New York – Halachically Speaking: Flowers/Greenery In Shuls For Shavuos

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    Photo illustration Manhattan Shul decorated on ShavuosNew York – The custom is to place greenery in shuls on Shavuos,[1] and many have the custom to place them in their homes as well.[2]

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    Some say this is done for simchas haregel.[3] Others say the reason is as aremembrance of Har Sinai, which was surrounded with beautiful greenery at the time the Torah was given to Klal Yisroel.[4] The seforim mention many other reasons for placing greenery on Shavuos.[5]

    Another custom is to place trees in shuls for Shavuos,[6] and the Magen Avraham[7] states the reason is because on Shavuos one is judged for the fruits of a tree.

    According to this reasonone should only take branches of a fruit tree and place it in the shuls,[8] however, the custom is not like this.[9] It would seem that one should not place artificial flowers etc.[10]

    Many have the custom to place greenery etc. on the floor, but the custom is not so.[11] The Gra[12] was against the minhagof placing flowers-greenery in shuls for Shavuos, as this was the custom of the goyim who decoratedtheir homes and churches with greenery during their holidays, and the Gra believed this minhagshould be abolished.

    Many poskim go in accordance with the ruling of the Vilna Goan.[13] Some say the Gra wanted to abolish both the placing of flowers and trees in shuls.[14] However, Horav Shlomo Zalman Aurbach zt”l[15] says the Gra only wanted to abolish the custom of placing trees in shuls andnot flowers.

    The custom in most places is to place flowers and branches of trees in the shuls for Shavuos.[16] Some place nice smelling greenery on the Sefer Torah in honor or Matan Torah.[17] Some have the custom to place pictures of flowers in their windows.[18]

    The above article is reprinted with permission exclusive to VIN News from Halachically Speaking, a monthly publication compiled by Rabbi Moishe Dovid Lebovits, a former chaver kollel of Yeshiva Torah Vodaath and a musmach of Harav Yisroel Belsky Shlita. Rabbi Lebovits currently works as the Rabbinical Administrator for the KOF-K Kosher Supervision. To subscribe to Halachically Speaking via email for free to to www..thehalacha.com

    1. Maharil page 160, Leket Yosher page 103, Yosef Ometz 851:page 187, Rama O.C. 494:3, Magen Avraham 5, Chok Yaakov 7, Levush 1, Yalkut Gershuney 494:3, Shulchan Aruch Harav 15, Lekutei Maharich 3:page 574 (new), Mishnah Berurah 10, Aruch Ha’shulchan 6, Yalkut Yosef 5:page 443. Refer to Minhag Avoseinu B’yudeinu 2:pages 589-590:footnote 85 why this a custom only on Shvuos.
    2. Refer to Yosef Ometz ibid.
    3. Maharil ibid. Refer to Minhag Avoseinu B’yudeinu 2:page 578:footnote 22
    4. Rama ibid, Levush 1, Siddur Yaavetz 2:page 174:2, Shulchan Aruch Harav 14, Lekutei Maharich ibid, Mishnah Berurah 10, Aruch Ha’shulchan ibid, Kaf Ha’chaim 53, Da’as Torah 494, Minhag Yisroel Torah 494:7, Yalkut Yosefibid, Minhag Avoseinu B’yudeinu 2:page 582:footnote 33, Orchos Rabbeinu 2:page 99:7.
    5. Refer to Birchei Yosef 494:6, Kaf Ha’chaim 494:53, Chasam Sofer Droshos Shevuos page 576, Bnei Yissochor Nissin 4:7-8 pages 135-136b (new), Minhag Avoseinu B’yudeinu 2:pages 578-588.
    6. Refer footnote 34, and Magen Avraham 5.
    7. 5, see Be’er Heitiv 7, Siddur Yaavetz 2:page 174:2, Chok Yaakov ibid, Elya Rabbah 2, Shulchan Aruch Harav 15,Mishnah Berurah 10, Kaf Ha’chaim 56, Yalkut Yosef ibid.
    8. Minhag Avoseinu B’yudeinu 2:page 590, see Natey Gavriel Shvuos 9:5:footnote 13 in depth (new).
    9. Minhag Avoseinu B’yudeinu 2:page 590:footnote 86.
    10. Minhag Avoseinu B’yudeinu 2:page 581:footnote 32.
    11. Minhag Avoseinu B’yudeinu 2:page 576:footnote 13.
    12. Massei Rav 191, Chai Adom 131:13, Chuchmas Adom 89:1, Darchei Chaim V’Sholom 637:page 206, Mishnah Berurah 10, Aruch Ha’shulchan 6, Kaf Ha’chaim 56, Igros Moshe Y.D. 4:11:5, Mekadesh Yisroel Shvuos 62:page 180,Orchos Rabbeinu ibid.
    13. Aruch Ha’shulchan 6, Igros Moshe ibid, see Igros Moshe intro to O.C. 5:page 6.
    14. Refer to Mishnah Berurah ibid, Igros Moshe ibid, Orchos Rabbeinu 2:page 99:7.
    15. Ve’alu Lo Yeibol 1:page 184:289, see Mishnah Berurah 494:10 who seems to say this as well. Refer to Chuchmas Adom ibid.
    16. Yalkut Gershuney ibid, Lekutei Maharich ibid, Da’as Torah ibid, Yechaveh Da’as 4:33, Yalkut Yosef 5:page 443,Mekadesh Yisroel Shevuos page 180, Piskei Teshuvos 494:10, Minhag Yisroel Torah 494:7:pages 363-364, MinhagAvosinu B’yudeinu 2:pages 600-602. One may not use masser money to buy flowers to hang up for Shevuos (Mekadesh Yisroel Shevuos 66 new). As far as moving a door that has flowers hanging on it on Yom Tov refer to V’Yan Dovid 1:62.
    17. Minhag Avoseinu B’yudeinu 2:pgae 602.
    18. Natei Gavriel Shvuos 9:8, Minhag Avoseinu B’yudeinu 2:page 603.

