Askmoses-A Jews Resource
What are the blessings for lighting the Chanukah Menorah?
Browse our archives

The Scholar is ready to answer your question. Click the button below to chat now.

Scholar Online:

Type in your question here:

Click the button below to either CHAT LIVE with an AskMoses Scholar now - or - leave a message if no Scholar is currently online.

CHAT or LEAVE A MESSAGE

Should I allow my child to carve a jack-o-lantern for Halloween?

by Rabbi Moshe Miller

  

Library » Miscellaneous » Astrology and Magic | Subscribe | What is RSS?

PRINT EMAIL COMMENT

Halloween is originally an ancient pagan festival instituted in order to “appease” the spirits of the dead. It was later adopted by Christians and given a Christian interpretation. Today it is also associated with the occult and with spirit worship.
 
In any event, it is definitely not of benefit to a Jewish child—on the contrary. Furthermore, the very carving itself – trying to make the mask as grotesque and evil-looking as possible – is counter-educational in my opinion.

ADD A COMMENT

Please email me when new comments are posted (you must be  logged in).

COMMENTS

Halloween

Posted by: Christy, Jacksonville, FL on Jan 22, 2006

Halloween is not a christian holiday. I am a christian and I do not participate in any Halloween activities. My family and church also have alternative activities for our children during that time of year.

hallowe'en = samhain which was the celtic new year

Posted by: Anonymous, Ottawa, Canada on Jan 07, 2007

The Catholics adopted & changed the old 3 day Celtic festival celebrating the Celtic new year. The Celtic word was Samhaim, pronounced Sow-un. When the Catholics evangelized Ireland, Scotland& other celtic areas they could not stamp Samhain out & so appropriated it.

Hallow'en is a contraction of All Hallows Eve, the day before All Hallows, or All Saints Day, followed by All Souls Day. Catholic & Anglicans (not Protestants), pray for the souls of the dead on the 3 days.

The Celts believed the 'veil' separating the earthly world and the world of the spirits and the dead was thin @ Samhain so spirits of all kinds might 'cross over' to the land of the living. Hollowed out turnips with faces carved in them had a candle placed inside to scare the bad spirits away. They also comemmorated the dead.

RELATED CATEGORIES

Jewish Identity » Non-Jews » Other Religions - Missionaries