Is It Permissible To Hang Photographs of Rabbis In The Sukkah, and Is It Permissible To Hang Decorations That Were Designated For Non-Jewish Holidays

Is it permissible to hang in one’s Sukkah photographs of great Rabbis? The Ben Ish Chai, in Parasha Ma’asei, cites a Kabbalistic tradition forbidding hanging pictures of people in one’s home. Many people, however, do not follow this practice, and permit hanging photographs. Chacham Ovadia Yosef rules that those who are lenient in this regard, and are accustomed to hanging pictures of Rabbis in their homes, may hang such photographs in their Sukkah. There is a Halachic principle of "Teishvu Ke’ein Taduru," that one’s residence in his Sukkah should resemble his manner of residence in his home. Hence, somebody who hangs photographs of Rabbis in his home may do so in his Succah, as well. Is it permissible to hang in one’s Succah decorations sold primarily for use on Non-Jewish holidays? Chacham Ovadia rules that the use of these decorations in one’s Succah is permissible, for two reasons. Firstly, the decorations may have initially been designated for use on the gentile holiday, but in fact were not yet used in this capacity. Halacha says that "Hazmana Lav Milta" – the mere designation of an item for a given purpose does not lend it a formal Halachic status. Thus, these decorations, which have yet to be used for a non-Jewish holiday, are permissible for use in the Sukkah. Secondly, the decorations were manufactured for whoever would purchase them. Although they are generally purchased for use as part of a gentile holiday celebration, the manufacturer does not produce them exclusively for this purpose. The company is happy to sell the product to anybody interested in purchasing it, and thus these decorations are not forbidden for use at all.

 By Rabbi Eli Mansour