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- ב"ה - Today in Judaism - Today is Wednesday, 21 Tishrei, 5778 · October 11, 2017 - Hoshana Rabbah (Chol Hamoed Sukkot) - Candle Lighting - Light Holiday Candles before sunset ––:––Torah Reading:
Hosha'ana Rabba: Numbers 29:26-34; Numbers 29:29-34Hosha'ana Rabba: Numbers 29:26 “‘On the fifth day nine bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs in their first year, without defect; 27 with the grain and drink offerings for the bulls, rams and lambs, according to their number, in keeping with the rule; 28 also one male goat as a sin offering; in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain and drink offerings.
29 “‘On the sixth day eight bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs in their first year, without defect; 30 with the grain and drink offerings for the bulls, rams and lambs, according to their number, in keeping with the rule; 31 also one male goat as a sin offering; in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain and drink offerings.
32 “‘On the seventh day seven bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs in their first year, without defect; 33 with the grain and drink offerings for the bulls, rams and lambs, according to their number, in keeping with the rule; 34 also one male goat as a sin offering; in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain offering and drink offerings.; Numbers 29:29 “‘On the sixth day eight bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs in their first year, without defect; 30 with the grain and drink offerings for the bulls, rams and lambs, according to their number, in keeping with the rule; 31 also one male goat as a sin offering; in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain and drink offerings.
32 “‘On the seventh day seven bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs in their first year, without defect; 33 with the grain and drink offerings for the bulls, rams and lambs, according to their number, in keeping with the rule; 34 also one male goat as a sin offering; in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain offering and drink offerings.
Today's Laws and Customs:
Hoshana Rabbah
The seventh day of Sukkot is called "Hoshana Rabbah" and is considered the final day of the divine "judgment" in which the fate of the new year is determined. The Psalm L'David Hashem Ori, which has been added to our daily prayer since the 1st of Elul, is recited for the last time today. Other Hoshanah Rabbah observances include:
Night Learning
It is customary to remain awake on the night preceding Hoshanah Rabbah and study Torah. We recite the entire Book of Deuteronomy and the Book of Psalms. In some congregations it is a custom for the Gabbai (synagogue manager) to distribute apples (signifying a "sweet year") to the congregants.
- Willow and Hoshaanot
Link: The Willow (on the deeper significance of the mitzvah of aravah).
- Festive Meal
- Eruv Tavshilin
- Eat in Sukkah
At least one k'zayit (approx. 1 oz.) of bread should be eaten in the sukkah on the first evening of the festival, between nightfall and midnight. A special blessing, Leishiv BaSukkah, is recited. For the rest of the festival, all meals must be eaten in the sukkah (see the Code of Jewish Law or consult a Halachic authority as to what constitutes a "meal"). Chabad custom is to refrain from eating or drinking anything outside of the sukkah, even a glass of water.
Also see: the Ushpizin
Links: The Big Sukkah; The Temporary Dwelling; The Easy Mitzvah
- The "Four Kinds"
Each day of Sukkot -- except Shabbat -- we take the lulav in hand, recite a blessing over it, take hold of the etrog, hold the "Four Kinds" together, and move them back and forth in all directions (right, left, forward, up, down and back). An additional blessing, shehecheyanu, is recited the first time that the Four Kinds are taken during the festival. We also hold the Four Kinds during the Hallel prayer (moving them as above in specified places in the text) and the Hoshaanot prayers (during which we march around the reading table in the synagogue) which are included in the daily service each day of Sukkot.
Link: The Four Mysteries of King Solomon
- "Water Drawing" Celebrations
While water was poured each day of the fetival, the special celebrations were held only on Chol Hamoed since many of the elements of the celebration (e.g., the playing of musical instruments) are forbidden on Yom Tov.
Today, we commemorate these joyous celebrations by holding Simchat Beit HaShoeivah ("joy of the water drawing") events in the streets, with music and dancing. The Lubavitcher Rebbe initiated the custom of holding such celebrations on Shabbat and Yom Tov as well -- without musical instruments of course. The fact that we cannot celebrate as we did in the Temple, said the Rebbe, means that we are free to celebrate the joy of Sukkot with singing and dancing every day of the festival.
Link: The Taste of Water
- Chol Hamoed
On Yom Tov all creative work is forbidden as on Shabbat, except for the tasks involved in food preparation (e.g., lighting a fire from a pre-existing flame, cooking, carrying "from domain to domain"); on Chol Hamoed, work whose avoidance would result in "significant loss" is permitted. Otherwise, all the mitzvot and customs of Sukkot apply: eating in the sukkah, taking the "four kinds", etc. The "Yaale V'yavo" prayer is included in all prayers and Grace After Meals. Hallel, Hoshaanot and Musaf are recited following the Shacharit (morning) prayers.
It is the Chabad custom not to put on tefillin during Chol Hamoed, as on Shabbat and the festivals.
Click here for a more detailed treatment of the laws of Chol Hamoed.
Daily Quote: The time of prayer is a time of war (Zohar)
Chumash with Rashi Parshat Vezot Hab'rachah
Deuteronomy Chapter 33
18And to Zebulun he said: "Rejoice, Zebulun, in your departure, and Issachar, in your tents. יחוְלִזְבוּלֻ֣ן אָמַ֔ר שְׂמַ֥ח זְבוּלֻ֖ן בְּצֵאתֶ֑ךָ וְיִשָּׂשכָ֖ר בְּאֹֽהָלֶֽיךָ:
And to Zebulun he said: These five tribes whom [Moses] blessed last, namely, Zebulun, Gad, Dan, Naftali and Asher, have their names repeated [e.g., “And of Zebulun he said: Rejoice, Zebulun…”], in order to instill them with strength and power, for they were the weakest of all the tribes. And indeed [for this reason,] they were the ones Joseph introduced to Pharaoh, as it is said, “And from among his brothers, he took five men” (Gen. 47:2). [Joseph took these brothers and not the others,] because they looked weak, so that Pharaoh should not appoint them as his war officers. — [B.K. 92a]
ולזבולן אמר: אלו חמשה שבטים שבירך באחרונה זבולן גד דן נפתלי ואשר כפל שמותיהם לחזקם ולהגבירם, לפי שהיו חלשים שבכל השבטים, הם הם שהוליך יוסף לפני פרעה, שנאמר (בראשית מז, ב) ומקצה אחיו לקח חמשה אנשים, לפי שנראים חלשים ולא ישים אותם לו שרי מלחמתו:
Rejoice, Zebulun, in your departure, and Issachar, in your tents: Zebulun and Issachar entered into a partnership [with the following agreement]: Zebulun would dwell at the seashore and go out in ships, to trade and make profit. He would thereby provide food for Issachar, and they would sit and occupy themselves with the study of Torah. Consequently, Moses mentioned Zebulun before Issachar [even though the latter was the elder of the two], because Issachar’s Torah came through [the provisions of] Zebulun. — [Gen. Rabbah 99:9]
שמח זבולן בצאתך ויששכר באהליך: זבולן ויששכר עשו שותפות, זבולן לחוף ימים ישכון ויוצא לפרקמטיא בספינות ומשתכר, ונותן לתוך פיו של יששכר והם יושבים ועוסקים בתורה, לפיכך הקדים זבולן ליששכר שתורתו של יששכר על ידי זבולן היתה:
Rejoice, Zebulun, in your departure: Prosper when you go out to trade.
שמח זבולן בצאתך: הצלח בצאתך לסחורה:
and Issachar: Prosper when you sit in your tents to study the Torah, to sit [in the Sanhedrin] and to [calculate and] proclaim leap years, and to fix the months, as it is said, “And from the sons of Issachar, those who had an understanding of the times” (I Chron. 12:32) [and then the verse continues,] “their chiefs were two hundred”-the chiefs of the Sanhedrin occupied themselves with this, and in accordance with them, the seasons and leap years were fixed [for all Israel].
ויששכר: הצלח בישיבת אהליך לתורה לישב ולעבר שנים ולקבוע חדשים, כמו שנאמר (דה"א יב, לג) ומבני יששכר יודעי בינה לעתים ראשיהם מאתים ראשי סנהדראות היו עוסקים בכך. ועל פי קביעות עתיהם ועבוריהם:
19They will call peoples to the mountain; there, they will offer up righteous sacrifices. For they will be nourished by the abundance of the seas, and by the treasures hidden in the sand." יטעַמִּים֙ הַר־יִקְרָ֔אוּ שָׁ֖ם יִזְבְּח֣וּ זִבְחֵי־צֶ֑דֶק כִּ֣י שֶׁ֤פַע יַמִּים֙ יִינָ֔קוּ וּשְׂפֻנֵ֖י טְמ֥וּנֵי חֽוֹל:
Peoples: of the tribes of Israel.
עמים: של שבטי ישראל:
They will call [peoples] to the Mountain: I.e., [people from the tribes of Israel] will assemble at Mount Moriah [on the Pilgrimage Festivals]. Every assembly took place through a “calling” [i.e., a summoning of the people. This is why the verse speaks of the assembly of the people in terms of “They will call”]. And there [at Mount Moriah, in the Holy Temple], the people will offer up righteous sacrifices on the Pilgrimage Festivals.
הר יקראו: להר המוריה יאספו כל אסיפה על ידי קריאה היא ושם יזבחו ברגלים זבחי צדק:
for they will be nourished by the abundance of the seas: i.e., Issachar and Zebulun [will be nourished], and thereby, they will have spare time to study the Torah.
כי שפע ימים יינקו: יששכר וזבולן ויהא להם פנאי לעסוק בתורה:
and by the treasures hidden in the sand: Things covered up and hidden by the sand-the tarit [or “torino,” a kind of fish], the snail [from which a sky-blue dye was obtained], and “white glass,” all of which come from the sea or the sand. These were found in the territory of Issachar and Zebulun, as is taught in Tractate Megillah (6a): [Scripture says, “Zebulun is a people who jeopardized his life to die” (Jud. 5:18). [And why?] Because [as that verse continues], “Naftali is on the high places of the field,” i.e., Zebulun complained [to God] about his territory, saying,“To my brothers, You have given fields and vineyards [… while to me, You have given seas and rivers]!” [In reply, God told Zebulun that the other brothers will seek him out because of the hidden treasures contained within the seas and the sands.]
ושפני טמוני חול: כסויי טמוני חול טרית וחלזון וזכוכית לבנה היוצאים מן הים ומן החול ובחלקו של יששכר וזבולן היה, כמו שאמרו במסכת מגילה (ו א) זבולן עם חרף נפשו למות (שופטים ה יח) משום דנפתלי על מרומי שדה, שהיה מתרעם זבולן על חלקו לאחי נתת שדות וכרמים וכו':
the treasures: Heb. וּשְׂפֻנֵי An expression meaning a covering, as it is said,“And he covered (וַיִּסְפֹּן) the house” (I Kings 6:9); and, וְסָפֻן בָאֶרֶז, which the Targum renders as: “And it was covered with a covering of cedar” (I Kings 7:3). Another explanation: they will call people to the mountain: Through Zebulun’s commerce, merchants of the world’s nations will come to his land. Now Zebulun is located at the border, so these merchants will say, “Since we have taken so much trouble to reach here, let us go to Jerusalem and see what the God of this nation is like and what they do.” And they see all Israel worshipping one God and eating one kind of food [i.e., only what is permissible to them, and they will be astonished], because [among] the nations, the deity of one is not like the deity of another, and the food of one is not like the food of another. So they will say, “There is no nation as worthy as this one!” Consequently, they will convert to Judaism there, as our verse says,“there, they will offer up righteous sacrifices” [and all of this will be due to Zebulun’s commerce]. — [Sifrei 33:19]
ושפני: לשון כסוי, כמו שנאמר (מ"א ו, ט) ויספון את הבית, (שם ז, ג) וספון בארז, ותרגומו ומטלל בכיורי ארזא. דבר אחר עמים הר יקראו על ידי פרקמטיא של זבולן, תגרי אומות העולם באים אל ארצו, והוא עומד על הספר והם אומרים הואיל ונצטערנו עד כאן נלך עד ירושלים ונראה מה יראתה של אומה זו ומה מעשיה, והם רואים כל ישראל עובדים לאלוה אחד ואוכלים מאכל אחד לפי שהגוים אלוהו של זה לא כאלוהו של זה, ומאכלו של זה לא כמאכלו של זה, והם אומרים אין אומה כשרה כזו ומתגיירין שם, שנאמר שם יזבחו זבחי צדק:
for they will be nourished by the abundance of the seas: Zebulun and Issachar [will be nourished], that is to say, the sea will lavish them with wealth.
כי שפע ימים יינקו: זבולן ויששכר הים נותן להם ממון בשפע:
20And of Gad he said: "Blessed is He Who grants expanse to Gad; he dwells like a lion, tearing the arm [of his prey, together] with the head. כוּלְגָ֣ד אָמַ֔ר בָּר֖וּךְ מַרְחִ֣יב גָּ֑ד כְּלָבִ֣יא שָׁכֵ֔ן וְטָרַ֥ף זְר֖וֹעַ אַף־קָדְקֹֽד:
Blessed is He Who grants expanse to Gad: This teaches us that Gad’s territory extended far eastward. — [Sifrei 33:20]
ברוך מרחיב גד: מלמד שהיה תחומו של גד מרחיב ועולה כלפי מזרח:
He dwells like a lion: Because Gad was near the border, he is therefore compared to lions, for all those who are located near the border must be mighty [like lions, in order to protect themselves from attack]. — [Sifrei 33:20]
כלביא שכן: לפי שהיה סמוך לספר לפיכך נמשל כאריות שכל הסמוכים לספר צריכים להיות גבורים:
tearing the arm [of his prey, together] with the head: Anyone slain by the Gadites could be readily identified: they used to cut off the head together with the arm in one blow. — [Jonathan Ben Uziel]
וטרף זרוע אף קדקד: הרוגיהן היו נכרין, חותכים הראש עם הזרוע במכה אחת:
21He saw the first portion for himself, because there, the portion of the lawgiver is hidden. And he came at the head of the people; he did what is righteous for the Lord, and what is lawful with Israel." כאוַיַּ֤רְא רֵאשִׁית֙ ל֔וֹ כִּי־שָׁ֛ם חֶלְקַ֥ת מְחֹקֵ֖ק סָפ֑וּן וַיֵּ֨תֵא֙ רָ֣אשֵׁי עָ֔ם צִדְקַ֤ת יְהֹוָה֙ עָשָׂ֔ה וּמִשְׁפָּטָ֖יו עִם־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל:
He saw the first portion for himself: He saw fit to take for himself territory in the land of Sihon and Og, whose land was the beginning (רֵאשִׁית) of the conquest of the Land.
וירא ראשית לו: ראה ליטול לו חלק בארץ סיחון ועוג, שהיא ראשית כבוש הארץ:
because there, the portion of the lawgiver is hidden: For Gad knew [through Divine transmission,] that within his territory would be contained a portion of the field designated for the burial of“the lawgiver,” namely Moses. — [Sotah 13b]
כי שם חלקת מחקק: כי ידע אשר שם בנחלתו חלקת שדה קבורת מחוקק והוא משה:
of the lawgiver: That portion [of the field, where Moses was buried,] was hidden (סָפוּן) and concealed from every creature, as it is said, “And no man knows his burial place” (Deut. 34:6).
