Page 98 - Tzurba M'Rabanan Volume1

96 · Hilchot Chukot Hagoyim Tzurba M’Rabanan

Torah, we didn’t learn it from them. For if you don’t say this, אמית אל יאד ,ןנירמג אק והיינימ אל אתיירואב
[how does one explain] that which is taught in the beraita: אהו ’וכו םיכלמה לע ןיפרוש :אינתד אה ,יכה
“We burn objects for the kings [in their honor], etc.… but ביתכד ןויכ אלא ?וכלת אל םהיתוקוחבו :ביתכ
isn’t it written: Do not follow their statutes? Rather, since נ"הו ,ןנירמג אק והינימ ואל …אתיירואב הפירש
burning objects is written in the Torah… we are not learning אק והיינימ ואל אתיירואב ףייס ביתכד ןויכ
from them. Similarly, since the sword is written in the Torah התימ איה ץיפוקד ,םעט וב שי ףייס אהו .ןנירמג
we are not learning from them.” Now surely there is a reason
for using a sword, since [using] an axe is a denigrating םדובכל ףורשל ,םעט הב שי הפירש ןכו ,תלוונמ
death, and similarly there is a reason for burning objects, יכה וליפאו רחא םהב שמתשי אלש ,םיכלמ לש
as an honor for the kings, so that others shouldn’t use [his ?אתיירואב ביתכד םושמ ואל יא רוסא
objects]. Nevertheless, it would be prohibited if not for
being written in the Torah!

8
Due to this question, the Gra rules that it is prohibited to imitate the practices of gentiles even if there is
logic to their actions and there is no licentiousness involved. He only permits actions that we would have
considered doing ourselves.

a Biur HaGra on Shulchan Aruch, | ע״וש לע א"רגה רואיב . 16
Yoreh Deah 178:7 ז:חעק ד״וי
…Rather certainly everything is prohibited, and even merely םהמ דומלל אקוד קר רוסא לכה יאדוד אלא…
learning from them is prohibited, as the Gemara states that ,ןנירמג והיינימ אל ביתכד ןויכ ש"שמכו רוסא
since it is written [in the Torah], we did not learn it from רבד לכ אלא אתיירואב ביתכד םושמ אקוד ואלו
them… And it is not specifically because it is written in the …רתומ םתלוז ןישוע ונייהש
Torah [that it is permitted], rather anything that we would
have done on our own without them is permitted…
In summary, poskim dispute whether the prohibition exists if there is a logical reason for the actions of the gentiles:
• According to the Ran, Maharik and Rema, there is no prohibition.
• According to the Vilna Gaon, there is still a prohibition unless we would have practiced this custom on
our own.
The Yalkut Yosef notes that the majority of poskim (both Ashkenazi and Sefardi) accept the opinion of the Rema.

p Yalkut Yosef, Kitzur Shulchan Aruch, ,ע"שוצק | ףסוי טוקלי . 17
Yoreh Deah 178:7 ז:חעק ד״וי
The conclusion of the poskim, both Rishonim and ןיאש םינורחאהו םינושארה םיקסופה תמכסה
Acharonim, is that there is no prohibition of “do not אלא גהונ "וכלת אל םהיתוקוחבו" רוסיא
follow their statutes” unless one does something unusual אלא ,ללכ םעט וב ןיאש הנושמ רבד השועשכ
that has no reason at all, other than the fact that the "קח" ןושל תועמשמ ןכש ,ןכ םישוע ם"וכעהש
gentiles do so. For this is the meaning of the word

8. For a discussion as to how the Maharik and Rema would respond to the question of the Gra, see Kehillot Ya’akov, Avoda Zara Siman 5 and Yabia
Omer 3, Y.D. 24. We should note as well that the Gra’s approach does not appear to fit smoothly with the Gemara in Avoda Zara, which seems to
fit better with the opinion of the Maharik and Rema.

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