CCAR RESPONSA
Contemporary American Reform Responsa
143. Synagogue Plantings and Christian
Legends
QUESTION: Would Jewish tradition prohibit the planting of
certain trees and flowers as landscaping of a synagogue social hall? Is there any prohibition against using the dogwood tree because of Christian legend? (P. S. G., Pittsburgh, PA)
ANSWER: In order to provide a response within the proper framework, it is
necessary to answer two broader questions. We must ask about the entire matter of imitating Christian customs (huqat goyim) and also discuss the matter of any plantings in connection with the synagogue. We should note that Jewish tradition is very specific about customs of non-Jews which are prohibited and those which are permitted. Avodah Zarah (11a) makes it very clear that only customs which are directly connected to idolatrous worship are prohibited (Shulhan Arukh Yoreh Deah 178.1). For this reason, it would not be wrong for a Jew to wear garments akin to those of non-Jews, but he should not wear garments which are specifically used in church ritual. The same would be true of the use of non-Jewish music in Jewish services. As long as it is folk music, and not specifically associated with a Christian service, it would be appropriate as shown by Joel Sirkes (Bayit Hadash 127).
When we turn to planting around the synagogue, we are faced with the objection
of some Orthodox authorities based upon Deuteronomy 16.21, “You shall not plant thee an Asherah of any kind of tree beside the altar of the Lord thy God, which thou shalt make thee.” This law has been fully developed in later Jewish tradition by Maimonides (Yad Hil. Akum 6.9), who stated that no shade or fruit tree could be planted in the Temple Sanctuary near the altar and also in the courtyards of the Sanctuary, although there was some debate about the latter. However, all this applied only to the Temple in Jerusalem, and later tradition did not connect this with any prohibition against plantings which decorated the exterior of a synagogue; the ancient synagogues at Arsinoe and Palermo had gardens (I. Kraus, Synagogale Altertümer, p. 315). In fact, we find no objection until Moses Schick who, in 1870, prohibited such plantings by reasoning that the synagogue is analogous to the Temple (Responsa Orah Hayim 78, 79). Although this objection was widely discussed, it was not accepted by most authorities who cited Yomtov Lippman Heller’s comment to Mishnah (Midot 2.6) as well as other scholars who felt that his reasoning was faulty. Nothing would have prohibited planting of trees, even in the court of Israel in the Temple of Jerusalem. Some historic Haggadah illustrations, which depict the temple, show it surrounded by plantings of shrubbery.
The great modern authority, Shalom Mordecai Schwadron
(Responsa, Vol. 1, #127; Vol. VL #17), specifically stated the objection to trees in the Temple of Jerusalem did not apply to synagogues, and only cautioned individuals who decorated their synagogues in this way to make sure that the planting would be somewhat different from that of neighboring churches. He quoted Joseph ben Moses Trani, a sixteenth century scholar (Responsa Yoreh Deah #4), who stated that gardens and plantings around synagogues were widespread during his lifetime.
We see that there are no specific prohibitions
against planting of any kind of tree, shrub or flowers around the synagogue; only those items which are essential to Christian worship are prohibited.
Now let us turn to the specific
matter of the dogwood. There are innumerable legends about a wide variety of flowers, bushes and plants which are connected in some way with Christianity. Medieval Christian art developed a highly sophisticated system of symbolism. There is hardly a common flower or tree which has not been connected with Jesus, Mary or a saint. Sometimes this symbolism has become wide- spread, while on other occasions its use was highly localized. When we turn to the dogwood and legends connected with it, we must distinguish among various species. Two types of dogwood were known in medieval Europe, the Cornus sanguinea, a small tree cultivated for its tiny fruit which was bitter. Oil from it was used for lamps. This tree was probably introduced from Siberia. There were references to it in Turner’s Herbal (1551). In addition, there was the Cornelian cherry (Cornus mas). This was an ancient, hardy tree with an interesting bark, small flowers, tasty berries and exceptionally hard wood. It was widely planted in medieval and older times. Ancient legend claimed it provided wood for the Trojan Horse; another stated that Romulus set the borders of Rome by throwing a spear made of this tree, which later sprouted into a fine specimen. Neither one of these dogwoods is known for its blooms, nor has any medieval Christian legend been connected with them; in fact, the Cornus mas was called “Jew Cherry” in some areas (I. Löw, Die Flora der Jüden, I, p. 464).
One legend about the dogwood is connected with the spectacular native
American variety (Cornus florida) with its grand bracts which protect small flowers; it was first described by Mark Catesby (Natural History of Carolina, 1731). These trees, as well as the Cornus stolonifera, the Western American Cornus nuttalli, the Siberian Cornus alva and the Japanese Cornus kousa, have rather spectacular petals. They bloom in the Middle Atlantic States around Easter; the West Coast Cornus nuttalli, with six flower petals, occasionally reaches a height of fifty feet.
Many Indian legends
about the dogwood exist, as this spectacular tree seemed to appeal to the imagination. The Christian legend about the dogwood presents an interesting sidelight on the development of Christianity in the United States. In the eighteenth century, after the Shawnees had been converted to Christianity by the Jesuits, they continued to hold some beliefs in the nature deities. A Shawnee legend showed this mixture clearly; when Jesus was to be crucified, the gods told the trees not to participate, but the dogwood permitted itself to be used. It did not split or rot in protest. The deities, therefore, condemned the dogwood, which was then as tall as an oak, to become a small tree. Its floral petals would form a cross; its notches would bleed, and so it would forever bear witness to the Crucifixion. Later Shawnee warriors used the syrup of the dogwood to heal wounds. They thought it was effective because of the connection with Jesus (Vernon Quinn, Shrubs in the Garden and Their Legends, 1940, pp. 79 ff). Christian ministers eventually emended the legend slightly so that it no longer reflected pagan influence and added the element that Jesus blessed the dogwood to exonerate it and give it magnificent blooms which would open at Easter in his memory. This American legend remained local and is only rarely repeated nowadays. No medieval art or tales are connected with this story. We can see, therefore, that there is no firm or widespread basis connecting the dogwood with Christianity in the vast system of medieval Christian symbolism.
As such legends are not an
essential part of Christianity and are not wide-spread, there would be no objection to planting a dogwood as part of landscaping a synagogue or its social hall. In fact, as so many plants have some loose ties to Christianity through artistic symbolism, we would have to say that if we object to one, we would have to object to all. That would clearly be wrong and contradicts the broad traditional interpretation of huqat goyim. Only those matters which are an essential part of the Christian service are objectionable for synagogue use.
October 1977
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