ספון: אותה חלקה ספונה וטמונה מכל בריה, שנאמר (לקמן לד, ו) ולא ידע איש את קבורתו:
And he came: i.e., Gad came.
ויתא: גד:
at the head of the people: The Gadites marched before the armed forces in the conquest of the Land, because the Gadites were powerful, and so it is said [of them], “Pass over, armed, before your brothers” (Deut. 3:18).
ראשי עם: הם היו הולכים לפני החלוץ בכבוש הארץ לפי שהיו גבורים, וכן הוא אומר (דברים ג, יח) ואתם תעברו חלוצים לפני אחיכם וגו':
He did what is righteous for the Lord: Because the Gadites substantiated their words, keeping their promise to cross the Jordan [and remain there to help their brothers] until Israel had conquered and divided [the Land among the tribes]. Another explanation: And he came-And Moses came. [Similarly, the remaining clauses:] “At the head of the people,” and “He did what is righteous for the Lord,” also refer to Moses. — [Sifrei 33:21]
צדקת ה' עשה: שהאמינו דבריהם ושמרו הבטחתם לעבור את הירדן עד שכבשו וחלקו. דבר אחר ויתא משה ראשי עם. צדקת ה' עשה. על משה אמור:
Daily Tehillim - Psalms Chapters 104-105
Chapter 104
This psalm tells of the beauty of creation, describing that which was created on each of the six days of creation. It proclaims the awesomeness of God Who sustains it all-from the horns of the wild ox to the eggs of the louse.
1. My soul, bless the Lord! Lord my God, You are greatly exalted; You have garbed Yourself with majesty and splendor.
2. You enwrap [Yourself] with light as with a garment; You spread the heavens as a curtain.
3. He roofs His heavens with water; He makes the clouds His chariot, He moves [them] on the wings of the wind.
4. He makes the winds His messengers, the blazing fire His servants.
5. He established the earth on its foundations, that it shall never falter.
6. The depths covered it as a garment; the waters stood above the mountains.
7. At Your exhortation they fled; at the sound of Your thunder they rushed away.
8. They ascended mountains, they flowed down valleys, to the place which You have assigned for them.
9. You set a boundary which they may not cross, so that they should not return to engulf the earth.
10. He sends forth springs into streams; they flow between the mountains.
11. They give drink to all the beasts of the field; the wild animals quench their thirst.
12. The birds of the heavens dwell beside them; they raise their voice from among the foliage.
13. He irrigates the mountains from His clouds above; the earth is satiated from the fruit of Your works.
14. He makes grass grow for the cattle, and vegetation requiring the labor of man to bring forth food from the earth;
15. and wine that gladdens man's heart, oil that makes the face shine, and bread that sustains man's heart.
16. The trees of the Lord drink their fill, the cedars of Lebanon which He planted,
17. wherein birds build their nests; the stork has her home in the cypress.
18. The high mountains are for the wild goats; the rocks are a refuge for the rabbits.
19. He made the moon to calculate the festivals; the sun knows its time of setting.
20. You bring on darkness and it is night, when all the beasts of the forest creep forth.
21. The young lions roar for prey, and seek their food from God.
22. When the sun rises, they return and lie down in their dens.
23. Then man goes out to his work, to his labor until evening.
24. How manifold are Your works, O Lord! You have made them all with wisdom; the earth is full of Your possessions.
25. This sea, vast and wide, where there are countless creeping creatures, living things small and great;
26. there ships travel, there is the Leviathan that You created to frolic therein.
27. They all look expectantly to You to give them their food at the proper time.
28. When You give it to them, they gather it; when You open Your hand, they are satiated with goodness.
29. When You conceal Your countenance, they are terrified; when You take back their spirit, they perish and return to their dust.
30. When You will send forth Your spirit they will be created anew, and You will renew the face of the earth.
31. May the glory of the Lord be forever; may the Lord find delight in His works.
32. He looks at the earth, and it trembles; He touches the mountains, and they smoke.
33. I will sing to the Lord with my soul; I will chant praise to my God with my [entire] being.
34. May my prayer be pleasant to Him; I will rejoice in the Lord.
35. May sinners cease from the earth, and the wicked be no more. Bless the Lord, O my soul! Praise the Lord!
Chapter 105
When David brought the Holy Ark up to the City of David, he composed this psalm and sang it before the Ark. He recounts all the miracles that God performed for the Jews in Egypt: sending before them Joseph, who was imprisoned, only to be liberated by God, eventually attaining the status of one who could imprison the princes of Egypt without consulting Pharaoh.
1. Offer praise to the Lord, proclaim His Name; make His deeds known among the nations.
2. Sing to Him, chant praises to Him, speak of all His wonders.
3. Glory in His holy Name; may the heart of those who seek the Lord rejoice.
4. Search for the Lord and His might; seek His countenance always.
5. Remember the wonders that He has wrought, His miracles, and the judgements of His mouth.
6. O descendants of Abraham His servant, children of Jacob, His chosen ones:
7. He is the Lord our God; His judgements extend over the entire earth.
8. He remembers His covenant forever, the word which He has commanded to a thousand generations;
9. the covenant which He made with Abraham, and His oath to Isaac.
10. He established it for Jacob as a statute, for Israel as an everlasting covenant,
11. stating, "To you I shall give the land of Canaan"-the portion of your inheritance,
12. when they were but few, very few, and strangers in it.
13. They wandered from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another people.
14. He permitted no one to wrong them, and admonished kings for their sake:
15. "Do not touch My anointed ones, and do not harm My prophets.”
16. He called for a famine upon the land; He broke every source of bread.
17. He sent a man before them; Joseph was sold as a slave.
18. They afflicted his foot with chains, his soul was put into iron;
19. until the time that His words came, the decree of the Lord purified him.
20. The king sent [word] and released him, the ruler of nations set him free.
21. He appointed him master of his house and ruler of all his possessions,
22. to imprison his princes at will, and to enlighten his elders.
23. Thus Israel came to Egypt, and Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham (Egypt).
24. He multiplied His nation greatly, and made it mightier than its adversaries.
25. He turned their hearts to hate His nation, to conspire against His servants.
26. He sent Moses, His servant; Aaron, whom He had chosen.
27. They placed among them the words of His signs, miracles in the land of Ham.
28. He sent darkness and made it dark, and they did not defy His word.
29. He transformed their waters to blood, and killed their fish.
30. Their land swarmed with frogs in the chambers of their kings.
31. He spoke, and hordes of wild beasts came, and lice throughout their borders.
32. He turned their rains to hail, flaming fire in their land;
33. it struck their vine and fig tree, it broke the trees of their borders.
34. He spoke, and grasshoppers came, locusts without number;
35. and it consumed all grass in their land, it ate the fruit of their soil.
36. Then He smote every firstborn in their land, the first of all their potency.
37. And He took them out with silver and gold, and none among His tribes stumbled.
38. Egypt rejoiced at their leaving, for the fear [of Israel] had fallen upon them.
39. He spread out a cloud for shelter, and a fire to illuminate the night.
40. [Israel] asked, and He brought quail, and with the bread of heaven He satisfied them.
41. He opened a rock and waters flowed; they streamed through dry places like a river,
42. for He remembered His holy word to Abraham His servant.
43. And He brought out His nation with joy, His chosen ones with song.
44. He gave them the lands of nations, they inherited the toil of peoples,
45. so that they might keep His statutes and observe His laws. Praise the Lord!
Wednesday, 21 Tishrei 5778 / October 11, 2017
Chabad Chassidus is an all-embracing world outlook and way of life which sees the Jew's central purpose as a unifying link between the Creator and His world. Written by the Alter Rebbe, the founder of...
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Daily Tanya
Iggeret HaKodesh, middle of Epistle 23
Iggeret HaKodesh, middle of Epistle 23
כי קביעת שכר הוא שמאיר ה׳ לנפש תדרשנו באור תורתו, שהוא מעטה לבושו ממש
For the allotment of a reward is what takes place when G‑d irradiates1“the soul that seeks Him” with the light of His Torah, which is truly the covering in which G‑d garbs Himself.
Through this garment, i.e., through the Torah, G‑d irradiates the soul of the Jew who seeks Him. This search for Him can take place either during the service of prayer that precedes one’s study of Torah, or during one’s actual study. As explained at the conclusion of ch. 37 of Tanya, the Talmudic phrase קורא בתורה can mean not only “reading (i.e., studying) the Torah,” but also “calling [G‑d] through the Torah.” In this sense, when one studies Torah one resembles a child who calls his father, asking him to come and be with him.
ולכן נקראת התורה אור, שנאמר: עוטה אור כשלמה
For this reason the Torah is called “light”, as it is written,2 “He garbs Himself in light, as with a garment.”3
This verse refers to the degree of illumination (diffused by the Torah) which, like a garment, is finite.
Likewise, the faculties of the soul are inherently limited, both quantitatively and qualitatively. Since the light that emanates to the soul must be integrated within its faculties, this illumination itself must also be limited. In the words of the Alter Rebbe:
והנפש היא בעלת גבול ותכלית בכל כחותיה
Now the soul is limited and finite in all its faculties.
לכן גם אור ה׳ המאיר בה הוא גבולי, מצומצם, ומתלבש בתוכה
Therefore, the light of G‑d that radiates in it is also limited and contracted, and vests itself within it.
ועל כן יתפעל לב מבקשי ה׳ בשעת התפלה וכיוצא בה
This is why the hearts of those who seek G‑d are ecstatically aroused at the time of prayer and the like.
כי בו ישמח לבם, ויגיל אף גילת ורנן
For their hearts rejoice in Him and exult4 “even with exultation and song,”
ותתענג נפשם בנועם ה׳ על ה׳ ואורו
and their souls delight in the pleasantness of G‑d5 and His light
בהגלותו ממעטה לבושו, שהיא התורה
as it becomes revealed through the covering in which [G‑d] garbs Himself, which is the Torah;
ויצא כברק חצו
“and His arrow comes forth like lightning”:6 from this garment, this illumination initially emanates to the soul with all the vigor of a lightning bolt.7
וזו היא קביעת שכר התורה, הקבועה תמיד בנפש עמלה בה
This is the allotment of the reward for the [study of] Torah, which is always fixed in the soul that labors in it.
Being fixed within the soul constantly, this reward is received by the soul not only in the World to Come — when the soul is enabled to apprehend rewards that are not to be obtained in this world8 — but in this world as well. And since this kind of reward consists of a finite degree of illumination, it can be received by the soul even as the soul finds itself within the body.
This is why it is written that a reward awaits even one individual who studies Torah.
אבל ההשראה
Indwelling, however, i.e., that degree of indwelling of which it is written that “the Shechinah dwells among them,”
היא הארה עצומה מאור ה׳, המאיר בה בלי גבול ותכלית
is an intense radiation from the light of G‑d, that radiates in it — within the soul itself, and not within its inherently limited faculties — without limit or end.
ואינו יכול להתלבש בנפש גבולית, כי אם מקיף עליה מלמעלה, מראשה ועד רגלה
It cannot become vested (i.e., integrated and internalized) within a finite soul, but encompasses it from above, like a transcendent (makkif) light,“from its head to its foot,” so that all the levels and faculties of the soul, from the highest to the lowest, are surrounded by this infinite Divine light.
כמו שאמרו חז״ל: אכל בי עשרה שכינתא שריא, כלומר: עליהם, מלמעלה
As our Sages, of blessed memory, taught,9 “The Shechinah hovers over every gathering of ten Jews” — over them, from above.
Just as the Shechinah hovers over all Jews in an encompassing manner even when they are not studying Torah, so, too, even with regard to the indwelling of the Shechinahthat is brought about by congregational Torah study: this illumination of the soul, being infinite, must be primarily transcendent.
כמו שכתוב: ויהי נועם ה׳ אלקינו עלינו, ומעשה ידינו כוננה עלינו
Thus it is written,10 “May the pleasantness of the L‑rd our G‑d be upon us; establish upon us the work of our hands”;
כלומר: כי נועם ה׳ אשר הופיע במעשה ידינו, בעסק התורה והמצות
i.e., [we ask] that the pleasantness of G‑d which has appeared through the work of our hands, in [our] involvement in the Torah and the commandments11 —
דאורייתא וקודשא בריך הוא כולא חד
for12 “the Torah and the Holy One, blessed be He, are entirely one” —
יתכונן וישרה עלינו מלמעלה
become established and rest upon us from above, in an encompassing manner,
להיותו בלי גבול ותכלית, ואינו מתלבש בנפשנו ושכלנו
for it is without limit and end, and does not become vested within our [finite] soul and intellect.
ועל כן אין אנו משיגים בשכלנו הנעימות והעריבות מנועם ה׳ וזיו השכינה בלי גבול ותכלית
This is why we do not apprehend with our intellect the delightfulness and sweetness of “the pleasantness of G‑d,” and the unlimited splendor of the Shechinah,
אשר מתכונן ושורה עלינו במעשה ידינו בתורה ומצות ברבים דוקא
that is established and rests upon us through the work of our hands, in [our] joint study of the Torah and [our] joint fulfillment of the commandments.
An infinite order of illumination is elicited only by collective Torah study and performance of mitzvot.
ועל זה אמרו רז״ל: שכר מצוה בהאי עלמא ליכא
And of this our Sages, of blessed memory, said,13 “In this world there is no reward for the [performance of the] commandments.”
Since this world is finite, it cannot be a receptor for the infinite revelation of Divine radiance that is called forth by the performance of the mitzvot.
כי אי אפשר לעולם להשיגו, כי אם בהתפשטות הנפש מהגוף
For it is impossible for the world to attain it (i.e., the reward of infinite light) except when the soul is divested from the body and unencumbered by it;
ואף גם זאת, על דרך החסד, כמו שכתוב: ולך ה׳ חסד, כי אתה תשלם לאיש כמעשהו
and even then, [the soul is able to receive this light only] by way of grace; as it is written,14 “Kindness, O G‑d, is Yours, for You render to every man according to his work.”15 I.e., granting every man an infinite degree of illumination according to his work in Torah and mitzvot is an act of kindness on G‑d’s part.
וכמו שאמרו רז״ל: שהקב״ה נותן כח בצדיקים כו׳
Thus our Sages, of blessed memory, taught16 that the Holy One, blessed be He, gives the righteous the capacity [to receive their reward in the World to Come].
Even then this gift is needed, for even after the soul divests itself of its body it is finite, while the reward that it receives is infinite.
מה שאין כן במלאכים
This is not so, however, with the angels,17 which are incapable of receiving an infinite degree of revelation;
כמו ששמעתי מרבותי, כי אילו נמצא מלאך אחד עומד במעמד עשרה מישראל ביחד, אף שאינם מדברים בדברי תורה
as I heard from my masters, viz., the Baal Shem Tov and the Maggid of Mezritch, that if one18 angel19 were to stand in the presence of a gathering of ten Jews, even if there were no words of Torah between them, yet still, since the Shechinah rests upon every gathering of ten Jews,
תפול עליו אימתה ופחד בלי גבול ותכלית, משכינתא דשריא עלייהו, עד שהיה מתבטל ממציאותו לגמרי
such a boundless and infinite terror and dread would then befall him on account of the Shechinah that abides over them, that he would become utterly nullified.
