Is It a Halachic Issue to Celebrate Thanksgiving?

Question: I’ve been celebrating Thanksgiving with my family for many years. Recently, someone mentioned to me that there may be halachic concerns with observing Thanksgiving, and that some poskim have reservations about it. I’ve only heard bits and pieces and nothing clear. Can you please clarify what the area of concern may be?

Answer by Rabbi Mendel Prescott, Rosh Yeshiva of Machon Smicha:

As Torah Jews, we are fortunate to live in a country that upholds values that are significant to us. Three times a day, we express our gratitude to Hashem for the endless kindness He bestows upon us. In a similar spirit, the people of America celebrate Thanksgiving annually in November, a tradition we deeply appreciate. See for example the Farbrengen of 19th of Kislev 1986[1] where the Rebbe addresses the meaning  of Thanksgiving and its significance.

The origins of which trace back to the early settlers of America, the Pilgrims. Who after having endured a difficult year in the New World marked their survival with a communal meal expressing gratitude for the harvest of 1621. It is important to note that it was not instituted by any religious authority; rather, it was a local custom of a small, isolated colony. Over the next centuries, these regional gatherings gradually took on a broader cultural identity, eventually prompting President Lincoln who in 1863 decided to designate it as a National Day of Thanks during the Civil War. Later, in 1939, President Roosevelt shifted the date to stimulate the economy after the Great Depression by extending the shopping season

To provide some context—not to draw conclusions or offer guidance—here are the perspectives of recent poskim regarding Thanksgiving.

Firstly, Rav Yosef Dov Soloveitchik, followed his father Rav Moshe’s opinion,  saw no halachic concern with celebrating Thanksgiving.[2]

However others contended, arguing that although the core idea of Thanksgiving aligns with Torah principles, the holiday is tied to another religion. The reason for this is because initially, the Pilgrims introduced Thanksgiving as a day of gratitude and prayer to the Christian deity, which is considered avodah zarah.[3] For this reason, some poskim viewed the celebrating of Thanksgiving as avizraya (association) of avodah zarah.

In a letter, Rav Hutner addresses this concern and strongly disapproves of establishing an annual festival of gentile origin.[4] He is particularly troubled by using the non-Jewish calendar for this purpose, as he sees the non-Jewish calendar as a having a connection to avodah zarah.

However, the general sentiment among poskim is that avodah zarah is not a concern in this case. Thanksgiving was not established by the church but began as a folk celebration. It eventually evolved into a civil holiday focused on unity, family, and shopping customs.

Some poskim consider another issur: “bechukoseihem lo seileichu,” which prohibits following the practices of Gentiles, even those that do not involve avodah zarah.

However, not every practice performed by non-Jews is classified as chukoseihem. The Rama,[5] based on a teshuva from the Maharik,[6] outlines three conditions—any one of which is sufficient – for a practice to fall under chukoseihem:

1. A practice of pritzus, indecent in nature. 
2. A baseless practice without reason.
3. A practice with origins in avodah zarah, even if the connection is remote.

Those Poskim who permit celebrating Thanksgiving argue that none of these conditions apply to modern-day celebrations: it is not immoral; its origins are reasonable; and it was not instituted by a religious body.

However, the Gra holds a more stringent view than the Rama, explaining that chukoseihem applies to any practice adopted from a non-Jewish source—if it is something we would not do were it not for that non-Jewish practice. Theoretically, the Gra’s position poses a challenge to the permissibility of celebrating Thanksgiving, but in practice, poskim do not seem to adopt the Gra’s position l’halacha. (Even among the more stringent authorities don’t factor in the Gra’s shittah.[7])

According to a teshuva by Rav Yehuda Henken[8] (grandson of Rav Yosef Eliyahu Henkin) we can suggest that Thanksgiving celebrations do not fall under chukoseihem even according to the Gra. He discusses participating in a national moment of silence to commemorate fallen soldiers and questions whether it could be classified as chukoseihem. He points out that even according to the Gra, a moment of silence is permitted because it was instituted as a universal observance, not as a non-Jewish practice. This reasoning could also apply to Thanksgiving, as it developed mainly from secular sources and was established as a holiday for all Americans, regardless of their beliefs.

Nevertheless, many argue that Thanksgiving celebrations do correspond to some of the Rama’s three categories. Rav Menashe Klein expresses caution about permitting it because of the third condition—its ties to avodah zarah—placing it under chukoseihem. Although the holiday was not established by the church, its original focus was prayer to a foreign deity. Therefore, he strongly advises against celebrating it.

An interesting discussion arises regarding the application of the second condition to Thanksgiving. On one hand, the observance is certainly not baseless; it has an understandable historical basis. On the other hand, the traditional, almost ritualistic way of serving the dinner (turkey and pumpkin pie etc.) resembles non-Jewish superstitious practices.

Rav Moshe Feinstein seems to be unsure about this point. Following several teshuvos in Igros Moshe we see a progression in his view. In a teshuva[9] dated 1963, he takes a strict stance and doesn’t even entertain the prospect of permitting Thanksgiving celebrations. He goes as far as to advise against making any sort of celebration, like a bar mitzva, on that day.

Years later, in 1981,[10] he begins to analyze the question more of celebrating Thanksgiving, where he considers it chukoseihem because of the second condition. But still, he is not completely sure whether that condition applies. In a teshuva[11] written a month afterward, Rav Moshe takes a more lenient stance, considering Thanksgiving celebrations not to be chukoseihem. However, he cautions against making it an annual celebration, which would be akin to adding a mitzvah, touching on the issur of of bal tosif.

In a subsequent teshuva[12] written a month later, he revisits his previous two teshuvos and elaborates on the topic, analyzing whether the symbolic practices of thanksgiving are baseless or not. Was the turkey eaten by the Pilgrims—at a time when the land already offered abundant food—truly significant enough to inspire centuries of celebration? Or perhaps the whole matter is overstated and borders on chukoseihem?

In contrast, one could reasonably infer that, according to Rav Moshe, celebrating July 4th is acceptable. The celebrations do not include anything mysterious but involve normal patriotic activities.

Sources:

[1] https://www.chabad.org/multimedia/video_cdo/aid/6682682/jewish/The-Rebbe-on-Thanksgiving.htm

[2] נפש הרב (עמ’ רלט)

[3] רמב”ם הל’ עבודה זרה (פרק ט הלכה ד)

[4] פחד יצחק אגרות וכתבים (סימן קט)

[5] יורה דעה סימן קעח (סעיף א)

[6] סימן פח

[7] כגון בתשובות של האגרות משה המובאים להלן, לא מצינו שדן בשיטת הגר”א

[8] בשו”ת בני בנים חלק ב (סימן ל)

[9] אבן העזר חלק ב (סימן יג)

[10] אורח חיים חלק ה (סימן כ, אות ו)

[11] יורה דעה חלק ד (סימן יא, אות ד)

[12] שם (סימן יג)

The Q&A is an excerpt from the Olam Hahalachah weekly publication, produced by Machon Smicha. Download this week’s Olam Hahalachah.

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