Tuesday, August 18, 2026

Clothing that has a cross?

 Teshuvos V’hanhugos (2:411) Question: Can clothing which has a cross on them be worn? Answer: According to the letter of the law it would be permitted even though it is prohibited to make. Therefore if one already bought it, he does not have to abstain from wearing it since it was not made to worship. While there is a dispute between the Rema and the Shach and Gra whether to be machmir in a case that it is not worshipped, perhaps the Rema would agree in modern times when they are not so fanatic about their religion  and it is merely part of the style and not considered a religious symbol it is permitted especially if it doesn’t physically stand out. Nevertheless it is still disgusting and should at least initially be avoided and not bought. Rav Yakov Kaminetsky had the practice to be strict and not even write a cross or any notation that looked like a cross. Even though he did this as an act of piety I was told he once said he wasn’t sure that this was not required by halacha.My opinion is not to be strict in modern times for a decrative cross but if it is obvious because there are many it is disgusting and it should not be purchased. In Medrash Rabba it says that the wagons that Pharoh sent to Yakov had idolatry carved in them and therefore Yakov did not want to use them and wanted to use only the wagons that Yosef sent. Therefore today when the crosses under discussion are not created for idolatry but it is recognized as a symbol of Christianity which is idolatry even though there was no intent to make a religious object. It is still appropriate to avoid and not buy such clothing. I heard from a talmid chachom, that the Chofetz Chaim when he traveled by wagon he would bend over sleep and periodically in those days they would pass a cross at every intersection. Every time they passed a crucifix he would wake and lift his head and straighten up. After they passed it he would go back to sleep. You should also know that there are times that a cross is deliberately added to the design to attract  the purchase by religious Christians and that intent would make it a religious object and not just decoration, This varies from country to country and the nature of the cross. If the cross in your location is typically made purely for decoration it would be permitted

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