The sanctity of ten Jews congregating together, even if they are not engaged in Torah study, is so intense, than an angel would become utterly nullified when confronting the indwelling of the Shechinah that abides in the presence of ten Jews.20
In Sefer HaSichot 5704,21 the Rebbe Rayatz relates that when his father taught him this letter for the second time, and they came to the above theme of the superiority of souls over angels, he noted that “As I heard from my masters” refers to both the Baal Shem Tov and the Maggid of Mezritch; the phrase “I heard from my teacher” (in the gloss to ch. 35) refers to the Maggid of Mezritch.
The Rebbe Rashab went on to tell him that this theme is one of the laws that are studied in Gan Eden.
Then, having shared with him eight narratives regarding the laws studied in Gan Eden, he concluded: “And all this is discussed in Tanya in order to [encourage] the establishment of daily study groups in Ein Yaakov, concerning which the Alter Rebbe states that most of the secrets of the Torah are concealed in it, and that moreover it atones for man’s sins.
At that time, too, the Rebbe Rayatz writes,22 his father told him that chassidim of old used to include as part of their indispensable daily study sessions — in addition to Mishnayot, a page of Gemara, and Tanya — a passage of Ein Yaakov, and at least one law (of two paragraphs) in Kitzur Shulchan Aruch.23 If a paragraph was long, it was studied as one law, though usually one law is divided there into two paragraphs.
* * *
FOOTNOTES
1.Eichah 3:25.
2.Tehillim 104:2.
3.Note of the Rebbe: “The proof text usually cited is the verse (Mishlei 6:23), ‘For a mitzvah is a lamp and the Torah is light.’ Here, however, the Alter Rebbe seeks to show that the study of ‘the Torah [that] is light’ results in a Divine irradiation, for ‘the light of His Torah,’ like a garment, reveals many aspects of that which is clothed in it. (This is why [the Alter Rebbe writes above that ‘the Torah is simply] called light (אור),’ for this term shows — more than the term תורה אור — that [the light of the Torah] serves as a garment by which Gd is revealed.) See also the Tzemach Tzedek on the phrase Oteh or.”
4.Yeshayahu 35:2.
5.The variant reading literally means “over G‑d”; i.e., they delight in G‑d Himself.
6.Zechariah 9:14.
7.Note of the Rebbe: “See Iggeret HaKodesh, end of Epistle XV, [regarding the light that comes forth] from “the source [of the intellect, ... like ... a flash of lightning].’”
8.Kiddushin 39b.
9.Sanhedrin 39a.
10.Tehillim 90:17.
11.Note of the Rebbe: “The interpretation that the ‘work of our hands’ refers to the ‘study of the Torah’ and the ‘fulfillment of the commandments,’ requires further examination.”
12.Zohar II, 90b; see also II, 60a, and III, 73a.
13.Kiddushin 39b.
14.Tehillim 62:13.
15.Note of the Rebbe: “Seemingly, where is the kindness if He pays the individual according to his work? This question indicates that G‑d’s kindness lies in His enabling a [finite] mortal to receive [the infinite reward].”
16.Sanhedrin 100b.
17.Note of the Rebbe: “...for they were not granted this capacity.”
18.Note of the Rebbe: “Further examination is required to understand the meaning [of ‘one angel’].”
19.Note of the Rebbe: “This requires further examination, for angels elevate even congregational prayers. [How, then, is this possible if they become utterly nullified in the presence of ten Jews?]”
20.Note of the Rebbe: “We must say that the reason why the ten Jews themselves do not become nullified, etc., nor terrorstricken, etc., is that [the Divine Presence] is not perceived even by their mazal. [I.e., it is not perceived even superconsciously, by the heavenly root of their souls.] (For if it wereperceived, they would no doubt be in a state of trepidation, as in our Sages’ description [Megillah 3a] of Daniel’s friends.) Indeed, this [state of unawareness] must exist, for without it free choice would cease, as is to be understood from the disposition of Daniel’s friends.“
As to the benefit of the indwelling of the Shechinah: [i.e., if this is totally concealed from the Jew, what possible benefit does he derive from it?] — It grants him assistance, though concealed, in his spiritual service.”
21.Pp. 97-98.
22.P. 101.
23.Note of the Rebbe: “This is most likely a typographical slip, for (1) even in later generations the study of Kitzur Shulchan Aruch was not widespread in Russia; (2) most paragraphs contain one law each; (3) it was first printed during the last years of the Tzemach Tzedek, outside of Russia; (4) the Alter Rebbe’s Shulchan Aruch was published early in the leadership of the Mitteler Rebbe, and from that time onward regular sessions were surely set up for the study of its clearly delineated laws. What possible reason would there be to change this and replace it [by the study of Kitzur Shulchan Aruch]?”
Chabad Chassidus is an all-embracing world outlook and way of life which sees the Jew's central purpose as a unifying link between the Creator and His world. Written by the Alter Rebbe, the founder of...
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Daily Tanya
Iggeret HaKodesh, middle of Epistle 23
Iggeret HaKodesh, middle of Epistle 23
כי קביעת שכר הוא שמאיר ה׳ לנפש תדרשנו באור תורתו, שהוא מעטה לבושו ממש
For the allotment of a reward is what takes place when G‑d irradiates1“the soul that seeks Him” with the light of His Torah, which is truly the covering in which G‑d garbs Himself.
Through this garment, i.e., through the Torah, G‑d irradiates the soul of the Jew who seeks Him. This search for Him can take place either during the service of prayer that precedes one’s study of Torah, or during one’s actual study. As explained at the conclusion of ch. 37 of Tanya, the Talmudic phrase קורא בתורה can mean not only “reading (i.e., studying) the Torah,” but also “calling [G‑d] through the Torah.” In this sense, when one studies Torah one resembles a child who calls his father, asking him to come and be with him.
ולכן נקראת התורה אור, שנאמר: עוטה אור כשלמה
For this reason the Torah is called “light”, as it is written,2 “He garbs Himself in light, as with a garment.”3
This verse refers to the degree of illumination (diffused by the Torah) which, like a garment, is finite.
Likewise, the faculties of the soul are inherently limited, both quantitatively and qualitatively. Since the light that emanates to the soul must be integrated within its faculties, this illumination itself must also be limited. In the words of the Alter Rebbe:
והנפש היא בעלת גבול ותכלית בכל כחותיה
Now the soul is limited and finite in all its faculties.
לכן גם אור ה׳ המאיר בה הוא גבולי, מצומצם, ומתלבש בתוכה
Therefore, the light of G‑d that radiates in it is also limited and contracted, and vests itself within it.
ועל כן יתפעל לב מבקשי ה׳ בשעת התפלה וכיוצא בה
This is why the hearts of those who seek G‑d are ecstatically aroused at the time of prayer and the like.
כי בו ישמח לבם, ויגיל אף גילת ורנן
For their hearts rejoice in Him and exult4 “even with exultation and song,”
ותתענג נפשם בנועם ה׳ על ה׳ ואורו
and their souls delight in the pleasantness of G‑d5 and His light
בהגלותו ממעטה לבושו, שהיא התורה
as it becomes revealed through the covering in which [G‑d] garbs Himself, which is the Torah;
ויצא כברק חצו
“and His arrow comes forth like lightning”:6 from this garment, this illumination initially emanates to the soul with all the vigor of a lightning bolt.7
וזו היא קביעת שכר התורה, הקבועה תמיד בנפש עמלה בה
This is the allotment of the reward for the [study of] Torah, which is always fixed in the soul that labors in it.
Being fixed within the soul constantly, this reward is received by the soul not only in the World to Come — when the soul is enabled to apprehend rewards that are not to be obtained in this world8 — but in this world as well. And since this kind of reward consists of a finite degree of illumination, it can be received by the soul even as the soul finds itself within the body.
This is why it is written that a reward awaits even one individual who studies Torah.
אבל ההשראה
Indwelling, however, i.e., that degree of indwelling of which it is written that “the Shechinah dwells among them,”
היא הארה עצומה מאור ה׳, המאיר בה בלי גבול ותכלית
is an intense radiation from the light of G‑d, that radiates in it — within the soul itself, and not within its inherently limited faculties — without limit or end.
ואינו יכול להתלבש בנפש גבולית, כי אם מקיף עליה מלמעלה, מראשה ועד רגלה
It cannot become vested (i.e., integrated and internalized) within a finite soul, but encompasses it from above, like a transcendent (makkif) light,“from its head to its foot,” so that all the levels and faculties of the soul, from the highest to the lowest, are surrounded by this infinite Divine light.
כמו שאמרו חז״ל: אכל בי עשרה שכינתא שריא, כלומר: עליהם, מלמעלה
As our Sages, of blessed memory, taught,9 “The Shechinah hovers over every gathering of ten Jews” — over them, from above.
Just as the Shechinah hovers over all Jews in an encompassing manner even when they are not studying Torah, so, too, even with regard to the indwelling of the Shechinahthat is brought about by congregational Torah study: this illumination of the soul, being infinite, must be primarily transcendent.
כמו שכתוב: ויהי נועם ה׳ אלקינו עלינו, ומעשה ידינו כוננה עלינו
Thus it is written,10 “May the pleasantness of the L‑rd our G‑d be upon us; establish upon us the work of our hands”;
כלומר: כי נועם ה׳ אשר הופיע במעשה ידינו, בעסק התורה והמצות
i.e., [we ask] that the pleasantness of G‑d which has appeared through the work of our hands, in [our] involvement in the Torah and the commandments11 —
דאורייתא וקודשא בריך הוא כולא חד
for12 “the Torah and the Holy One, blessed be He, are entirely one” —
יתכונן וישרה עלינו מלמעלה
become established and rest upon us from above, in an encompassing manner,
להיותו בלי גבול ותכלית, ואינו מתלבש בנפשנו ושכלנו
for it is without limit and end, and does not become vested within our [finite] soul and intellect.
ועל כן אין אנו משיגים בשכלנו הנעימות והעריבות מנועם ה׳ וזיו השכינה בלי גבול ותכלית
This is why we do not apprehend with our intellect the delightfulness and sweetness of “the pleasantness of G‑d,” and the unlimited splendor of the Shechinah,
אשר מתכונן ושורה עלינו במעשה ידינו בתורה ומצות ברבים דוקא
that is established and rests upon us through the work of our hands, in [our] joint study of the Torah and [our] joint fulfillment of the commandments.
An infinite order of illumination is elicited only by collective Torah study and performance of mitzvot.
ועל זה אמרו רז״ל: שכר מצוה בהאי עלמא ליכא
And of this our Sages, of blessed memory, said,13 “In this world there is no reward for the [performance of the] commandments.”
Since this world is finite, it cannot be a receptor for the infinite revelation of Divine radiance that is called forth by the performance of the mitzvot.
כי אי אפשר לעולם להשיגו, כי אם בהתפשטות הנפש מהגוף
For it is impossible for the world to attain it (i.e., the reward of infinite light) except when the soul is divested from the body and unencumbered by it;
ואף גם זאת, על דרך החסד, כמו שכתוב: ולך ה׳ חסד, כי אתה תשלם לאיש כמעשהו
and even then, [the soul is able to receive this light only] by way of grace; as it is written,14 “Kindness, O G‑d, is Yours, for You render to every man according to his work.”15 I.e., granting every man an infinite degree of illumination according to his work in Torah and mitzvot is an act of kindness on G‑d’s part.
וכמו שאמרו רז״ל: שהקב״ה נותן כח בצדיקים כו׳
Thus our Sages, of blessed memory, taught16 that the Holy One, blessed be He, gives the righteous the capacity [to receive their reward in the World to Come].
Even then this gift is needed, for even after the soul divests itself of its body it is finite, while the reward that it receives is infinite.
מה שאין כן במלאכים
This is not so, however, with the angels,17 which are incapable of receiving an infinite degree of revelation;
כמו ששמעתי מרבותי, כי אילו נמצא מלאך אחד עומד במעמד עשרה מישראל ביחד, אף שאינם מדברים בדברי תורה
as I heard from my masters, viz., the Baal Shem Tov and the Maggid of Mezritch, that if one18 angel19 were to stand in the presence of a gathering of ten Jews, even if there were no words of Torah between them, yet still, since the Shechinah rests upon every gathering of ten Jews,
תפול עליו אימתה ופחד בלי גבול ותכלית, משכינתא דשריא עלייהו, עד שהיה מתבטל ממציאותו לגמרי
such a boundless and infinite terror and dread would then befall him on account of the Shechinah that abides over them, that he would become utterly nullified.
The sanctity of ten Jews congregating together, even if they are not engaged in Torah study, is so intense, than an angel would become utterly nullified when confronting the indwelling of the Shechinah that abides in the presence of ten Jews.20
In Sefer HaSichot 5704,21 the Rebbe Rayatz relates that when his father taught him this letter for the second time, and they came to the above theme of the superiority of souls over angels, he noted that “As I heard from my masters” refers to both the Baal Shem Tov and the Maggid of Mezritch; the phrase “I heard from my teacher” (in the gloss to ch. 35) refers to the Maggid of Mezritch.
The Rebbe Rashab went on to tell him that this theme is one of the laws that are studied in Gan Eden.
Then, having shared with him eight narratives regarding the laws studied in Gan Eden, he concluded: “And all this is discussed in Tanya in order to [encourage] the establishment of daily study groups in Ein Yaakov, concerning which the Alter Rebbe states that most of the secrets of the Torah are concealed in it, and that moreover it atones for man’s sins.
At that time, too, the Rebbe Rayatz writes,22 his father told him that chassidim of old used to include as part of their indispensable daily study sessions — in addition to Mishnayot, a page of Gemara, and Tanya — a passage of Ein Yaakov, and at least one law (of two paragraphs) in Kitzur Shulchan Aruch.23 If a paragraph was long, it was studied as one law, though usually one law is divided there into two paragraphs.
* * *
FOOTNOTES
1.Eichah 3:25.
2.Tehillim 104:2.
3.Note of the Rebbe: “The proof text usually cited is the verse (Mishlei 6:23), ‘For a mitzvah is a lamp and the Torah is light.’ Here, however, the Alter Rebbe seeks to show that the study of ‘the Torah [that] is light’ results in a Divine irradiation, for ‘the light of His Torah,’ like a garment, reveals many aspects of that which is clothed in it. (This is why [the Alter Rebbe writes above that ‘the Torah is simply] called light (אור),’ for this term shows — more than the term תורה אור — that [the light of the Torah] serves as a garment by which Gd is revealed.) See also the Tzemach Tzedek on the phrase Oteh or.”
4.Yeshayahu 35:2.
5.The variant reading literally means “over G‑d”; i.e., they delight in G‑d Himself.
6.Zechariah 9:14.
7.Note of the Rebbe: “See Iggeret HaKodesh, end of Epistle XV, [regarding the light that comes forth] from “the source [of the intellect, ... like ... a flash of lightning].’”
