Is Harry Potter patur (permitted) for Jewish readers?

Thankfully, Hirhurim continues to look into claims that Harry Potter may be forbidden under Jewish law. Just in time for a Jewish analysis of Harry Potter and a talk by HP’s Hebrew translator (tell her we're grateful!) at a forthcoming conference.

Other Jewish bloggers on whether Harry Potter is prohibited or permitted:

• Orthomom talks about the ban in yeshivot (Orthodox study halls)
• RebelJew also discusses Orthodox bans on reading Harry Potter.
• Bloghead criticizes the Pope’s position against Harry
• More Hirhurim w/comments.

Centrist and modern Orthodox Jews do read Harry Potter. E.g., Rabbi Abramowitz at the OU website. They’re also reading HP at Aish.

NEW: "Check out the letter by Rav Moshe Rosenberg, a 6th and 7th grade rebbe, on pages 5-6 of Jewish Action" -- says Uri.

NEW 7/28: Technical halakhah discussion at Avodah e.g. here and here.

NEW: Discussion at Jew*School about banning HP.

My posts about HP in general (so far):

• What’s a nice Jewish boy doing in a place like Hogwarts? (Hilchot Harry Potter)
• Harry Potter & Jewish law: healing spells
• Harry Potter & Jewish law: Quidditch as an occupational hazard

Kol tuv,

Kaspit  כספית

P.S. Thanks to On the Main Line comment at Bloghead for the photo of Corporal Harry Potter's grave in Hebron.

P.S.S. Literally, patur means exempt (vs. khayyav).  So, the headline literally asks whether Jewish readers are exempt from any obligations, such as an atonement offering (khatat). Pls pardon my poetic license for not writing mutar (permitted).

Comments

[Greg]

Check out http://hpprogs.blogspot.com, the author is an Orthodox Jew.