Religion and Nationalism Points of Conflict: Flags in Shul

Igerot Moshe OH 1:46

Regarding a synagogue in which flags were placed of the United States and the State of Israel and because of this there are some who don't want to daven there if there is anything to this desire. Rosh Hodesh Tamuz 5717 from his honor, my friend the Rabbi (and gaon and tzadik etc.) Ysoscher Berish Heilperen shlita who is known as the Admor of Raisha and Baitch.

And behold regarding a shul that is built appropriately with all due sanctity of a shul and it has already been used for prayer in its sanctity even if some truly forbidden activity were to take place there or disgraceful behavior, as is explicit in Magen Avraham regarding the event where they discovered that the shamash was having illicit trysts in the shul nonetheless the sanctity of the shul is not desecrated through this. And we have to say that even when the transgression occurs the shul is not declining from its holy status for if it did decline from its holiness afterwards the entire question was whether or not one could pray in the shul in its full holiness in the aftermath of the action. So it must be that the sanctity created in a shul does not decline even if people do not treat the shul in a holy way and even if they do forbidden and disgraceful things there.

Therefore, even if we were to say that putting up flags in a shul is a forbidden action the sanctity of the shul is not desecrated in this way and it is better to pray there than to make a minyan in a neutral location just as is true for any shul.

And at the heart of the matter it is not clear what prohibition is truly entailed in setting up flags, after all there is no prohibition against bringing secular items, even those that have no purpose, into a shul, even if the shul were built without conditions limiting its sanctity and even the more so with shuls built with conditions like our shuls.

And even if those who made the flag into the sign of the State of Israel were wicked people, nonetheless they did not intend it to be something holy such that we should say there is any concern whatsoever of Avodah Zarah, and it is known to everyone that they made the flag into a mere symbol like any other non sacred thing.

And so too the flag of the United States is also there not because those who brought it into the shul considered it to be something holy rather as a sign of the leadership of the shul that they like this country and the State of Israel and desire to show that in a place where it will be seen.

Therefore, even if it is not appropriate to bring flags into shul which is a holy place, and certainly flags should not be left in shul in a permenent fashion, even the more so not next to the Aron Kodesh, but it is not relevant to speak of a true prohibition that is implicated here, rather it is a worthless and silly thing to do. And if it is possible, in a peaceful way, to remove from the shul, this would be a good thing to do. But to create controversy in order to remove the flags is forbidden.

And if it were posible to remove the flag without controversy so that there would not be a memorial for the actions of the wicked, this would also be appropriate to do.

But, God forbid to create controversy over this. And therefore those who want to make a breakaway minyan in a different location over this and thing they are doing something great through this are not acting appropriately and its merely a matter of political division that comes from the power of Satan who, through our great sins, is dancing among us until God will have mercy and send us the true redeemer and pour over us a spirit from on high to walk in the ways of the Torah and truth without deviation to the right or left.

Your friend,

Moshe Feinstein.