Page 32 - Tzurba M'Rabanan Volume1

30 · Hilchot Avoda Zara I Tzurba M’Rabanan

Rav Ovadia Yosef disagrees with the ruling of the Shach regarding crosses, and cites the practice of a great
rabbi as proof.

p Responsa Yechaveh Daat 3:65 הס:ג | תעד הוחי ת”וש . 18
Question: With regard to an honored person who received a בהז תיילדמ תוכלמהמ לביקש דבכנ םדא :הלאש
golden medallion from the king in the shape of a cross as a sign דונעל ול רתומ םאה ,דובכ תואל ,בלצ תרוצב
of honor, would it be permitted for him to don it or keep it in ?הנממ תונהילו ותיבב התוהשהל וא ,התוא
his house and benefit from it?
רמול שי ך”שה תעדל םג םלוא… :הבושת
Answer: …Even according to the Shach one can say that in עודיו יולג רבדהש ,בלצ תרוצב בהז תיילדמבש
the case of a golden medallion in the shape of a cross, where it ךרד ןיאו ,אמלעב דובכ תואל קרו ךא תישענש
is well known to all that it was made as a medal of honor and
is not used to bow to it, it is certainly permissible… This is the …תוטישפב ריתהל שי ,הל תווחתשהל ללכ
reason that it is permissible to use coins that have a cross on תועבטמב םישמתשמ ונאש רתיהה םעט והזו
them, as it is clear that they have never been worshipped, even רורב רבדהש יפל ,ברעו יתש םהילע שיש
though they are important items…” םידבוכמ םילכ םהש יפ לע ףאו ,םידבענ םניאש
And the following incident is well known in this regard, …כ”ע רתומ
that the great Rishon Letzion, Rabbi Yaakov Meir received ןואגהש ,הזב בר השעמ םסרופמו עודיו
a golden medallion in the shape of a cross and would don לביק ,ל”צז ריאמ בקעי יבר ןויצל ןושארה
it on his chest as a sign of honor whenever he would visit והזח לע הדנוע היהו ,בלצ תרוצב בהז תיילדמ
the highest ruler, and was even photographed with it. There ביצנה לצא רקבמ היהש תעב תראפתלו דובכל
is no doubt that he relied on all of these poskim. This is the ןיאו .תאזה היילדמה םע םלטצה ףאו ןוילעה
correct approach in halacha [theoretically] and practically. 7
ןכו .ל”נה םיקסופה ירבד לע ךמתסהש קפס
.השעמלו הכלהל רקיע

Based on this approach, common practice is to permit the use of objects that have a cross on them. Likewise,
Rav Moshe Feinstein permitted collecting stamps with a picture of a cross on them (Igrot Moshe, Y.D. 1:69).

7. It should be noted that this ruling of Rav Ovadia is also consistent with the common practice today, which is that crosses are rarely worshiped, with
the possible exception of cross icons found in Catholic churches. Nevertheless, there are some individuals who are more stringent upon themselves
with these matters. In fact, Rav Hershel Schachter (Nefesh HaRav p. 230) reports that Rav Chaim Soloveitchik would immediately move a knife
and fork that happened to be placed on the table in the shape of a cross. [Addition of the editors of the English edition]

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