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    21 Comments
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    Am Haaretz
    Am Haaretz
    13 years ago

    The reason I do it is because my wife expects it!

    TalmidChochom
    TalmidChochom
    13 years ago

    If we are to talk about chukas hagoyim and how it pertains to shuls, then please explain to me why the larger and older shuls both here and in Europe have pews which to me seems to be very similiar to the interior layout of the kirches. Please explain.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    With all respect, why would anyone care which flowers or shrubs we put into the shul on yom tov if the intent is simply to beautify the shul lachovod matan torah. Sometimes, I think we dwell on trivia to the exclusion of the bigger message of the chag. A gooten and “green” yom tov no matter what your favorite flowers may be.

    Jewish Chaplain
    Jewish Chaplain
    13 years ago

    In the ‘heim’ hut men azoi getein: We placed beautiful flowers throughout the shul and strong, full, branches full of leaves around the bima and elswhere. We did the same thing in the house especially in the eating areas but not over the table because bugs can crawl or fall into the food.

    Many say that Shavuos is the “least known” Yom Tov. I have found that the reason for this phenomenon is that those who don’t observe the Mitvohs and those who don’t believe that Hashem gave us the Torah, don’t WANT to know about Shavuos. Ask a Reform or Conservative or whatever they are. They will tell you that ‘Shavuot’ is a “Harvest Festival” with no other meaning. Remember, those guys DON’T believe that the Torah is directly from Hashem. If you don’t believe me ask them yourself!

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    Who cares if it is chukas hagoyim. If we do it because of har sinai or our own other reasons, why should it matter if goyim do similar things. Why should we define ourselves by not doing what they do, rather than what we do? If they started wearing tfilin, would we stop?

    The Truth
    The Truth
    13 years ago

    If I remember correctly, the Mishna Brura states all this clearly. Yidden had the lond standing minhag of placing trees & greenery in their shuls (and homes?) on Shavuos, but because of the Goyim & their decorative trees on their festival, we no longer decorate with trees but still retain the minhag with flowers.

    l'maan ho-emmes
    l'maan ho-emmes
    13 years ago

    The picture is taken from the Breuer’s shuhl in Washington Heights, also known as Khal Adath Jeshurun.

    The yeckes often are held up for riducle. Here is something where everybody will agree that the Yeckes excell in hidur mitzvo.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    That shul in the photo is Khal Adath Jeshurun (Breuer’s) in Washington Heights.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    In Mesifta Torah Vodas in Williamsburg we adorned the Bima with flowers on a trellis all around and above, to look like a chupah. We also adorned the Rosh Yeshiva’s seat all around, Rav Yakov Kamenetsky ztzl. I think that Rav Yakov knew about all the various poskim and their psak din on this minhag. Is buying flowers for yomtov considered chukas hagoi since goyim buy flowers? Or is it sholom bayis which is so very important? Or how about just saying what the halocho is in many places, each kehilla as its own minhag. And let’s stop trying to legislate the minhagim of one poisek on the minhagim of kehilos who were led by very prominent rabbonim.

    Raphael Kaufman
    Raphael Kaufman
    13 years ago

    I had always understood that the difficulty with placing trees and large tree branches in the shul involved the issur of placing an asheirah in the Heichal. No problem with flowers, though. With regard to chukas hagoyim, many church practices were originally Jewish practices that we abandoned when the Goyim took them up. Two that come to mind are: Choirs (The Gregorian chants were supposed to be similar to the shirei Levi’im in the BHM), and weddings in the place of worship, which was common Jewish practice in Rashi’s time.
    For #3, there is no way that ANY mechitza could possibly be chukas haGoyim. The few obscure Christian sects (Shakers and Mormons, although there is some argument about whether or not they are Christian altogether) that separate men and women simply place them across the center aisle from each other as we do at weddings.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    The pipe organ was also abolished because the goyim adopted it in their practice.