Me and my wife are converting to Judaism and have a question about Halloween?

JoshCube (YA Admin): Me and my wife are converting to Judaism and have a question about Halloween?
Me and my wife are in the process of converting to Judaism and was wondering if there is a law that states that a Jew cannot celebrate a pagan holiday/feast. If so, could you please state where it is?

Answers and Views:

Answer by DON W
The Orthodox/Traditional Jews discourage any observance of Halloween. The mainstream Conservative and Reform Jews have mixed views about Halloween, but most permit their children to wear costumes and go trick-or-treating, if they wish to, recognizing that Halloween has become a secular tradition in the United States.

While I can’t specifically vouch for this website, the content appears to reflect the Orthodox view:
https://www.beingjewish.com/faqs/halloween.html

Answer by EddieJ
Orthodox Jews would probably stay away from it, not because it’s prohibited (it’s not *really* a Christian or pagan holiday), but simply because there is no reason to celebrate it.

What is the definition of “celebrate”. If sending children to get candy from random houses is the main celebration, then there would be a problem with that because the candy probably wouldn’t be kosher.

However, if having kosher candy to give away if *other* kids come to your house is the celebration, then that can probably be done.

Answer by Semjaza
Orthodox Jews are opposed to Halloween, because it celebrates values that they don’t believe coincide with the values of their faith. Orthodox Jewish children get to dress up for Purim.

Answer by חכם גבריאל
NO. Because it is all about how spirits taking over, and that is 100% idolatry; so nope.

For clarification on what ALLONYOAV said, I would recommend you look on Mesekhet Avodah Zarah… And BTW- the place where he got this is from, is the Gemara AZ on 2B, so you can listen to him (and he’s kinda a Rav).

Answer by sha_lyn68
Halloween is a Christian Holiday. Halloween is short for All Hallows Day. All Hallows Day is another name for All Saints Day.

Answer by allonyoav
Orthodox Jews do NOT celebrate Halloween. Why not? Since it started off as a Pagan festival, it is forbidden for Jews to be involved. In fact, the Talmud in masechta Avodah Zarah states that it is forbidden for a Jew to help a Pagan celebrate one of their festivals or to give the appearance of participating even if they are not.

This ban is even stricter in relation to idol worshipers where for three days before and after one of their festivals it was forbidden to buy or sell to them lest you enable them to serve their idols better or they thank their idol for their good fortune.

In most parts of the world, Halloween has become a cute commercial festival- however, with the growing number of Pagan religions and offshoots, it is becoming a Pagan festival again. as such, it is forbidden to Jews and should not be celebrated or participated in.

Answer by Maci
There is a brief listing of the 613 mitzvot here:

https://www.jewfaq.org/613.htm

Have a look at the section on idolatry.

In any event, don’t we have enough holidays of our own? We just finished up a whole month of them after all 🙂

It would seem to me that there are three Christian holidays above all others on which all religious Jews would agree are an absolute no for them and their families: Easter, Christmas, and Halloween.

Answer by Lesbin Laden
I think of as Halloween a combination of pagan and Catholic Christians getting the spookies and crazies out before formal church All Saint’s day Nov. 1 (a mandatory church attendance day)…. Then, there is All Soul’s day is Nov. 2: (sounds like true Halloween spookiness, although much more grave and serious.): pray for those in purgatory,.. Why else do we have the common phrase “Rest in PEACE” written on tombstones everywhere?

from Wiki “n the Roman Catholic Church Halloween is viewed as having a Christian connection,[53] and Halloween celebrations are common in Catholic parochial schools throughout North America and in Ireland.Other Christians feel concerned about Halloween, and reject the holiday because they feel it trivializes – or celebrates – paganism, the occult, or other practices and cultural phenomena deemed incompatible with their beliefs.”

Answer by Llanolyn
I don’t see why there would be a problem, since Halloween is a purely secular holiday. I can see why you couldn’t celebrate Samhain, but that is a completely separate thing.