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| Rabbi Meir Yaakov Soloveichik |
"Religious modalities of other religions are off limits to
the Jewish people." "We should in no way participate with the annual ritual of
eating turkey and a big meal on that day, let alone say Hallel. Hallel is
reserved for Jewish holidays as mandated by the sages." "Poskim forbid
saying it even on Yom Ha’atzmaut, Israel’s Independence Day. And you ask if
anyone says it on Thanksgiving?!"
Well, yes, I do ask that question. That’s because there is an
Orthodox Congregation that has been saying it every Thanksgiving of its existence.
Back in 1654 a group of Jews set sail from Brazil to escape
the Portuguese inquisition… and ended up in New Amsterdam. At the beginning of the
18th century a Shul called Shearith Israel was formed by this group.
By the year 1768 they hired their first American born minister, Gershom Mendes
Seixas. (Not having Semicha he was not officially a rabbi.) So goes the story
of some early Jewish settlers of the New World – as related by Rabbi Dr. Meir
Yaakov Soloveichik, the newly installed rabbi of Shearith Israel. From his Wall Street Journal article (also available here in PDF):
In his (Sexias) sermon, delivered Nov. 26, 1789, he expressed his profound gratitude for a government that was "founded upon the strictest principles of equal liberty and justice." In a Thanksgiving Day service several years later, Seixas declared: "As Jews, we are even more than others called upon to return thanks to God for placing us in such a country—where we are free to act according to the dictates of conscience, and where no exception is taken from following the principles of our religion."
Throughout its history, the members of Shearith Israel have observed Thanksgiving by reciting in synagogue the same psalms of praise and gratitude sung by Jews all over the world on festive days like Hanukkah.
As Rabbi Soloveichik points out, this year we will of course
be joining the members of this Shul in saying Hallel on Thanksgiving. That’s because
it coincides with Chanukah. (If I hear the word Thanksgivukkah one more time, I’m
going to… well you know.) Rabbi Soloveichik points out both holidays celebrate
the freedom to practice one’s religion as they see fit. In the case of Chanukah
it is to give thanks to God for returning the freedom to practice our religion via
the heroic efforts of the Maccabbees. And in the case of Thanksgiving it is to
give thanks to God for the privilege of living in a country that gives us that same
freedom. And to express our gratitude to the founding fathers and their
spiritual heirs in government today for enshrining and guaranteeing that right
in the Constitution.
Such a strongly positive view is not shared by the
illustrious Gadol of the last generation Rav Moshe Feinstein. Although he
clearly permits eating turkey in a festive meal with family and friends, knowing
that it is not a religious ritual in any sense to eat turkey in a festive meal
with your family, he still considers the practice as imitating gentile customs
(Chukas HaGoy).
I wonder how he would view saying Hallel on Thanksgiving in
those years where it does not coincide with Chanukah? (The next time this
happens is 79,000 years from now.) My guess is that he would not approve as this attaches a religious ritual to a gentile holiday.
I will be celebrating Thanksgiving with my daughter and her
family this year at the home of my Mechutanim (her in-laws).
And like my fellow Jews in Shearith Israel, I too am very grateful to God and
to this country for the blessings bestowed upon me. How lucky I feel to be
living here.
I’m sure that Rabbi Meir Soloveichik will be doing the same.
It is indeed his family tradition to do so. His grandfather, my Rebbe, Rav
Ahron Soloveichik, ZTL ate turkey on Thanksgiving. As did his great uncle, the Rav who disagreed
with Rav Moshe. He held that eating turkey on Thanksgiving does not constitute
imitating gentile customs.
And like my fellow Jews in Shearith Israel I too will be
saying Hallel on Thanksgiving this year. Although I will not be continuing this Minhag
every year, I agree with Rabbi Soloveichik who ends his article
with the following:
(L)ighting candles this Thanksgiving/Hanukkah eve will be a moment for reflecting on the story of our community, on our people's miraculous deliverance from their ancient oppressors, and on the land that opened to us yet another miraculous chapter in our history. We will also ponder our obligation, as Jews experiencing unfettered freedom, to live our lives fully as Jews and as Americans, to remain loyal to our faith while devotedly serving our country.
All this we will do as we lift up our voices to sing, with our fellow Jews around the world, as, perhaps, did the voyagers on the Mayflower upon their own arrival in the New World: "O give thanks to the Lord for He is good, for His kindness endureth forever."