8.Kiddushin 39b.
9.Sanhedrin 39a.
10.Tehillim 90:17.
11.Note of the Rebbe: “The interpretation that the ‘work of our hands’ refers to the ‘study of the Torah’ and the ‘fulfillment of the commandments,’ requires further examination.”
12.Zohar II, 90b; see also II, 60a, and III, 73a.
13.Kiddushin 39b.
14.Tehillim 62:13.
15.Note of the Rebbe: “Seemingly, where is the kindness if He pays the individual according to his work? This question indicates that G‑d’s kindness lies in His enabling a [finite] mortal to receive [the infinite reward].”
16.Sanhedrin 100b.
17.Note of the Rebbe: “...for they were not granted this capacity.”
18.Note of the Rebbe: “Further examination is required to understand the meaning [of ‘one angel’].”
19.Note of the Rebbe: “This requires further examination, for angels elevate even congregational prayers. [How, then, is this possible if they become utterly nullified in the presence of ten Jews?]”
20.Note of the Rebbe: “We must say that the reason why the ten Jews themselves do not become nullified, etc., nor terrorstricken, etc., is that [the Divine Presence] is not perceived even by their mazal. [I.e., it is not perceived even superconsciously, by the heavenly root of their souls.] (For if it wereperceived, they would no doubt be in a state of trepidation, as in our Sages’ description [Megillah 3a] of Daniel’s friends.) Indeed, this [state of unawareness] must exist, for without it free choice would cease, as is to be understood from the disposition of Daniel’s friends.“
As to the benefit of the indwelling of the Shechinah: [i.e., if this is totally concealed from the Jew, what possible benefit does he derive from it?] — It grants him assistance, though concealed, in his spiritual service.”
21.Pp. 97-98.
22.P. 101.
23.Note of the Rebbe: “This is most likely a typographical slip, for (1) even in later generations the study of Kitzur Shulchan Aruch was not widespread in Russia; (2) most paragraphs contain one law each; (3) it was first printed during the last years of the Tzemach Tzedek, outside of Russia; (4) the Alter Rebbe’s Shulchan Aruch was published early in the leadership of the Mitteler Rebbe, and from that time onward regular sessions were surely set up for the study of its clearly delineated laws. What possible reason would there be to change this and replace it [by the study of Kitzur Shulchan Aruch]?”
Wednesday, 21 Tishrei 5778 / October 11, 2017
The Mishneh Torah was the Rambam's (Rabbi Moses ben Maimon) magnum opus, a work spanning hundreds of chapters and describing all of the laws mentioned in the Torah. To this day it is the only work...
More
Daily Mitzvah
Negative Commandment 11, 12, 13; Positive Commandment 185; Negative Commandment 25, 22, 48, 50, 51, 30, 33, 31, 32
The Mishneh Torah was the Rambam's (Rabbi Moses ben Maimon) magnum opus, a work spanning hundreds of chapters and describing all of the laws mentioned in the Torah. To this day it is the only work...
More
Daily Mitzvah
Negative Commandment 11, 12, 13; Positive Commandment 185; Negative Commandment 25, 22, 48, 50, 51, 30, 33, 31, 32
Negative Commandment 11 (Digest)
A Structure Designated for Worship
"Do not erect a monument which the Lord, your G‑d, despises"—Deuteronomy 16:22.
It is forbidden to erect a structure designed for people to gather around it to worship—even to worship the One G‑d. This is forbidden because erecting such a revered structure was common practice amongst the ancient idol worshippers.
The 11th prohibition is that we are forbidden from making a monument1 for people to gather around and honor, even if it was made for serving G‑d. The reason for this prohibition is so that our service of G‑d, exalted be He, should not resemble that of idolatry, since they would build monuments and place idols upon them.
The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement (exalted be He),2 "Do not erect a sacred pillar, since this is something that G‑d your Lord hates."3
One who transgresses this prohibition is punished by lashes.
Rabbi Berel Bell is a well-known educator, author and lecturer. He and his family reside in Montreal, Canada.
From "Sefer Hamitzvot in English," published by Sichos in English.
FOOTNOTES
1.See Minchas Yitzchak 1:29.
2.Deut. 16:22
3.Even though Jacob did erect a monument to G‑d (Gen 28:18), "what was beloved in the days of the forefathers, became hated in the days of the children," since the Canaanite nations started using monuments for idolatry (Sifri).
Negative Commandment 12 (Digest)
Kneeling Stones
"You shall not install a kneeling stone in your land, to bow down upon it"—Leviticus 26:1.
It is forbidden to make designated stones upon which to bow down—even if bowing to the One G‑d. This is forbidden because it was common practice amongst the ancient idol worshippers to decorate "kneeling stones" and place them before their idols.
The 12th prohibition is that we are forbidden from making stones which are prepared1 to bow down upon — even if this bowing down is to G‑d, exalted be He. The reason for this prohibition is also2 to not resemble that of idolatry, since they would place stones decorated by expert craftsmen3 in front of the idols, and bow down upon them to that idol.
The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement (exalted be He),4 "Do not place a designed5 stone in your land so you can prostrate yourselves on it."
One who transgresses this prohibition is punished by lashes.6
In the words of the Sifra,7 "The phrase, 'Do not place [a designed stone] in your land,' teaches that only 'in [the rest of] your land' you may not bow down upon stones; but you may bow down upon stones in the Holy Temple."
The details of this mitzvah have been explained in the Talmudic tractate Megillah.8
Rabbi Berel Bell is a well-known educator, author and lecturer. He and his family reside in Montreal, Canada.
From "Sefer Hamitzvot in English," published by Sichos in English.
FOOTNOTES
1.Or "designated," "intended" (Kapach, 5731, note 69). Chavel erroneously translates, "figured stones."
2.In addition to the previous N11.
3.Or, "decorated professionally" (Kapach, 5731, note 70).
4.Lev. 26:1.
5.See Kapach, 5731, note 71. Hilchos Avodah Zarah 6:9 (Kapach edition, note 16)
6.In Hilchos Avodah Zarah 6:9-12, the Rambam rules that this applies only if the person prostrates himself to G‑d with his arms and legs outstretched. If he does so without extending himself in this way, he transgresses a Rabbinic prohibition. If he bows down to an idol, however, he is executed by stoning regardless of the precise manner in which he bows down.
7.Ibid.
8.22b.
Negative Commandment 13 (Digest)
Trees in the Temple
"Do not plant for yourself an Asherah of any tree near the altar of the Lord your G‑d"—Deuteronomy 16:21.
It is forbidden to plant any tree near the altar, or anywhere in the Holy Temple. This is forbidden because it was common practice amongst the ancient idol worshippers to plant beautiful decorative trees in their temples.
The 13th prohibition is that we are forbidden from planting trees in the Holy Temple or next to the altar for decoration or beauty, even if the intention is to serve G‑d. This is because they would also honor idols in this way, i.e. by planting beautiful, pleasant-looking trees in their houses of worship.
The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement (exalted be He),1 "Do not plant for yourself an Asherah2 or any [other] tree near the altar of G‑d your Lord."
One who transgresses this prohibition is punished by lashes.3
The details of this mitzvah have been explained in the Talmudic tractate Tamid.4 There it is explained that this planting is prohibited in the entire Temple.5
Rabbi Berel Bell is a well-known educator, author and lecturer. He and his family reside in Montreal, Canada.
From "Sefer Hamitzvot in English," published by Sichos in English.
FOOTNOTES
1.Deut. 16:21.
2.A tree which is itself worshipped as an idol, or when the idol is placed underneath the tree (Hilchos Avodah Zarah 7:11).
3.It is also prohibited to use wood built into the Temple structure, but lashes are given only if the tree was planted (Hilchos Avodah Zarah 6:14)
4.28b.
5.I.e. the Temple courtyard (Hilchos Avodah Zarah 6:13).
Positive Commandment 185 (Digest)
Destroying Idols
"Destroy all those places"—Deuteronomy 12:2.
We are commanded to utterly eradicate all vestiges of idol worship from the Land of Israel. To shatter, burn, destroy and cut down—any method needed to destroy the idols, their altars, and their houses of worship.
The 185th mitzvah is that we are commanded to demolish all idols and their places of worship with all kinds of demolition and destruction — breaking, burning, dismantling, and cutting down. Each method is to be used where most effective, i.e. where it will achieve the most complete and speedy destruction. The goal [of this commandment] is that there should not remain any remnant of [idolatry].
The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement (exalted be He),1 "You must certainly destroy all the places [where the nations … worship their gods]." Scripture also states,2 "What you must do to them is tear down their altars [break their monuments, cut down their idolatrous trees, and burn their statues]." Scripture also states,3 "You must tear down their altars, break their monuments [burn their idolatrous trees, and break their idolatrous statues]."
In Tractate Sanhedrin,4 our Sages mention parenthetically a positive commandment relating to idolatry. They then seek to clarify the point by asking, "What positive commandment5 relating to idolatry is there? Rav Chisda explains, The commandment, 'You must tear down [their altars].'"
In the words of the Sifri, "What is the source for the law that if you cut down a tree which was worshipped as an idol, and it regrew [after you have cut it down even] ten times, that you are still required to cut it down? The Torah therefore says, 'a'beid t'ab'dun'."6 Our Sages also said there, "The verse,7 '[You must tear down their altars, break their monuments, burn their idolatrous trees, and break their idolatrous statues,] and you shall obliterate their names from that place,' teaches that only in Eretz Yisrael are you command to chase after them, but you are not commanded to chase after them outside Eretz Yisrael."
Rabbi Berel Bell is a well-known educator, author and lecturer. He and his family reside in Montreal, Canada.
From "Sefer Hamitzvot in English," published by Sichos in English.
FOOTNOTES
1.Deut. 12:2.
2.Deut. 7:5.
3.Deut. 12:3.
4.90a.
5.This expression shows that it counts as one of the 613 commandments.
6.The double expression of destruction teaches that you must repeat the action until the purpose is accomplished. See Bava Metzia 31b.
7.Deut. 12:3.
Negative Commandment 25 (Digest)
Benefiting from Idolatry
"Do not bring an offensive [idol] into your house"—Deuteronomy 7:26.
We are forbidden from deriving any benefit from an idol, or any of its implements. For example, it would be forbidden to cook on a fire fueled by wood from an Asherah (worshipped) tree.
The 25th prohibition is that we are forbidden from adding to our possessions anything having to do with idolatry. Rather, we distance ourselves from it, from its places of worship, and from anything relating to it.1
The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement (exalted be He),2 "Do not bring an abomination into your house."
One who gains benefit from anything [related to idolatry] is punished by lashes.
It has been explained in tractate Makkos3 that one who cooks using wood from an asherah4 is punished with two sets of lashes:5 one set for transgressing the prohibition, "Do not bring an abomination into your house," and another set for transgressing the prohibition,6 "Do not allow anything that has been declared taboo to remain in your hands." Understand this well.
The details of this mitzvah have been explained in the third chapter of Avodah Zarah.
Rabbi Berel Bell is a well-known educator, author and lecturer. He and his family reside in Montreal, Canada.
From "Sefer Hamitzvot in English," published by Sichos in English.
FOOTNOTES
1.This includes anything which was brought as an offering and anything at all which was made for the idol (Hilchos Avodah Zarah 7:3).
2.Deut. 7:26.
3.24a.
4.See N13 above.
5.This shows that N24 and N25 count as separate commandments.
6.Deut. 13:18. See N24.
Negative Commandment 22 (Digest)
Benefiting from Idolatrous Decorations
"Do not covet the silver or the gold that is on them"—Deuteronomy 7:25.
It is forbidden to derive any benefit from idolatrous accoutrements, such as jewelry used to adorn an idol or the idol's gold plating.
The 22nd prohibition is that we are forbidden from gaining benefit from any ornaments which were used to adorn an idol.1
The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement,2 "Do not desire the gold and silver which is on them."
The Sifra3 explains that the coverings of any idol are forbidden, and bases this prohibition on G‑d's statement (exalted be He),4 "Do not desire the gold and silver which is on them."
One who transgresses this prohibition is punished by lashes.
The details of this mitzvah have been explained in the third chapter of Avodah Zarah.5
Rabbi Berel Bell is a well-known educator, author and lecturer. He and his family reside in Montreal, Canada.
From "Sefer Hamitzvot in English," published by Sichos in English.
FOOTNOTES
1.This applies even if one is allowed to benefit from the idol itself, such as when the idolaters worship a mountain. One may benefit from the mountain, but not from anything used to adorn it. (See Hilchos Avodah Zarah 8:7.)
2.Deut. 7:25.
3.Lev. Parsha 2, halachah 17.
4.Deut. Ibid.
5.45a.
Negative Commandment 48 (Digest)
Treaties with the Seven Nations
"You shall not make a treaty with them"—Deuteronomy 7:2.
It is forbidden to make a peace treaty with the members of the seven nations of Canaan and to allow them to live peacefully in our midst—unless they agree to abandon their pagan ways.
The 48th prohibition is that we are forbidden from making a covenant with the heretics, i.e. the seven nations,1 and to allow them to remain2 in their heresy.
The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement (exalted be He),3 "Do not make a covenant with them."
We have already explained in Positive Commandment 187 that the war against the seven nations and everything connected with them can be counted [in the 613 commandments], and are not placed in the category of commandments which do not apply for all generations.4
Rabbi Berel Bell is a well-known educator, author and lecturer. He and his family reside in Montreal, Canada.
From "Sefer Hamitzvot in English," published by Sichos in English.
FOOTNOTES
1.I.e. the seven Canaanite nations. The standard printed edition of Mishneh Torah (Hilchos Avodah Zarah 10:1) also brings this prohibition only in regard to the seven nations. In the final revised version, however (preserved in the hand-written Yemenite manuscripts and printed in Kapach's edition of Mishneh Torah), the Rambam rules that this prohibition applies to all idol worshippers, not only those from the seven nations. This is consistent with his ruling in Hilchos Melachim 6:3 (Kapach 5731, note 56). See Minchas Chinuch 93.
2.Or possibly, "to make peace with them" (Kapach 5731, note 55). In Hilchos Avodah Zarah 10:1, the Rambam mentions both: "to make peace with them and to allow them to serve [idols].
3.Deut. 7:2.
4.In the Third Introductory Principle, the Rambam explains that commandments which do not apply for all generations may not be counted among the total of 613. Although we are unable today to identify these seven nations, the commandment itself is still eternal, as explained in P187.
Negative Commandment 50 (Digest)
Kindness towards Idol-Worshipers
"Do not show mercy towards them"—Deuteronomy 7:2.
We are not to show mercy to idol-worshippers, nor are we permitted to praise them. It is even forbidden to say about an idol-worshipper, "Look at how attractive this individual is!"
The 50th prohibition is that we are forbidden from having pity on idol worshippers or from being impressed1 with anything associated with them.
The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement (exalted be He),2 "Lo techanem." ["You shall not allow them to find grace in your eyes."]
The Oral Tradition explains that this means, "Do not ascribe grace to them." It is even prohibited to say about an idol worshipper who has a beautiful appearance, "This person is beautiful," or "This person has a beautiful face," as explained in our Talmud.3
The Jerusalem Talmud, tractate Avodah Zarah4 says, "The prohibition not to ascribe grace to them counts as a prohibition."
