889#_edn35" title="">[35]</a> as well as most
<em>Chassidic</em> communities,<a href="https://ohr.edu/9889#_edn36" title="">[36]</a> including Karlin,<a href="https://ohr.edu/9889#_edn37" title="">[37]</a> Belz,<a href="https://ohr.edu/9889#_edn38" title="">[38]</a> Sanz,<a href="https://ohr.edu/9889#_edn39" title="">[39]</a>
Spinka,<a href="https://ohr.edu/9889#_edn40" title="">[40]</a> Skver,<a href="https://ohr.edu/9889#_edn41" title="">[41]</a> Chernobyl, Bobov, and Satmar,<a href="https://ohr.edu/9889#_edn42" title="">[42]</a> follow the
<em>minhag</em> of the <em>Magen Avraham</em> and his defenders, especially as an allusion to this custom was found in the
<em>Zohar Hakadosh</em>, and not only festoon the shul with greenery as per the <em>
Rema</em>, but also place trees.</p>
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<p>Many others, in deference to the general understanding of the Vilna Gaon’s position, do not employ trees in their adorning, but will still decorate their shuls utilizing flowers and grass, in essence following the
<em>Mishnah Berurah’</em> s conclusion. This is also the opinion of many contemporary
<em>Gedolim</em> including the Chazon Ish, the Steipler Gaon,<a href="https://ohr.edu/9889#_edn43" title="">[43]</a> Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach,<a href="https://ohr.edu/9889#_edn44" title="">[44]</a> Rav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv,<a href="https://ohr.edu/9889#_edn45" title="">[45]</a>
and Rav Yisrael Yaakov Fischer,<a href="https://ohr.edu/9889#_edn46" title="">[46]</a><em>zichronam levrachah</em>, contending that the Vilna Gaon only opposed setting up trees, but not grass.<a href="https://ohr.edu/9889#_edn47" title="">[47]</a><br>
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<p>A third custom, based on the strict interpretation of the <em>Gr”a</em>’s ruling, as understood by the
<em>Aruch Hashulchan</em> and several <em>Talmidei HaGr”a</em>, is not to bedeck the shul at all with any greenery – not trees nor grass nor flowers, as they are all viewed as potential violations of
<em>Chukos HaGoyim</em>. Rav Moshe Feinstein <em>zt”l</em> ruled this way,<a href="https://ohr.edu/9889#_edn48" title="">[48]</a> and Rav Chaim Kanievsky
<em>zt”l</em> was quoted as maintaining that this is the proper <em>minhag</em>,<a href="https://ohr.edu/9889#_edn49" title=""><sup><sup>[49]</sup></sup></a> and accordingly, there is no Shavuos festooning performed in the famed Lederman
<em>shul</em> in Bnei Brak. Some even refer to this custom of non-decoration as ‘<em>Minhagei HaYeshivos.</em>’<a href="https://ohr.edu/9889#_edn50" title="">[50]</a></p>
<p>Curiously, there is no mention of any sort of <em>Shavuos</em> greenery adornment in Rav Yosef Eliyahu Henkin
<em>zt”l</em>’s authoritative <em>Ezras Torah Luach</em>, even though he cites the two other main
<em>minhagim</em> of <em>Shavuos</em> brought by the <em>Rema</em>, namely staying up all night and eating
<em>milchigs</em>. To this author, this strongly implies Rav Henkin’s well-known predilection to following the rulings of the
<em>Aruch Hashulchan -</em> one of the <em>Gedolim</em> from whom he received <em>
Semichah</em>,<a href="https://ohr.edu/9889#_edn51" title="">[51]</a> and hence lending credence to the notion that his glaring lacuna of this
<em>minhag</em> was intentional, intending to show that he meant to follow his Rebbi’s position on this matter.</p>
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See the above URL for much more.</div>
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