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ןנברמ אברוצ םיוגה תוקוח תוכלה · 99

What is the halacha regarding modern day theaters and sports stadiums? Rav Moshe Feinstein rules that
there is no problem of going to sports stadiums and the like, at least in terms of the prohibition of chukot
hagoyim. However, he rules that it is inappropriate for other reasons such as being in a place of frivolity and
abandoning Torah study.

p Responsa Igrot Moshe, | השמ תורגא ת"וש . 23
Yoreh Deah 4:11:1 א:אי:ד ד״וי
Regarding whether it is prohibited based on “do not follow תכלל ,וכלת אל םהיתוקוחב דצמ רוסא םא
their statutes” to go to a theater or sports stadium in our times: :ונימיב טרופס ןוידטציאו ןורטאיתל
Regarding a theater where they engage in acts of frivolity, יניינע םש ןישועש ןורטאית וארקנש ולאב
as well as stadiums where they have sports games; the תומוקמה םהש ,ןוידטציא ןכו ,קוחש
prohibition of “do not walk in their statutes” doesn’t apply. ןיינע והב יכייש אל ,טראפס ןיקחשמש
For it is only specifically where it is a law of the gentiles to
do something… But where there is a reason for what they ,)ג"י ח"י םישודק ארקיו( וכלת אל םהיתוקוחבו
do, such as the stadiums… which are [used] for frivolous תושעל ם"וכעהל קוח אוהשכ אקווד אוהד
behavior, there is no [concern] for idolatry, even though המל םעט אכיאשכ לבא …אמלעב רבד הזיא
it is prohibited due to frivolity, and anyone who enters ,תונצילל אוהש …ןינידטציאד אהכ ,ןישועש
such a place transgresses the prohibition of [being in] “a place דצמ רוסא רבד אוהש ףא ,ז"ע םושמ הזב אכיל
of frivolity” and bitul Torah (not studying Torah). It is not רוסיאב רבוע םש ךלוהה לכו ,תונציל רוסיא
just regarding the time, but due to the fact that he becomes ןמז לע קר אל – הרות לוטיבבו םיצל בשומ
completely detached from the Torah, as is clear from there. הרותמ ירמגל לטב תויהל ול םרוגש אלא – הז
[But regarding the issue of idolatry] certainly regarding תעכ אצמנה ןורטאיתב ש"כו .םש שרופמכ
these theaters in our country [the United States], as well ,טראפס יקחשמ לש ןוידטציאה ןכו ,ונתנידמב
as the sports stadiums, and also in other countries [it is ישניא םתס הז ןישועד ,תורחא תונידמב ףאו
permitted], for it is populated by ordinary gentiles and .ז"ע ינינעל ללכ יכייש אלש ריעבש םירכנהמ
there is no connection to idol worship whatsoever. And איהש ,םירצונה תנומאד םירמוכהש ינמודמכו
it seems to me that the Christian priests who are part of the
religion comprising the majority of gentiles in the world today ינינע והל אחינ אל ימנ ,ע"הוא בור תנומא התע
are also unhappy about going to the theater and stadiums. ישנאל הזב אחינ אל םגו .ןוידטציאו ןארטאית
Similarly, those who worship Islam, which is the religion in תונידמ תנומא אוהש םידמחומה תנומא
Turkey and the Arab countries, are not happy about going there. תונידמה בור כ"אש .ברע תונידמ לכו ייקרעט
Therefore, in most of the countries that contain these theaters אל תואידטציאו תואירטאית םיאצמנ ןהבש
and stadiums, they have nothing to do with their religion, and ואלהל יכייש אל יאדווש ,םתנומאל ללכ יכייש
it is clearly unrelated to the prohibition of “do follow their רוסיאמ םה אלא ,וכלת אל םהיתוקוחבוד
statutes.” Rather, it is forbidden due to frivolity and bitul שי לודג רוסיא דוע םגו .הרות לוטיבו תונציל
Torah (not studying Torah). Furthermore, it is a grave sin ירבד םה ןבורד הישפנב תוירע לש ר"הצי ירגמד
as it tempts the evil inclination for women forbidden to .תוירעל התסהו הפ לובינ
him [arayot], and by large there is inappropriate language
and temptations to arayot.” 9

9. It is possible that Rav Moshe would allow attending events where one is relatively certain that there is no concern of arayot or inappropriate
language, as well as no concern of bitul Torah (e.g., during a time where one would not have been studying anyway). [Addition of the editors of the
English edition]

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