Dear Rabbi Simon
My beloved aunt recently passed away. She loved to shop and buy herself beautiful clothes and accessories and the family gifted me a pair of her shoes! My understanding is that according to Jewish practice, I cannot wear them. What can I do with them? From my research, I see the custom/restriction (superstition?) can be interpreted in different ways, ie to do with contagious disease and potential of leather that came from a diseased animal.
What I do know is that my aunt would be delighted to know that something she was fond of and handpicked herself didn’t land in the bin or in a charity store and that I was deriving pleasure from it. Is this permissible?
Can you please advise.
Many thanks,
Sue
Dear Sue,
Thank you for your question, which has prompted me to explore a quirky corner of Jewish lore (or law?). The notion that one should not wear the shoes of the deceased is based on the influential (but sometimes enigmatic) writings of Rabbi Yehudah ha-Hassid (12th c Regensburg, Germany). This “prohibition” is not found in the Talmud or classic halakhic literature (such as Rambam, Tur or Shulkhan Arukh). There are several approaches to this restriction which effectively negate the concerns altogether.
Therefor, practically speaking (in accordance with the view of Rav Moshe Feinstein in Iggerot Moshe YD 3:133), the notion of not wearing your aunt’s shoes is not applicable at all in this instance.
I hope you take them to some lovely places 😊.
Best wishes,
Rabbi Rashi Simon