You’ve seen them, right? They’re everywhere. Look around. They seem to go up earlier and earlier every year—it used to be after Thanksgiving, now it’s right after Halloween for some. And they come in all kinds of colors and designs, but I enjoy most the all white variety on trees or homes. I can’t deny, they brighten up dark afternoons and cold evenings this time of year. You know what I’m talking about, right? Yes, Christmas lights.
And really, who doesn’t like Christmas lights? We can’t help but notice them. For some of us, it may even be a guilty pleasure. Reds and blues and yellows and greens, flashing or twinkling, they come in all kinds of styles. But now the question arises: as Jewish people, may we admire and enjoy these holiday lights? I mean, really? Of course nothing in Judaism is simple or straightforward, so let’s unpack that question.
In order to understand our relationship to Christmas lights, we need to understand our relationship with other religions. We are instructed by our sages to pursue “darchei shalom” or paths of peace with our non-Jewish neighbors by burying their dead, taking care of their poor, and visiting their sick. We do this for two reasons—first, God Himself is merciful to all His creations, Jewish or not, and we should emulate God, and second, the ways of Torah are peaceful. Why antagonize our neighbors?
We are encouraged by our rabbis to be merciful and kind to our neighbors no matter what their beliefs. But does this extend to admiring facets of Christianity? They may not be explicitly religious symbols, but they are the trappings of Christmas celebrations. There’s a bigger question here, namely: does the religion of Christianity fall into the category of what the rabbis know as “avodah zarah” or idolatry? And if that is the case, then is looking at their lights actively participating in idol worship which would be a clear Torah violation?
The rabbis are divided on whether Christianity is idolatry. Maimonides takes the strictest position, arguing that their division of God into a trinity—father, son, spirit—as well as their prayers to saints clearly makes it idolatrous. Other rabbis are more lenient. But let’s take the strictest interpretation for argument’s sake. Are we allowed to benefit directly from an idolatrous practice?
That one is easy. No. We are not.
Maimonides teaches, “One may not benefit from idolatry, its tools and sacrifices and all that is made for it,” because it is a clear prohibition of the commandment, “You shall not bring an abomination (idol) into your house.” (Deut. 7:26). In the Shulchan Aruch, the 16th century compilation of Jewish law, Rabbi Joseph Karo goes even further, “One may not listen to musical instruments of idolatry or gaze at ornaments of idolatry since one benefits by looking.”
I know what you’re thinking. Does that mean we have to drive around New Jersey with our eyes closed this time of year? That might be dangerous knowing Jersey drivers…
But. You knew there was going to be a but.
The Ashkenazi commentator on the Shulchan Aruch, Rabbi Moses Isserles, takes a flexible approach — unintentional looking or listening is permitted. If you’re in the town market and a religious icon is marched through the street, if you happen to glance at it or hear chanting or music associated with it, you have not violated the commandment against idolatry. This allows for human nature and peripheral vision.
So. The lights. Are they in fact idolatrous?
In Northern Europe, there was a pagan tradition at the winter solstice of burning a log to light up the night and bring luck for the coming year. This tradition continues today—surely you have heard of the Yule Log. Maybe you’ve seen it burning on WPIX, Netflix has one, YouTube has several of them.
Today is December 13th. Many celebrate this as the feast day of Santa Lucia, the “bearer of light.” Wearing a crown of candles—yes, you heard me, a crown of five lit candles—children sing songs of light and the holiday season.
Sometime in the 1600s, the light made the jump from the log and the crown into a tree which would be decorated with candles. This became popular in England and America when Queen Victoria’s German husband, Prince Albert, decorated a palace tree with candles. Of course, trees sitting inside warm houses get dry, so festooning them with candles often led to house fires. What could they do?
In the late 19th century, a friend of our local inventor, Thomas Edison, suggested that he create electric lights that could be safely strung on trees, and a new tradition was born. From there, the lights moved from indoors to out of doors.
The lights became synonymous with the season, bringing light through the shortest days and the long dark nights of winter.
Rabbi Shabbtai Hakohen, a 17th century Lithuanian rabbi, ruled, “One may not gaze at idols themselves, which are worshipped, to see their ornaments. But forms made for beauty and not for worship are permitted.”
This ruling is clear. We are allowed to enjoy Christmas lights because the lights on someone’s porch or roof are not being worshipped. A Christmas tree is not an idol. The lights are there to beautify the home inside and out. Seeing and enjoying their beauty does not violate commandments against idolatry. Some rabbis even rule that special trips to see lights around a specific neighborhood are permitted.
But there is a broader concern. The Talmud teaches, quoting Proverbs 5:8, “Distance yourself from her,” meaning idolatry. We must keep a distance from things which could tempt us away from Judaism. We are not supposed to utter the name of other gods, including Jesus. Orthodox Jews call him simply “that man”. We are not allowed to mention a church if giving directions. Traditionally, we should not even eat food cooked by a non-Jew. This is to create space between us and other religions in order to strengthen ourselves against assimilation.
The truth is that, in America, we Jews are a very small minority. We are only 2.4% in a population of more than 300 million. We will always be on the outside. Look at campuses today, our students are facing a level of antisemitism here as never before. It is important that we resist the pressures of a society that wants to draw us in and, potentially, drown us out.
Somehow, we need to draw a line against the social pressures all around us. As Jews, we must think carefully about what we adopt and enjoy in American culture and what may be a bridge too far.
With that caveat, go, enjoy the lights. You have rabbinic permission.
Take it from me, Ridgewood Avenue in Glen Ridge is beautiful. Most everywhere you go this month will be a festival of light and color and brightness in the dark. That in itself is a lovely thing.
As for Chanukah—which begins on the 25th, Christmas Day—let us remember to share our light, to bring our light and warmth to that dark as well.
Let us beautify our own homes with the radiance of our humble Chanukah candles.
Let us sing our songs of light and blessings with full, strong voices.
Let us celebrate with our children and grandchildren—and we won’t even put lit candles on their heads!
Let us invite friends and family for latkes and festive meals.
Let us sing Maoz Tzur, Rock of Ages, together with pride.
It has been thousands of years since the miracle of the Maccabees, and to this day, our simple and powerful light continues to burn.
May we hold it, nourish it, and cherish it, and may it never go out.
Not a holiday song, but a lovely one nonetheless…