Re: Celebrating American holidays

David Rockove (drockove@juno.com)
Wed, 16 Jul 1997 10:55:20 -0400

Daniel Eidensohn wrote:
<<The position of Reb Moshe is presented in the Igros Moshe Y.D. IV #12 and
Orech Chaim V #20.6 and Y.D. IV #11.4 as well as Even HaEzer II #13. His
position is a bit more complex than comes across from the above reply of
Dovid Rockove.>>

I must apologize for the misunderstanding I brought to this issue. My
response was based on a personal oral response from Reb Moshe on the issue
of celebrating Thanksgiving. What Reb Moshe writes Even HaEzer II #13 is
while it is not forbidden to have a wedding or bar mitzvah on thanksgiving
or new years, a "Baal Nefesh" should refrain. I am not quite sure of a
proper definition of a 'baal nefesh' to give to this group, but I believe
someone who went to a yeshiva, as I was in, would fall in that category.
If anyone can please give a good definition of a baal nefesh so we can
better understand this, I would greatly appreciate it.

Dovid Rockove