QUESTION: We have been asked whether a Jewish soldier may recite the well-known prayer from the Gospel of St. Matthew (Chapter 6) known as“The Lord’s Prayer .”
ANSWER: Judged merely by its content, this famous prayer has nothing objectionable in it to a Jew, in fact, almost every one of its phrases has been traced to Jewish sources or at least parallels have been found for them in Jewish sources. Nor is the fact that the prayer is of non-Jewish origin sufficient reason to prohibit its use by a Jew. A medieval legend found in a Midrash describes Simon Peter , the first of the Popes , as the author of various piyyutim used on the Day of Atonement (see Jellinek, Bes Ha Midrash, V, 60 ff; also Kovetz Ma’asey Ha-gaonim”, pp. 107-8). The only question involved is whether it is a violation of the law,“Thou shalt not follow their statutes.” This law has already been described in a previous responsum and the various limitations of it mentioned. It is only necessary to mention the fact that the law is careful to indicate that not necessarily everything which is customary among Gentiles should be avoided by Jews , but only such that either have no meaning (Da’as Hevel U’shtus) or those which are specifically part of their worship. See the explanation of Rabbi Isaac in the famous Tosfos to Avoda Zara Ila. Joseph Colon (Maharik , Italy , fifteenth century) says clearly, speaking of Christian garments, if a Jewish garment does not express Judaism or modesty any more than the Gentiles wear, then there is no prohibition for the Jews to adopt garments customary among the Gentiles(Responsa Maharik#388). This is cited by Joseph Caro in his Kesev Mishnah to Maimonides Yad Hil. Akum XL. and
YIsserles to Yore Deah 178#1. If, however, the custom is generally 4 part of Gentile worship, then it is prohibited.