Q. Can you place (during the Nine Days) an outside planter and plant it with artificial flowers? (Is that permitted the whole year, or is it gneivas daas?)
A. Horav Shlomo Miller's Shlit”a opinion is that it should be avoided since it is a decorative activity that brings out joy and delight There is no need for engaging in it during the Nine Days and it is similar to the proscribed “Avurnekei tree of Kings” mentioned in Shulchan Aruch (O.H. 551: 2)
He also maintains that there is no geneivas daas or prohibition of misrepresenting by misleading others when placing artificial flowers in planters since the Talmud and Shulchan Aruch (C.M. 228: 6) state that when people are not misled, but jump to conclusions based on their own mistaken impression, there is no prohibition of geneivas daas. This is similar to someone wearing custom jewellery.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit”a
Important Numbers
