TRR 87-89

JEWS ACTING IN CHRISTMAS PLAYS

QUESTION:

May Jewish children or, for that matter, Jewish adults, participate as actors or singers in Christmas plays or operettas? (Asked by Rabbi Martin S. Weiner, San Francisco, California.)

ANSWER:

An analogous question as to whether Jewish children may participate in Christmas worship service (as in the case of a Jewish child attending an Episcopal school) was already discussed (Reform Responsa, pp. 112 and 115). What was basically involved in that discussion has potential relevance in the present question. It is clear from the references given there (from Rabennu Tam and Joel Sirkes and others) that Christians are not considered idolaters in Jewish law, even though they add divine personalities to God (i.e., Holy Ghost and Trinity, in general). In spite of these spiritual additions, their intent is the worship of God Almighty; and since Christians have the status in Jewish law of “Sons of Noah,” they, as such, are not forbidden to amplify their concept of God by additional aspects of divinity. Therefore, Christians are not considered idolaters. However, Jews are forbidden the addition of these divine aspects (shituf) and, therefore, for a Jew to participate in a worship that addresses the Holy Ghost or the Trinity, would be sinful for him. Therefore, a Jewish child or a Jewish adult may not participate in Trinitarian Christian worship. However, the question of worship is not the same as the question of taking part in a drama or an operetta, although the two questions have some bearing upon each other. What possible objections, then, can there be to a Jewish child or adult singing in a Christmas operetta or participating in other Christian dramas?

After all, this is not worship but a play, a species of art. Suppose it were one of the ancient Greek mythological plays involving the gods Zeus, Aphrodite, Neptune, etc. Even though these are certainly to be considered idola and the play idolatrous, it is still only a play and cannot be particularly objectionable. How much less, then, can there be objection to a Christian play when, from the point of view of Judaism, Christianity as a religion is not at all idolatrous but in its own way a worshiping of the true God?

However, there can be objection to Jewish participation in a Christian play, not for theological reasons, but for historical reasons. Suppose it were not a Christmas play but an Easter play, with a story of the crucifixion and the gospel narrative of the part that Jews played in the crucifixion? This whole crucifixion narrative, as well as plays based upon it have caused endless suffering to our people through the ages. No self-respecting Jew should take part in an Easter Christian play. The Christmas plays have no mood of hatred, just the story of the nativity.

But the Christmas play, too, involves certain objections as to Jewish participation. The objections are not especially to its content, which is relatively harmless, but to its potential influence. The very charming lovableness of the story of a wondrous babe may exert a harmful influence on Jewish children. If, for example, it is an audience of Jewish children who, unfortunately, have not had a good Jewish education, such children may be charmed and influenced to such an extent that their Jewish loyalties, already weak, may be further weakened, In that case the Jewish actor would be committing the sin of lifnei iver, ” putting a stumbling-block before the blind.” It would therefore be less objectionable if the play is given before an audience that is mostly Christian or adult.

Another consideration is involved, namely the influence of the play upon the actor. If it is a child-actor, the influence of participating in it would depend upon the strength of the child’s Jewish background. If it is an adult professional Jewish actor, then his participation involves his livelihood and therefore there would be less objection to his participation. His situation would be similar to that of a Jewish retailer whose year’s income may largely depend on how successful he is, through his advertising, to create “the Christmas spirit” in his potential customers.

To sum up, then, of all the Christian themes, the Christmas story is perhaps the least objectionable. If the audience is largely Christian, or adult, and if the actor is a professional, there could be almost no objection to his participation. Nevertheless, if without creating ill will, the Jewish actor can avoid participating in this particular play, it would be better if he did so.