Rabbi Berel Bell is a well-known educator, author and lecturer. He and his family reside in Montreal, Canada.
From "Sefer Hamitzvot in English," published by Sichos in English.
FOOTNOTES
1.Kapach translates the Arabic "as'tachsan" into the Hebrew, "l'shabe'ach," which is literally translated, "to praise" (as Chavel does). In note 62, however, Kapach writes that he uses this word only because there is no Hebrew word which expresses the Arabic, which connotates being emotionally affected by the beauty of something of theirs.
2.Deut. ibid.
3.Avodah Zarah 20a.
4.Chapter 1, Halachah 9.
Negative Commandment 51 (Digest)
Allowing Idol-Worshipers to Reside in Israel
"They shall not dwell in your land lest they make you sin against Me"—Exodus 23:33.
We must not allow idol-worshippers to dwell in our midst in the Holy Land, lest we learn from their heretical ways. And it is certainly forbidden to sell or even rent real estate to an idol-worshipper in the land.
In fact, if an idol-worshipper wants to pass through our land while en route to his final destination, we do not allow passage unless he forswears idolatry.
The 51st prohibition is that we are forbidden from allowing idol worshippers to reside in our land, to prevent us from being influenced by their heresy.
The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement (exalted be He),1 "Do not allow them to reside in your land, since they may then make you sin against Me."
Even if he just wants to pass through2 our land, we are not allowed to do so unless he accepts upon himself not to worship idols. Once he does so, he is allowed to reside [in eretz Yisrael], and is called a ger toshav,3 meaning that he is considered a convert only to the extent that he is allowed to reside in our land. Our Sages said,4 "Who is a ger toshav? One who accepts upon himself not to worship idols. This is the opinion of Rabbi Yehuda."5
An idol worshipper, however, is not allowed to reside [in our land], and we do not sell him land nor rent to him. The [Oral] Tradition states clearly,6 "You may not allow him any residence in the land."
The details of this mitzvah have been explained in Sanhedrin and in Avodah Zarah.
Rabbi Berel Bell is a well-known educator, author and lecturer. He and his family reside in Montreal, Canada.
From "Sefer Hamitzvot in English," published by Sichos in English.
FOOTNOTES
1.Exodus 23:33.
2.Chavel mistakenly translates, "stay in our land."
3.Literally, a "resident convert," as opposed to a "ger tzedek," who converts completely and becomes a Jew.
4.Avodah Zarah 64b.
5.Our version of the Talmud quotes this in the name of Rabbi Meir. The majority of the Sages, however, rule that he is not considered a ger toshav until he accepts all of the Seven Noachide Commandments. The final ruling of the Rambam (Hilchot Avodah Zarah 10:6. Shabbat 2:14. Isurei Bi'ah 14:7. Ma'achalot Asurot 11:7. Melachim 8:10) and the Shulchan Aruch (Yoreh Deah 124:2) is in accordance with the Sages.
6.Avodah Zarah 20a.
Negative Commandment 30 (Digest)
The Practices of the Heathens
"You shall not walk in the practices of the nation that I am sending away before you"—Leviticus 20:23.
We are forbidden from imitating the practices of the idolaters—even in those areas not associated with their pagan rites. Even something as simple as saying, "Since they dress in purple wool, I, too, will dress in purple wool..." is forbidden.
The 30th prohibition is that we are forbidden from walking in the ways of the heretics and from acting as they do — even in their clothing and their gatherings in halls.
The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement,1 "Do not follow the customs of the nation that I am driving out before you." This prohibition is repeating in G‑d's statement,2 "Do not follow their customs," which is explained,3 " I [G‑d] have prohibited only customs which have been established by them and their ancestors.
In the words of the Sifra, "The verse,4 'Do not follow their customs,' teaches that you may not follow the social customs which they have established, such as [attending] theaters, circuses and arenas, which are places where they would gather for idol worship. Rabbi Meir says that these [customs] are the 'ways of the Amorites'5 which our Sages have listed. Rabbi Yehuda ben Beteira says that [this teaches that] one may not nocher,6 nor grow one's hair long, nor cut one's hair in "kumi"7 style."
One who does any of these is punished by lashes.
This same prohibition is repeated in a different way,8 "Be very careful lest you be entrapped after them." In the words of the Sifri, "'Be very careful' [hishomer], indicates a prohibition; 'lest' [pen], indicates a prohibition; 'you be entrapped after them,' that you might imitate them and act as they do, and it will be a stumbling block to you. One should not say, 'Since they go out wearing purple, so too I will go out wearing purple. Since they go out wearing telusin (which is a type of military ornamentation), so too I will go out wearing telusin.'"
You are certainly aware of the words of the prophet,9 "[I shall punish…] all who are wearing non-Jewish clothing." All this is to keep us far away from them, and to despise all their customs, even their dress.
The details of this mitzvah have been explained in the sixth chapter of Shabbos,10 and in Tosefta Shabbos.11
Rabbi Berel Bell is a well-known educator, author and lecturer. He and his family reside in Montreal, Canada.
From "Sefer Hamitzvot in English," published by Sichos in English.
FOOTNOTES
1.Lev.20:23.
2.Lev.18:3.
3.Sifra
4.Lev.18:3.
5.These are types of superstition. See Shabbos 67a.
6.This word normally refers to slaughtering an animal in a non-kosher manner. This being the case, it is difficult to understand why the Sifri should prohibit it as a non-Jewish custom — it is already prohibited due to the laws of kosher slaughter! Others (see Bach, Yoreh Deah 178) learn that it refers to a distinctive non-Jewish hairstyle. Kapach 5731 (note 51) rejects this interpretation, and learns that it does refer to killing animals. He explains that the reason it is mentioned in this prohibition is because it refers to an idolatrous practice in which the animal (particularly a camel) is slaughtered in a way that causes it to make unusually load noises.
7.A non-Jewish hairstyle in which hair from the front half of the head is cut off from one ear to the other, leaving hair only on the rear half of the head.
8.Deut. 12:30.
9.Tzefaniah 1:8.
10.67a.
11.Ch. 7-8.
Negative Commandment 33 (Digest)
Interpreting Omens
"There shall not be found among you... one who interprets omens"—Deuteronomy 18:10.
It is forbidden to base one's actions on supposed good or bad omens. The Midrash gives examples of "bad" omens: "My bread fell out of my mouth, my staff fell out of my hand, a snake passed me on my right, a fox on my left..."
The 33rd prohibition is that we are forbidden from acting on the basis of omens [l'nachesh],1 for example when people say, "Since I just come back from a trip, my will won't be carried out"2; or, "The first thing I saw today was such-and-such — certainly I will earn something today." This kind of behavior is very widespread among the masses of the foolish nations.3
Anyone who acts based on an omen is punished by lashes, in accordance with G‑d's statement (exalted be He),4 "Among you there shall not be found anyone...who divines auspicious times, who divines by omens [menachesh]." This prohibition is repeated in G‑d's statement,5 "Do not act on the basis of omens."
In the words of the Sifri, "Examples of a menachesh are one who says, 'my bread fell from my mouth'6; 'my staff fell from my hand'; 'a snake passed on my right'; 'a fox passed on my left.7'" The Sifra says, "Examples of the prohibition, 'Do not act on the basis of omens,' are those who divine omens from a weasel, birds, stars, etc."
The details of this mitzvah have been explained in the seventh chapter of Shabbos,8 and in Tosefta Shabbos.9
Rabbi Berel Bell is a well-known educator, author and lecturer. He and his family reside in Montreal, Canada.
From "Sefer Hamitzvot in English," published by Sichos in English.
FOOTNOTES
1.The Arabic term has a dual connotation: doing something if one thing happens, and refraining from something if another thing happens. (Kapach 5731, note 79)
2.Chavel, based on the earlier "Kapach" translation, writes, "I will not be favored with success."
3.Kapach 5731 (note 80) writes that the Arabic term for "foolish," denotes a foolish belief that an idol can do something supernatural.
4.Deut. 18:10.
5.Lev.19:26.
6.In Hilchos Avodah Zarah 11:4, the Rambam adds, "therefore I won't go to a certain place today, because if I go, my will won't be carried out."
7.In Hilchos Avodah Zarah ibid., "Since a fox passed on my right, I won't leave my house the entire day, because if I do, I will be harmed by a dishonest person."
8.67b. In our versions, chapter six.
9.Chapters 7-8.
Negative Commandment 31 (Digest)
Soothsaying
"There shall not be found among you... a soothsayer"—Deuteronomy 18:10.
It is forbidden to use any of the methods employed by psychics to stimulate their supposed clairvoyant talents—and to then predict the future based on these actions.
The 31st prohibition is that we are forbidden from practicing divination, i.e. to use any of the various ways of arousing one's faculty of making educated guesses1 [regarding the future]. All those who have the faculty of predicting the future before it occurs can do so only because they have a strong ability to make educated guesses that are accurate and come true in the majority of cases — they therefore estimate what will happen. Some people are superior to others in this, just as some are superior to others in other spiritual faculties.
Those who have this faculty of estimation must perform some action in order to arouse this faculty and strengthen its effect2. Some will continuously strike the ground with a stick, and cry out with strange shouts, and clear away their thoughts; after doing so for a long period of time, they go into a semi-conscious state and predict the future. I once witnessed this in the inner West.3
Some will throw small stones on a piece of leather, and then stare at them for a long period of time and then state their prediction. This is well known in every place I have passed through. Some throw a long leather belt onto the ground, and then stare at it and state their prediction.
The purpose of all these [actions] is to arouse the faculty within the person; not that the particular object affects anything or indicates anything. The common people are mistaken in this regard — when some of the predictions come true, they think that those actions showed the person what would be. This mistake reached the point4 where they thought that some of these actions actually caused what occurred. This is what those who study the paths of the stars5 believe, since this belongs to the same category, i.e., one of the ways of arousing this faculty. Therefore no two individuals will make the same prediction, even though they are equal in their knowledge of the rules [of astronomy].
One who performs any of these actions or any others similar to them is called a kosem [one who practices divination].
The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement (exalted be He),6 "Among you, there shall not be found anyone...who practices divination [kosem k'samim]."
In the words of the Sifri, "Who is considered a kosem? One who grasps a stick and says, 'Shall I go or not?'" It is regarding this method of divination which was popular at that time that the prophet said,7 "My people ask their stick, and their staff speaks to them."
One who transgresses this prohibition — i.e. who does the divination and makes his prediction through performing the particular action — is punished by lashes. One who asked the kosem the question, however, is [merely] very detestable.8
The details of this mitzvah have been explained in tractate Sanhedrin,9 and in Tosefta Shabbos,10 and in Sifri.
Rabbi Berel Bell is a well-known educator, author and lecturer. He and his family reside in Montreal, Canada.
From "Sefer Hamitzvot in English," published by Sichos in English.
FOOTNOTES
1.Kapach 5731, note 59, explains that the Arabic word, chadas, indicates that the person bases himself on a swift general grasp of all factors — those present, those which will be in the future, and the past background. Chavel translates, "conjecture."
2.Kapach 5731, note 61. Chavel translates, « rouse them to activity. »
3.Chavel, following the Ibn Tibbon translation, writes "extreme West (i.e. Spain)."
4.Kapach 5731, note 64.
5.Chavel translates "astrologers," but they would seem to fit under N32.
6.Deut. 18:10.
7.Hoshea 4:12.
8.And receives lashes only by Rabbinic decree (Hilchos Avodah Zarah 11:7).
9.65a.
10.Chapters 7-8.
Negative Commandment 32 (Digest)
Astrology and Divination
"There shall not be found among you... a diviner of times"—Deuteronomy 18:10.
It is forbidden to predict the auspiciousness of times or dates based on astrological formations: "This day is auspicious, and this day not so." It is also forbidden to act based on such predictions.
Also included in this prohibition is sleight of hand. It is forbidden to deceptively use sleight of hand to convince others that one has magical powers.
The 32nd prohibition is that we are forbidden from acting according to the guidelines of astrology, i.e. "this day is auspicious for doing this action, and we will therefore do it," or "this day is not auspicious for doing this action, and we will therefore not do it."
The source of this commandment is G‑d's statement (exalted be He),1 "Among you there shall not be found anyone...who divines auspicious times [m'onen]." This prohibition has been repeated in G‑d's statement,2 "Do not act on the basis of auspicious times [lo t'oneinu]."
In the words of the Sifra, "Lo t'oneinu means that you may not assign times." The root of the [Hebrew] word is onah [time], and the meaning is that a person should not establish times and say one time is good and another time is bad.
One who transgresses this prohibition is also3 punished by lashes. This refers to the one who advises4 regarding the times, not the one who asked. Asking [the astrologer], however, is also prohibited, in addition to [the entire practice] being false. One who thinks that a particular time is lucky, or that it will bring him success in a particular action, and acts based on that belief is punished by lashes, since he performed an action.
Included in this prohibition is making optical illusions. In the words of our Sages,5 "A m'onen refers to one who deceives through optical illusions.6 This covers a broad category of tricks and sleight of hand, causing people to believe things which are untrue. We frequently see people who perform in this way — he takes a rope, puts it in his pocket for everyone to see, and then pulls out a snake; or he throws a ring into the air and then removes it from the mouth of a person standing before him, and similar optical illusions well known to the masses. All these are forbidden, and one who performs any of them is called "ocheiz es ha'eina'im" [one who does optical illusions"], which is a type of witchcraft, and he is therefore punished by lashes.
He is also deceiving people,7 and causes tremendous damage by leading fools, women, and children to view things which are impossible as being possible. Their mind then becomes accustomed to accept the impossible, and to think that it is also possible.
This should be well understood.
Rabbi Berel Bell is a well-known educator, author and lecturer. He and his family reside in Montreal, Canada.
From "Sefer Hamitzvot in English," published by Sichos in English.
FOOTNOTES
1.Deut. 18:10.
2.Lev.19:26.
3.As with the previous commandment, N31.
4.Kapach (note 76) asks why the astrologer himself should receive lashes; lashes are given only when the person performed an action, and here the astrologer only speaks. In Hilchos Avodah Zarah 11:9, he notes, the Rambam only says it is prohibited, and says that lashes are given only when an action is performed. He suggests that perhaps taking the astrological books and making the calculations could be considered in the realm of action.
5.Sanhedrin 65b.
6.The source of this interpretation is that the word m'onen can also be read as containing the word, "ayin," meaning, "eye."
7.See Hilchos De'ot 2:6. Hilchos Mechirah 18:1.
Rambam - 1 Chapter a Day
Yesodei haTorah - Chapter Three
Yesodei haTorah - Chapter Three
1
The spheres are called the heavens, the firmament, the habitation, the skies.
There are nine spheres. The closest sphere is the sphere of the moon. The second sphere, which is above it, is the sphere which contains the planet Kochav. 1 The third sphere, which is above it, contains [the planet] Nogah. 2 The fourth sphere contains the sun. The fifth sphere contains [the planet] Ma'dim. 3 The sixth sphere contains the planet Tzedek. 4 The seventh sphere contains [the planet] Shabbtai. 5The eighth sphere contains all the stars which are seen in the sky. The ninth sphere is the sphere which revolves each day from the east to the west.6 It surrounds and encompasses everything.
