I’m usually at a loss of what to say around Thanksgiving. Some people get offended that I tell them to, “Have a good Thanksgiving”. Others seem to be shocked that I don’t wish them a “good Thanksgiving”.

It has sort of become an either “too frum” or “not frum enough” issue. For the individual that tries to be ethically sensitive to others, it’s just plain confusing.

It’s much easier to say “Gut Shabbos Kodesh”, “Good Shabbos”, or “Shabbat Shalom” to people. There are those that I’ve said “Gut Shabbos” to and they simply reply, “Shabbat Shalom”. I make a mental note when this happens so that next week I will say, “Shabbat Shalom” to them.

I do this based on something I learned from R Moshe Weinberger on Shavuos in 2005 (or in 5768, if you were offended by me using 2005). He said that when R Shlomo Zalman Aurbach was asked to be the Me’sadar Kedushin or be asked to read a Ketubah for Sephardim he would use the Sephardic pronunciation for his Hebrew (evris or evrit, if you will).

Again, with Thanksgiving, you really don’t know which team people are on. I suppose I’ll stick to my guns and wish people I see a “good Thanksgiving”. If they don’t like it, I’m sure I’ll find out about it and make a mental note for next year.