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Corn stalks used for Halloween for Schach

Question:

A gardening nursery near my home is selling corn stalks for a non Jewish holiday called Halloween as a decoration. I do not know if it’s cut specifically for Halloween or not? Can it be purchased for scach l’chatchila? Please answer me ASAP.

Thank you

Answer:

They are permitted to buy and use for your schach. The poskim discuss using candles that were produced special for x-mas, and they say that since the candles were not actually used for the service of avoda zara they are permitted to use. In this situation the corn stalks, are not growing it in order to use for the actual worship of avoda zara. Even if they did, it was not used for an avoda zara, (already used in a church). Therefore it is permitted to buy and use, and even for a dvar mitzva.

If you feel uncomfortable using such schach, that is a personal thing, and in a way understandable.

Have a good Yom Tov

Sources:

M:B 154-40, Shevet Halevi 2-57, Ohr Lagoim 2-9. Also see Chelkas Yackov Y:D 53,

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