The planets and stars all appear to be in one sphere, even though one is higher than another. This is because the spheres are pure and refined like glass or sapphire. Therefore, the stars in the eighth sphere appear lower than the first sphere.
א
הגלגלים הם הנקראים שמים ורקיע וזבול וערבות והם תשעה גלגלים גלגל הקרוב ממנו הוא גלגל הירח והשני שלמעלה ממנו הוא גלגל שבו הכוכב הנקרא כוכב וגלגל שלישי שלמעלה ממנו שבו נוגה וגלגל רביעי שבו חמה וגלגל חמישי שבו מאדים וגלגל ששי שבו כוכב צדק וגלגל שביעי שבו שבתי וגלגל שמיני שבו שאר כל הכוכבים שנראים ברקיע וגלגל תשיעי הוא גלגל החוזר בכל יום מן המזרח למערב והוא המקיף ומסבב את הכל וזה שתראה כל הכוכבים כאילו הם כולם בגלגל אחד ואף על פי שיש בהן זה למעלה מזה מפני שהגלגלים טהורים וזכים כזכוכית וכספיר לפיכך נראים הכוכבים שבגלגל השמיני מתחת גלגל הראשון:
2
Each of the eight spheres which contain the planets and stars are themselves divided into many spheres, one above the other like the layers of an onion. Some of these spheres revolve from the west to the east, and some revolve from the east to the west, such as the ninth sphere, which revolves from the east to the west. There is no empty space between any of them.
ב
כל גלגל וגלגל משמונה הגלגלים שבהם הכוכבים נחלק לגלגלים הרבה זה למעלה מזה כמו גלדי בצלים מהן גלגלים סובבים ממערב למזרח ומהן סובבים ממזרח למערב כמו הגלגל התשיעי החוזר ממזרח למערב וכולן אין ביניהם מקום פנוי:
3
None of the spheres are light or heavy. They are neither red, black, nor any other color. Though we see them as blue, this is only our perception, because of the height of the atmosphere.
Similarly, they have neither taste nor smell, because these phenomena are present only in matter lower than they. 7
ג
כל הגלגלים אינן לא קלים ולא כבדים ואין להם לא עין אדום ולא עין שחור ולא שאר עינות וזה שאנו רואין אותם כעין התכלת למראית העין בלבד הוא לפי גובה האויר וכן אין להם לא טעם ולא ריח לפי שאין אלו המאורעין מצויין אלא בגופות שלמטה מהן:
4
All these [nine] spheres which surround the world are spherical like a ball, and the Earth is suspended in their midst.
Some of the planets have small spheres fixed [around] them. These spheres do not surround the Earth. Rather, a small sphere which does not surround the Earth is fixed within a large sphere which does.
ד
כל הגלגלים האלו המקיפין את העולם הן עגולין ככדור והארץ תלויה באמצע ויש למקצת מן הכוכבים גלגלים קטנים שהן קבועים בהן ואין אותם הגלגלים מקיפין את הארץ אלא גלגל קטן שאינו מקיף קבוע בגלגל הגדול המקיף:
5
The total number of spheres which surround the Earth entirely is eighteen,8 and the number of smaller spheres which do not surround [the world] is eight.
From the movement of the planets and the knowledge of the extent of their revolution each day and each moment, their position either northward or southward, and their distance above the Earth and closeness to it, [it is possible to] know the number of all these spheres, the manner in which they proceed, and the nature of their orbit. This is the science of calculating the seasons and astronomy. Many books about these subjects were written by the wise men of Greece.9
ה
מספר כל הגלגלים המקיפין את כל העולם שמונה עשר ומספר הגלגלים הקטנים שאינן מקיפין שמונה וממהלך הכוכבים וידיעת שיעור סביבתן בכל יום ובכל שעהו ומנטייתן מרוח דרום לרוח צפון ומרוח צפון לרוח דרום ומגבהן מעל הארץ וקריבתן יודע מספר כל אלו הגלגלים וצורת הליכתן ודרך הקפתן וזו היא חכמת חשבון תקופות ומזלות וספרים רבים חיברו בהן חכמי יון:
6
The ninth sphere, which encompasses all the others, was divided by the Sages of the early generations into twelve sections.10They gave each of these sections a name, based on the shapes that appeared to be formed by the stars below it which correspond to it.
These are the mazalot,11 which are called the lamb, the ox, the twins, the crab, the lion, the virgin, the scales, the scorpion, the bow, the goat, the bucket, and the fish.
ו
גלגל התשיעי שהוא מקיף את הכל חלקוהו החכמים הקדמונים לשנים עשר חלקים כל חלק וחלק העלו לו שם על שם צורה זו שתראה בו מן הכוכבים שלמטה ממנו שהם מכוונים תחתיו והם המזלות ששמותם טלה שור תאומים סרטן אריה בתולה מאזנים עקרב קשת גדי דלי דגים:
7
The ninth sphere itself has no division, nor does it possess any of these shapes or any stars. Rather, the larger stars of the constellations of the eighth sphere are seen in the shape of these forms, or [in a form] resembling them.
These twelve forms corresponded to these divisions only at the time of the flood and then, they were given these names. However, at present, they have already moved slightly, because all the stars in the eighth sphere move, as the sun and the moon do. It is just that [these stars] move more slowly. It would take any of these stars approximately seventy years to move the [same] distance which the sun and the moon'' move in one day.
ז
גלגל התשיעי עצמו אין בו לא חלוקה ולא צורה מכל הצורות האלו ולא כוכב אלא בחיבור הכוכבים שבגלגל השמיני הוא שיראה בכוכבים גדולים שבו תבנית הצורות האלו או קרוב מהן ואלו השנים עשר צורות לא היו מכוונות כנגד אותן החלקים אלא בזמן המבול שאז העלו להן שמות אלו אבל בזמן הזה כבר סבבו מעט לפי שכל הכוכבים שבגלגל שמיני כולם סובבים כמו השמש והירח אלא שהן סובבין בכבידות וחלק שיתהלך השמש והירח כנגדו ביום אחד ילך כנגדו כל כוכב מהן בקירוב משבעים שנה:
8
[Among] all the stars we see are small ones which the Earth surpasses in size and large ones which are several times larger than the Earth.
Our Earth is approximately 40 times larger than the moon, and the sun is approximately 170 times larger than the Earth. Thus, the moon is approximately one 6800th the size of the sun. None of the other stars is as large as the sun, nor is one as small as [the planet] Kochav, in the second sphere.
ח
כל הכוכבים הנראים יש מהן כוכבים קטנים שהארץ גדולה מאחד מהן ויש מהן כוכבים גדולים שכל אחד מהן גדול מן הארץ כמה פעמים והארץ גדולה מן הירח כמו ארבעים פעמים והשמש גדולה מן הארץ כמו מאה ושבעים פעמים נמצא הירח אחד מששת אלפים ושמונה מאות מן השמש בקירוב ואין בכל הכוכבים כוכב גדול מן השמש ולא קטן מכוכב שבגלגל השני:
9
All the stars and spheres possess a soul, knowledge, and intellect. They are alive and stand in recognition of the One who spoke and [thus brought] the world into being.
According to their size and level, each one praises and glorifies their Creator as the angels do.12 Just as they are aware of the Holy One, blessed be He, they are also aware of themselves and of the angels which surpass them. The knowledge of the stars and the spheres is less than the knowledge of the angels, but greater than that of men.13
ט
כל הכוכבים והגלגלים כולן בעלי נפש ודעה והשכל הם והם חיים ועומדים ומכירין את מי שאמר והיה העולם כל אחד ואחד לפי גדלו ולפי מעלתו משבחים ומפארים ליוצרם כמו המלאכים וכשם שמכירין הקדוש ברוך הוא כך מכירין את עצמן ומכירין את המלאכים שלמעלה מהן ודעת הכוכבים והגלגלים מעוטה מדעת המלאכים וגדולה מדעת בני אדם:
10
Below the sphere of the moon, God created a [type of] matter14 which differs from the matter of the spheres. He created four forms15 for this matter, which differ from the forms of matter of the spheres.
Each of these forms was fixed in a portion of this matter [as it exists in its totality]. The first of these forms is the form of fire. [When] it became connected to a portion of this matter, from the two there came into being a body of fire.
The second of these forms is the form of wind. [When] it became connected to a portion of this matter, from the two there came into being a body of wind.
The third of these forms is the form of water. [When] it became connected to a portion of this matter, from the two there came into being a body of water.
The fourth of these forms is the form of earth. [When] it became connected to a portion of this matter, from the two there came into being a body of earth.
Thus, below the sky there are four different states of matter, one above the other, each one encompassing the one below it from all directions, like a sphere. The first of these bodies, which is closest to the sphere of the moon, is that of fire. Below it is the body of wind, below it the body of water, and below it the body of Earth. There is no empty space without any matter between them at all.
י
ברא האל למטה מגלגל הירח גולם אחד שאינו כגולם הגלגלים וברא ארבע צורות לגולם זה ואינן כצורת הגלגלים ונקבע כל צורה וצורה במקצת גולם זה צורה ראשונה צורת האש נתחברה במקצת גולם זה ונהיה משניהן גוף האש וצורה שניה צורת הרוח נתחברה במקצתו ונהיה משניהן גוף הרוח וצורה שלישית צורת המים נתחברה במקצתו ונהיה משניהם גוף המים וצורה רביעית צורת הארץ נתחברה במקצתו ונהיה משניהם גוף הארץ נמצא למטה מן הרקיע ארבעה גופין מוחלקין זה למעלה מזה וכל אחד ואחד מקיף את שלמטה ממנו מכל רוחותיו כמו גלגל הגוף הראשון הסמוך לגלגל הירח הוא גוף האש למטה ממנו גוף הרוח למטה ממנו גוף המים למטה ממנו גוף הארץ ואין ביניהם מקום פנוי בלא גוף כלל:
11
These four bodies do not possess a soul, nor are they conscious or knowing. Rather, they are like dead bodies. Each one has its inclinations. However, it is not conscious or knowledgeable [of these inclinations], nor can it change them.
David's statement (Psalms 148:7-8): "Praise God from the Earth, sea-monsters and all the depths; fire and hail, snow and vapor" [does not contradict the above statement].16 That verse should be interpreted: Men, praise [God] for His mightiness which is apparent in the fire, hail, and other creations that can be seen below the sky, because their power is always visible to [both] the great and the small.
יא
ארבעה גופות האלו אינם בעלי נפש ואינם יודעים ולא מכירים אלא כגופים מתים ויש לכל אחד ואחד מהם מנהג שאינו יודעו ולא משיגו ואינו יכול לשנותו וזה שאמר דוד הללו את ה' מן הארץ תנינים וכל תהומות אש וברד שלג וקיטור וביאור ענין הדברים הללוהו בני אדם מגבורותיו שתראו באש ובברד ובשאר ברואים שתראו למטה מן הרקיע שגבורתם תמיד ניכרת לקטן ולגדול:
FOOTNOTES
1.In translation, this word means "star" or "planet." It refers to the planet Mercury.
2.In translation, this word means "shining." It refers to the planet Venus.
3.In translation, this word means "reddening." It refers to the planet Mars.
4.In translation, this word means "justice." It refers to the planet Jupiter.
5.In translation, this word means "the Sabbatical." It refers to the planet Saturn.
6.Sanhedrin 91b states that the Shechinah (Divine Presence) is in the west. Hence, the movement of this sphere in this direction can be considered an act of service to God.
7.As stated in Halachah 10 and in Chapter 2, Halachah 3, the state of matter of the spheres differs from the state of matter in our world.
8.As stated in Halachah 10 and in Chapter 2, Halachah 3, the state of matter of the spheres differs from the state of matter in our world.
9.These include some of the smaller spheres which are included with the eight larger spheres.
10.Note the Rambam's remarks in Hilchot Kiddush HaChodesh 17:24:
This is the science of the seasons and geometry about which the wise men of Greece composed many books. These are presently found in the hands of the Sages. However, the texts which were composed by the Sages of Israel of the tribe of Issachar in the time of the Prophets have not reached us.
[Nevertheless,] since these concepts have been proven conclusively... we are not concerned about the author, regardless of whether they were authored by the prophets or the gentiles.... We are not relying on the person who states or teaches the concept, but on the proofs.
11.The term mazal literally means "source of influence." In the Rambam's time, it was commonly felt that the position of the stars affected one's future. For this reason, the word mazal is often translated as "fortune" or "luck." Many Torah Sages shared these ideas - albeit with the qualification that a Jew always has the potential to rise above these influences. (See the Ra'avad's comments to Hilchot Teshuvah 5:5; Ramban, Responsum 282; and the Nimukei Yosef, Sanhedrin, Chapter 7).
The Rambam totally dismisses the influence of astrology. In his Commentary on the Mishnah, Avodah Zarah 4:7, he describes it as "empty words and lies," and in Shemonah Perakim, Chapter 8, he mentions "the madness with which the astrologers attempt to deceive."
12.Thus, Pesachim 2a interprets Psalms 148:3, "Praise Him all shining stars," simply - i.e., the stars render praise to God. However, note how the Targum and the Midrash Sachar Tov interpret Psalms 19:2, "The heavens relate the glory of God," as "The heavens cause others to relate.
13.Note the differences between this halachah and Chapter 2, Halachah 8.
14.This refers to primeval, unformed matter. In Greek terminology, it is referred to as hyli.
15.The word "form" in this context refers to the entity's spiritual qualities and not its physical shape.
16.Although Notes 6 and 11 mentions the Sages' interpretation of the movement of the stars and spheres as an expression of their praise of God, such a statement cannot be made with regard to these four fundamental elements. The, unlike the stars, are not conscious beings, and their movement and activity are merely natural patterns imprinted within them by God, as explained in Chapter 4, Halachah 2.
Rambam - 3 Chapters a Day
Avodat Kochavim - Chapter Seven, Avodat Kochavim - Chapter Eight, Avodat Kochavim - Chapter NineAvodat Kochavim - Chapter Seven
1
It is a positive commandment to destroy false deities, all their accessories, and everything that is made for their purposes, as [Deuteronomy 12:2] states: "You shall surely destroy all the places [where the gentiles... served their gods]" and, as [implied by Deuteronomy 7:5]: "Rather, what you should do to them is tear down their altars."
In Eretz Yisrael, the mitzvah requires us to hunt after idol worship until it is eradicated from our entire land. In the diaspora, however, we are not required to hunt after it. Rather, whenever we conquer a place, we must destroy all the false deities contained within.
[The source for this distinction is Deuteronomy 12:3, which] states: "And you shall destroy their name from this place," [implying that] you are obligated to hunt false deities in Eretz Yisrael, but you are not obligated to do so in the diaspora.
