Q&A: The Infiltration of Idolatrous Customs into Judaism
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The Infiltration of Idolatrous Customs into Judaism
Question
Is there a prohibition against following a custom whose roots are in idolatry, but which was later “elevated” into holiness? For example, I heard a lecture saying that the custom of Tashlikh originated with German Christians. If that is true, is it forbidden to practice this custom, or since Jewish meanings have been attached to it, is it permitted?
Answer
Customs often have a winding history, and many of them come from dubious sources. The origin is not what determines the issue. The question is whether the custom has a rationale, or whether it is a foolish custom—that is what determines it.
Uri, there is discussion among the halakhic decisors on this topic regarding taking melodies from church music for our prayers. See the responsa "Kerakh Shel Romi," siman 1, where the respondent, Rabbi Israel Moshe Hazan, דווקא encourages this and testifies that in his hometown, Izmir in Turkey, the paytanim would go behind the Greek churches in the city, listen to the melodies, and copy them into our prayers.
Rabbi Ovadia and others rely at least partly on this responsum, and some disagree. In Tzitz Eliezer, vol. 13, siman 12, over the course of about a page and a half, he tears apart the responsum of Kerakh Shel Romi and expresses sharp opposition to his words and to what he described the paytanim in his city as having done.
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