א
מצות עשה היא לאבד עבודת כוכבים ומשמשיה וכל הנעשה בשבילה שנאמר אבד תאבדון את כל המקומות ונאמר כי אם כה תעשו להם וגו' ובארץ ישראל מצוה לרדוף אחריה עד שנאבד אותה מכל ארצנו אבל בחוץ לארץ אין אנו מצווין לרדוף אחריה אלא כל מקום שנכבוש אותו נאבד כל עבודת כוכבים שבו שנאמר ואבדתם את שמם מן המקום ההוא בארץ ישראל אתה מצווה לרדוף אחריהן ואי אתה מצווה לרדוף אחריהן בחוץ לארץ:
Commentary on Halachah 1
2
It is forbidden to benefit from false deities, their accessories, offerings for them, and anything made for them, as [implied by Deuteronomy 7:26]: "Do not bring an abomination to your home."
Anyone who derives benefit from any of the above receives two measures of lashes: one because of the prohibition, "Do not bring an abomination...," and one because of the prohibition, "Let nothing which is condemned cling to your hand."
ב
עבודת כוכבים ומשמשיה ותקרובת שלה וכל הנעשה בשבילה אסור בהנאה שנאמר ולא תביא תועבה אל ביתך וכל הנהנה באחד מכל אלו לוקה שתים אחת משום ולא תביא ואחת משום ולא ידבק בידך מאומה מן החרם:
Commentary on Halachah 2
3
It is forbidden to benefit from an animal which was sacrificed to false deities in its entirety - even its excrement, its bones, its horns, its hooves, and its hide. It is forbidden to benefit from it at all.
To cite an example, the hide of an animal which is marked by a sign that indicates that it was offered as a sacrifice to false deities - e.g., it has a round hole in the place of the heart through which the heart is extracted, which was a common practice [of idolaters] - It is forbidden to benefit from all of these hides and others of the like.
ג
בהמה שהקריבוה כולה לעבודת כוכבים אסורה בהנאה אפילו פרשה ועצמותיה וקרניה וטלפיה ועורה הכל אסור בהנאה לפיכך אם היה בעור סימן שיודע בו שזה העור תקרובת עבודת כוכבים הוא כגון שהיו עושים שקורעים קרע עגול כנגד הלב ומוציאין הלב הרי כל אותן העורות שהן כך אסורין בהנאה וכן כל כיוצא בזה:
Commentary on Halachah 3
4
What is the difference between an idol belonging to a gentile and one belonging to a Jew? It is forbidden to benefit from an idol belonging to a gentile immediately [after it is fashioned], as [implied by Deuteronomy 7:25]: "You shall burn the sculptures of their gods with fire" - i.e., they are considered gods as soon as they have been sculpted.
[In contrast,] it is not forbidden to benefit from a Jew's [idol] until he worships it, as [implied by Deuteronomy 27:15]: "[Cursed is the person who makes an idol...] and places it in a hidden place" - i.e., it is not forbidden until he does private acts - i.e., worship - on its behalf.
The accessories of idol worship, whether belonging to a Jew or to a gentile, are not forbidden until they were actually used for the purpose of idol worship.
ד
מה בין עבודת כוכבים של עובד כוכבים לעבודת כוכבים של ישראל עבודת כוכבים של עובד כוכבים אסורה בהנאה מיד שנאמר פסילי אלהיהם תשרפון באש משפסלו נעשה לו אלוה ושל ישראל אינה אסורה בהנאה עד שתעבד שנאמר ושם בסתר עד שיעשה לה דברים שבסתר שהן עבודתה ומשמשי עבודת כוכבים בין של עובד כוכבים בין של ישראל אינן אסורין עד שישתמשו בהן לעבודת כוכבים:
Commentary on Halachah 4
5
[When] a person makes an idol for another person - although he receives lashes - his wage is permitted. [This applies] even when he made [the idol] for a gentile, and it is therefore forbidden immediately.
[What is the rationale for the latter decision? The idol] is not forbidden until it is completed and the hammer-stroke which completes it is not worth a penny.
[The following rules apply when] a person buys scrap metal from a gentile and finds idols within it: If he has already paid the money, but has not taken possession of it, he should return it to the gentile. The same [rules] apply if he took possession of it, but did not pay the money. Though taking possession represents a formal transfer of ownership in dealings with a gentile, the transaction was made in error. If he paid the money and took possession [of the scrap], he must take [the idols] to the Dead Sea.
Similarly, when a gentile and a convert [divide] the estate of their father - a gentile - the convert may tell the gentile, "Take the idols and I will take the money," "Take the forbidden wine and I will take the produce." Once [idols] come into the possession of the convert, however, they are forbidden.
ה
העושה עבודת כוכבים לאחרים אע"פ שהוא לוקה שכרו מותר ואפילו עשאה לעובד כוכבים שהיא אסורה מיד מפני שאינה נאסרת עד שתגמר ומכוש אחרון שגומרה אין בו שוה פרוטה הלוקח גרוטאות מן העובד כוכבים ומצא בהן עבודת כוכבים אם נתן מעות ולא משך יחזירם לעובד כוכבים וכן אם משך ולא נתן מעות אף על פי שמשיכה בעובד כוכבים קונה כמקח טעות הוא נתן מעות ומשך יוליכם לים המלח וכן עובד כוכבים וגר שירשו את אביהן עובד כוכבים יכול הגר לומר לעובד כוכבים טול אתה עבודת כוכבים ואני מעות טול אתה יין נסך ואני פירות ואם משבאו לרשות הגר אסור:
Commentary on Halachah 5
6
We are allowed to benefit from images which gentiles made for aesthetic purposes. It is forbidden, however, to benefit from images that are made for the purpose of idol worship.
What is implied? It is forbidden to benefit from any images found in villages, for one may assume that they were made for the sake of idol worship. When images are found in a city, they are forbidden only when they are found at the entrance to the city and hold a staff, bird, globe, sword, crown, or ring in their hands. Otherwise, we may assume that they were made for aesthetic purposes, and benefit from them is permitted.
ו
צורות שעשאום עובדי כוכבים לנוי מותרין בהנאה וצורות שעשאום לעבודת כוכבים אסורין כיצד כל הצורות הנמצאים בכפרים אסורים בהנאה מפני שחזקתן שלעבודת כוכבים הן עשויין והנמצאות במדינה אם היו עומדין על פתח המדינה והיה ביד הצורה צורת מקל או צפור או כדור או סייף או עטרה וטבעת חזקתו שהוא לעבודת כוכבים ואסור בהנאה ואם לאו הרי הוא בחזקת לנוי ומותר:
Commentary on Halachah 6
7
Statues of false deities which are found discarded in the marketplace or in a scrap metal heap are permitted. Needless to say, this applies to pieces of statues.
In contrast, should one find a hand, a foot, or another limb from the form of one of the constellations or celestial signs, it is forbidden to benefit from it. Since one knows that this limb is one of the images that is worshiped, the prohibition against [benefiting from it] remains until one knows that the gentiles who worshiped it, nullified it.
ז
צלמי עבודת כוכבים הנמצאים מושלכים בשוקים או בתוך הגרוטאות הרי אלו מותרין ואין צריך לומר שברי צלמיהן אבל המוצא יד מצורת כוכב או מזל או רגלה או אבר מאיבריה מושלך הרי זה אסור בהנאה הואיל וידע בודאי שזה האבר מן צורת עבודת כוכבים הנכבדת הרי היא באיסורה עד שיודע לו שהעובדי כוכבים עובדיה בטלוה:
Commentary on Halachah 7
8
[The following laws apply when] a person finds articles which have the form of the sun, the moon, or a d'rakon upon them: If they are golden or silver objects, or silk garments, or if these forms were engraved on a nose-ring or finger-ring, they are forbidden. If these forms are found on other articles, they are permitted, since we may assume that they were made for aesthetic purposes. Similarly, we may assume that any other form which is found on an article was intended for aesthetic purposes. Therefore, [the articles] are permitted.
ח
המוצא כלים ועליהן צורת חמה ולבנה ודרקון אם היו כלי כסף וזהב או בגדי שני או שהיו חקוקים על הנזמים ועל הטבעות הרי אלו אסורין ועל שאר הכלים מותרין מפני שחזקתן לנוי וכן שאר הצורות הנמצאות על כל הכלים חזקתן לנוי ומותרין:
Commentary on Halachah 8
9
A false deity, its accessories, and the objects offered to it are always forbidden, regardless of the proportion [of a mixture they make up].
What is implied? If an idol becomes mixed together with statues made for aesthetic purposes - even if the proportion is merely one in several thousand - the entire group must be taken to the Dead Sea. Similarly, if a goblet [used for] idol worship becomes mixed together with many other goblets, or a piece of meat [coming from a sacrifice to a false deity] becomes mixed with other meat, the entire group must be taken to the Dead Sea. Similarly, if a hide with a hole through which the heart was removed becomes mixed with other hides, it is forbidden to benefit from the entire mixture.
[When] a person transgresses and sells a false deity, one of its accessories, or an object that was offered to it, it is forbidden to benefit from the money received, and that prohibition [remains if these funds become mixed with others], regardless of the proportion [of the mixture] they make up. [Deuteronomy 7:26] states: "Lest you become condemned like it." [From this we infer,] that anything that comes from a false deity, from any of its accessories, or from [anything] offered to it is [governed by the same prohibitions] as it is.
ט
עבודת כוכבים ומשמשיה וכל התקרובת שלה אוסרים בכל שהן כיצד עבודת כוכבים שנתערבה בצורות של נוי אפילו אחת בכמה אלפים יוליך הכל לים המלח וכן אם נתערב כוס של עבודת כוכבים בכמה כוסות או חתיכה מן הבשר (שנתערבה) בכמה חתיכות יוליך הכל לים המלח וכן עור לבוב שנתערב בכמה עורות הכל אסור בהנאה עבר ומכר עבודת כוכבים או אחד ממשמשיה או תקרובת שלה הרי הדמים אסורין בהנאה ואוסרין בכל שהן כעבודת כוכבים שנאמר והיית חרם כמוהו כל מה שאתה מביא מעבודת כוכבים ומכל משמשיה ותקרובתה הרי היא כמוה:
Commentary on Halachah 9
10
When a false deity or an asherah is burned, it is forbidden to benefit from its ashes. A coal taken from an idol is forbidden; a flame [from an idol] is permitted, for it is not an entity with substance.
When there is a doubt whether an object is connected to idol worship or not, it is forbidden. If, however, that doubt is questionable, it is permitted.
What is implied? Should a goblet used for idol worship fall into a storage room of goblets, they are all forbidden, because a false deity and all its accessories are always forbidden, regardless of the proportion [of a mixture they make up]. If one of the cups from this mixture falls together with two other cups, the the [entire second mixture] is permitted.
Should a ring [used to adorn] an idol become mixed together with one hundred other rings, and then two of them fall into the Mediterranean Sea, it is permissible to use all of them. We presume that the [forbidden] ring was among the two [which fell].
Should [a forbidden ring] become mixed together with a hundred others and then [the group] becomes divided, forty being separated in one group and sixty in another, and then the entire [group of] forty fall into another group of rings, it is permissible to use all of them. We presume that the forbidden ring remained among the majority. If the [group of] sixty fall into another group of rings, they are all forbidden.
י
עבודת כוכבים או אשרה שנשרפה אפרה אסור בהנאה וגחלת של עבודת כוכבים אסורה והשלהבת מותרת מפני שאין בה ממש ספק עבודת כוכבים אסור ספק ספיקה מותר כיצד כוס של עבודת כוכבים שנפל באוצר מלא כוסות כולן אסורים מפני שעבודת כוכבים וכל משמשיה אוסרין בכל שהן פירש כוס אחד מן התערובת ונפל לכוסות שנים הרי אלו מותרין טבעת של עבודת כוכבים שנתערבה בכמה טבעות ונפלו שתים מהן לים הגדול הותרו כולן שאני אומר אותה הטבעת היתה בכלל השתים נתערבה במאה ונתחלקו ארבעים למקום אחד וששים למקום אחר ונפלו הארבעים כולן לטבעות אחרות כלן מותרות שאני אומר אותה הטבעת האסורה ברוב היא נפלו הששים לטבעות אחרות כולן אסורות:
Commentary on Halachah 10
11
Sitting under the shade of the trunk of an asherah - whether it is worshiped itself or whether an idol was placed under it - is forbidden. It is, however, permissible to sit under the shade of its branches and its leaves.
If a person has another route, it is forbidden for him to pass under it. If he has no other route, he may pass under it, provided he runs.
יא
האשרה בין שהיתה נעבדת בין שהיתה עבודת כוכבים ומונחת תחתיה אסור לישב בצל קומתה ומותר לישב בצל השריגים והעלים שלה ואם יש לו דרך אחרת אסור לו לעבור תחתיה ואם אין שם דרך אחרת עובר תחתיה כשהוא רץ:
Commentary on Halachah 11
12
Chicks which do not need their mother and nest in [an asherah] are permitted. In contrast, the chicks and eggs which need their mother are forbidden for the asherah is considered as if it is a base for them. The nest itself - [even though it is] in the top of the tree - is permitted, for the birds bring the wood for it from other places.
יב
אפרוחים שקננו בה ואין צריכין לאמן מותרין והאפרוחים והביצים שצריכין לאמן אסורין שהרי האשרה כמו בסיס להן והקן עצמה שבראשה מותר מפני שהעוף מביא עציו ממקום אחר:
Commentary on Halachah 12
13
It is forbidden to benefit from wood which one takes from it. Should a person have heated the oven with such wood, he must cool it off. Afterwards, he should kindle it with other, permitted, wood and then bake within.
Should he bake bread in [an oven heated in this manner] without cooling it, he is forbidden to benefit from the bread. If [such a loaf] became mixed together with others, he must bring the value of that loaf to the Dead Sea so that he will never benefit from it. The other loaves, however, are permitted.
יג
נטל ממנה עצים אסורים בהנאה הסיק בהן את התנור יוצן ואחר כך יסיק בעצים אחרים של היתר ויאפה בו אפה בו את הפת ולא צננו הפת אסורה בהנאה נתערבה באחרות יוליך דמי אותה הפת לים המלח כדי שלא יהנה בה ושאר הככרות מותרין:
Commentary on Halachah 13
14
If one took [a piece of wood from an asherah to use as] a shuttle, and wove a garment with it, it is forbidden to benefit from [the garment]. Should the garment become mixed together with other garments, he must bring the value of that garment to the Dead Sea. All the other garments, however, are permitted.
It is permissible to plant vegetables under [an asherah] - whether in the summer - when they need the shade - or in the winter. [This leniency is granted] because the vegetables' growth is produced by two factors: the shade of the asherah, which is forbidden, and the earth, which is permitted. Whenever an effect is produced by the combination of a forbidden factor and a permitted factor, it is permitted. Therefore, if a field was fertilized with fertilizer [that was forbidden because of a connection with] idol worship, one may sow it. Similarly, [the meat of] a cow that was fed with beans [that were forbidden because of a connection with] idol worship, may be eaten. The same principle applies in other similar situations.
יד
נטל ממנה כרכר וארג בו את הבגד אסור בהנאה נתערב בבגדים אחרים יוליך דמי אותו הבגד לים המלח ושאר כל הבגדים מותרין ומותר ליטע תחתיה ירקות בין בימות החמה שהן צריכין לצל בין בימות הגשמים מפני שצל האשרה שהוא אסור עם הקרקע שאינה נאסרת גורמין לירקות אלו לצמוח וכל שדבר אסור ודבר מותר גורמין לו הרי זה מותר בכל מקום לפיכך שדה שזבלה בזבל עבודת כוכבים מותר לזרוע אותה ופרה שפטמה בכרשיני עבודת כוכבים תיאכל וכן כל כיוצא בזה:
Commentary on Halachah 14
15
It is not forbidden to benefit from meat, wine, and fruits that were prepared as offerings for idols. Although they were brought into the temple of a false deity, [they are not prohibited] until they are actually brought as offerings.
Once they are brought as offerings, [their status changes] and they remain forbidden forever, even if they were later removed [from the temple].
Torah law forbids benefiting from anything that is found in a temple of a false deity, even water or salt. If a person eats even the slightest amount from such substances, he is [punished by] lashing.
טו
בשר או יין או פירות שהכינום להקריבם לעבודת כוכבים לא נאסרו בהנאה אף על פי שהכניסום לבית עבודת כוכבים עד שיקריבום לפניה הקריבום לפניה נעשו תקרובת ואע"פ שחזרו והוציאום הרי אלו אסורין לעולם וכל הנמצא בבית עבודת כוכבים אפילו מים ומלח אסור בהנאה מן התורה והאוכל ממנו כל שהוא לוקה:
Commentary on Halachah 15
16
[The following laws apply when] a person finds garments, utensils, or money [placed] on the head of an idol. If he finds them [placed] in a derisive manner, they are permitted. If he finds them [placed] in a deferential manner, they are forbidden.
What is implied? If one finds a purse hanging around its neck, folded garments placed on its head, or a utensil overturned on its head, they are permitted, because [they were placed] in a derisive manner. The same applies to other similar situations. [In contrast,] if one finds an object of a type which is used as an offering for the [Temple] altar on the head [of an idol], it is forbidden.
When does the above apply? When one finds such articles outside its [usual] place of worship. When, however, one finds such articles within the [idol's place of worship], regardless of whether it was placed in a derisive manner or in a deferential manner, or whether it is of the type of objects used as sacrifices for the [Temple] altar, any article found within [such a structure] - even water or salt - becomes forbidden.
[Different laws apply regarding] Pe'or and Marculis. It is forbidden to benefit from anything that is found together with them, whether [it is found] in their [temple] or outside of it. Similarly, with regard to the stones [found near a symbol of] Marculis: If a stone appears to be together with it, it is forbidden to benefit from it.
טז
המוצא כסות וכלים ומעות בראש עבודת כוכבים אם מצאן דרך בזיון הרי אלו מותרין ואם מצאן דרך כבוד הרי אלו אסורין כיצד מצא כיס תלוי בצוארו כסות מקופלת ומונחת על ראשו כלי כפוי על ראשו הרי זה מותר מפני שהוא דרך בזיון וכן כל כיוצא בזה מצא בראשו דבר שכיוצא בו קרב לגבי המזבח הרי זה אסור בד"א בזמן שמצאן חוץ למקום עבודתו אבל אם מצאו בפנים בין דרך כבוד בין דרך בזיון בין דבר הראוי למזבח בין דבר שאינו ראוי כל הנמצא בפנים אסור אפילו מים ומלח ופעור ומרקוליס כל הנמצא עמהן בין בפנים בין בחוץ אסור בהנאה וכן אבני מרקוליס אבן הנראית שהיא עמו אסור בהנאה:
Commentary on Halachah 16
17
When [the shrine of] a false deity possesses a bathhouse or a garden, benefit may be derived from it, provided one does not offer appreciation [in return]. [If] one must offer appreciation, it is forbidden.
[If the garden or bathhouse] is mutually owned by [the shrine] and another entity, one may derive benefit from it even if one provides its priests with appreciation. One may not, however, pay a fee.
יז
עבודת כוכבים שהיה לה מרחץ או גינה נהנים בהם שלא בטובה ואין נהנים בהם בטובה היה לה ולאחרים נהנין בהן אפי' בטובת כהניה ובלבד שלא יתן שכר:
Commentary on Halachah 17
18
It is permitted to bathe in a bathhouse even though an idol is located within, because it is placed there for aesthetic purposes and not to be served. [This leniency can be inferred from the use by Deuteronomy 12:2 of the term:] "their gods" - i.e., the prohibition applies when they treat them as gods, and not when they humiliate them, such as in an instance where [the idol] stands over the sewage pipe and they urinate before it.
Should [the idol's] worship involve such activities, it is forbidden to enter [the bathhouse].
יח
מרחץ שיש בה עבודת כוכבים מותר לרחוץ בה מפני שהיא נעשית שם לנוי ולא לעבדה שנאמר אלהיהם בזמן שנוהגים בה מנהג אלהות ולא בזמן שמבזין אותן כגון זו שהיא עומדת על הביב והכל משתינין בפניה ואם היתה דרך עבודתה בכך אסור ליכנס בו:
Commentary on Halachah 18
19
It is permitted to benefit from [an animal] slaughtered using a knife [forbidden because of its connection to] idol worship, because one is detracting from [the animal's] value. If the animal is in danger [of dying], it is forbidden, because one is enhancing its value, and this improvement involves benefit from an accessory of idol worship.
Similarly, it is forbidden to cut meat with [such a knife], because one is enhancing its value. Should one cut with a destructive intent, causing a loss, the meat is permitted.
יט
סכין של עבודת כוכבים ששחט בה הרי זה מותר מפני שהוא מקלקל ואם היתה בהמה מסוכנת הרי זו אסורה מפני שהוא מתקן והרי זה התיקון מהנאת משמשי עבודת כוכבים וכן אסור לחתוך בה בשר מפני שהוא מתקן ואם חתך דרך הפסד והשחתה מותר:
Commentary on Halachah 19
Avodat Kochavim - Chapter Eight
1
It is permitted to derive benefit from anything that has not been manipulated by man or that was not made by man, even though it was worshiped [as a deity]. Therefore, it is permitted to benefit from mountains, hills, trees - provided they were planted originally with the intent of harvesting their fruit - springs which provide water for many people, and animals, despite their having been worshiped by pagans. It is permitted to partake of fruits that were worshiped in the place where they grow and to partake of such an animal.
Needless to say, it is permitted to partake of an animal that was set aside for the purpose of idol worship. It is permitted regardless of whether it was set aside to be worshiped or to be sacrificed [to another deity].
When do the above statements permitting the use of an animal apply? When a deed involving it was not committed for the sake of idol worship. If, however, any deed whatsoever was committed involving it, it is forbidden; for example, one cut one of its signs for the sake of an idol. Should one exchange it for an idol, it is forbidden. Similarly, it is forbidden if it was exchanged for an article that was itself exchanged for an idol, since the latter article is considered to be "payment for an idol."
When does the above apply? Regarding one's own animal. If, however, one slaughtered a colleague's animal for the sake of a false deity, or exchanged it for an idol, it does not become forbidden, because a person cannot cause an article that does not belong to him to become forbidden.
When a person bows down to virgin earth, he does not cause it to become forbidden. If he digs pits, channels, and caverns in it for the sake of a false deity, it becomes forbidden.
א
כל שאין בו תפיסת יד אדם ולא עשהו אדם אף על פי שנעבד הרי זה מותר בהנאה לפיכך עובדי כוכבים העובדים את ההרים ואת הגבעות ואת האילנות הנטועין מתחלתן לפירות ואת המעיינות הנובעין לרבים ואת הבהמה הרי אלו מותרין בהנאה ומותר לאכול אותן הפירות שנעבדו במקום גדילתן ואותה הבהמה ואין צריך לומר הבהמה שהוקצת לעבודת כוכבים שהיא מותרת באכילה בין שהקצוה לעובדה בין שהקצוה להקריבה הרי זו מותרת במה דברים אמורים שאין הבהמה נאסרת בשלא עשה בה מעשה לשם עבודת כוכבים אבל עשה בה מעשה כל שהוא אסרה כיצד כגון ששחט בה סימן לעבודת כוכבים עשאה חליפין לעבודת כוכבים אסרה וכן חליפי חליפין מפני שנעשים דמי עבודת כוכבים בד"א בבהמת עצמו אבל אם שחט בהמת חבירו לעבודת כוכבים או החליפה לא נאסרה שאין אדם אוסר דבר שאינו שלו המשתחוה לקרקע עולם לא אסרה חפר בה בורות שיחין ומערות לשם עבודת כוכבים אסרה:
Commentary on Halachah 1
2
When a person bows down to water which was lifted up by a wave, he does not cause [the water] to become forbidden. If, however, he picked [water] up with his hands and bowed down to it, it becomes forbidden.
If rocks which had slid down from a mountain were worshiped in the place where they [landed], they are permitted, since they were not manipulated by man.
ב
מים שעקרן הגל והשתחוה להן לא אסרן נטלן בידו והשתחוה להן אסרן אבני הר שנדלדלו ועבדן במקומם מותרות שהרי אין בהן תפיסת יד אדם:
Commentary on Halachah 2
3
When a Jew stands a brick up with the intention of bowing down to it, but does not bow down to it, and then a gentile comes and bows down to it, benefit from [the brick] becomes forbidden, because standing it up is considered to be a deed. Similarly, if he stands an egg up and a gentile comes and bows down to it, it becomes forbidden.
If one cuts off a gourd or the like and bows down to it, it is forbidden. Even when one bows down to only half the gourd, and the other half is still attached to it, it is forbidden because of the doubt involved: perhaps the second half is considered to be a handle for the half which was worshiped.
It is forbidden to benefit from a tree which was planted for the purpose of being worshiped. This is the asherah that the Torah mentions. When a tree which had been planted previously was pruned and carved for the sake of idol worship - even if it was extended or a growth was grafted onto the trunk of the tree - and branches grew, one must cut off [these] branches, and benefit from them is forbidden. The remainder of the tree, however, is permitted.
Similarly, when a person bows down to a tree, even though the tree itself is not forbidden, it is forbidden to benefit from all the branches, leaves, sprouts, and fruits which it produces during the time it is worshiped.
When gentiles guard the fruits of a tree and say that they are designated to be used to make alcoholic beverages for a particular pagan temple, and [the fruits] are used for alcoholic beverages which are drunken on their pagan holidays, it is forbidden to benefit from this tree. This is the ritual associated with an asherah. Accordingly, we can assume that [the tree] is an asherah, and therefore its fruits will be used for such purposes.
ג
ישראל שזקף לבינה להשתחות לה ולא השתחוה לה ובא עובד כוכבים והשתחוה לה אסרה בהנאה שזקיפתה מעשה וכן אם זקף ביצה ובא עובד כוכבים והשתחוה לה אסרה חתך דלעת וכיוצא בה והשתחוה לה אסרה השתחוה לחצי דלעת וחצי האחר מעורה בו הרי זה אסור מספק שמא זה החצי כמו יד לחצי הנעבד אילן שנטעו מתחלה שיהיה נעבד אסור בהנאה וזו היא אשרה האמורה בתורה היה אילן נטוע וגדעו ופסלו לשם עבודת כוכבים אפילו הבריך והרכיב בגופו של אילן והוציא שריגים כורת את השריגים והם אסורים בהנאה ושאר האילן מותר וכן המשתחוה לאילן אע"פ שלא נאסר גופו כל השריגים והעלים והלולבין והפירות שיוציא כל זמן שהוא נעבד הרי אלו אסורין בהנאה אילן שהיו העובדי כוכבים משמרין את פירותיו ואומרים שהם מוכנים לעשות שכר לבית עבודת כוכבים פלוני ועושין מהן שכר ושותים אותו ביום חגם הרי זה האילן אסור בהנאה מפני שסתמו שהוא אשרה ולפיכך עושין בפירותיו כך שזו היא חוקה של אשרה:
Commentary on Halachah 3
4
[The following rules apply to] a tree under which a false deity was placed: It is forbidden to benefit from it as long as the deity is located under it. When it is removed, we are permitted [to benefit] from it, since the tree itself is not the entity which was worshiped.
When a gentile constructs a building with the intention that the building itself be worshiped, and, similarly, when a person bows down to a building that has already been constructed, they become forbidden.
When a [building] which had already been constructed, was plastered and embellished for the sake of worship to the extent that it is considered to be a new entity, one must remove all the new additions, and it is forbidden to benefit from them, since they were made with the intention of being worshiped. It is, however, permitted to benefit from the remainder of the building.
If one placed an idol within a house, it is forbidden to benefit from the house while the idol is located within. When it is removed, the house becomes permitted.
Similarly, it is forbidden to benefit from a stone which was hewn from a mountain with the intention that it be worshiped. If it had already been hewn out, but was adorned and embellished with the intention that it be worshiped - even if the stone itself was adorned and embellished and, needless to say, if the adornment was added to it - one must remove all the new additions, and it is forbidden to benefit from them, since they were made with the intention of being worshiped. It is, however, permitted to benefit from the remainder of the stone.
ד
אילן שמעמידין תחתיו עבודת כוכבים כל זמן שהיא תחתיו אסור בהנאה נטלה מתחתיו הרי זה מותר מפני שאין האילן עצמו הוא הנעבד בית שבנאו העובד כוכבים מתחלה שיהא הבית עצמו נעבד וכן המשתחוה לבית בנוי הרי זה אסור בהנאה היה בנוי וסיידו וכיירו לשם עבודת כוכבים עד שנתחדש נוטל מה שחידש והחידוש אסור בהנאה מפני שעשאהו לעובדו ושאר הבית מותר הכניס עבודת כוכבים לתוך הבית כל זמן שהיא שם הבית אסור בהנאה הוציאה הותר הבית וכן אבן שחצבה מתחילה לעובדה אסורה בהנאה היתה חצובה וציירה וכיירה שתעבד אפילו צייר וכייר בגוף האבן ואין צריך לומר אם כייר עליה נוטל מה שחידש והוא אסור בהנאה הואיל ונעשה שיעבד ושאר האבן מותר:
Commentary on Halachah 4
5
A stone on which an idol is placed is forbidden as long as the idol is upon it. Once [the idol] is removed, it is permitted.
When a person's house which is located next to [a shrine of] an idol falls, it is forbidden for him to rebuild it. What must he do? He must move [the wall] within his own four cubits, and then rebuild it. The empty space must not be left free for the sake of the shrine of the idol. Rather, he should fill it with thorns or feces.
If the wall belonged jointly to both a private individual and an idol, it should be considered to belong to them equally. It is permitted to benefit from his half; the [half] belonging to the idol, however, is forbidden. [Similarly,] it is forbidden to benefit from all [the wall's] stones, beams, and earth.
ה
אבן שהעמיד עליה עבודת כוכבים הרי זו אסורה כל זמן שהיא עליה סלקה האבן מותרת מי שהיה ביתו סמוך לעבודת כוכבים ונפל אסור לבנותו כיצד יעשה כונס לתוך שלו ובונה ואותו הריוח ממלאהו קוצים או צואה כדי שלא ירחיב לבית עבודת כוכבים היה הכותל שלו ושל עבודת כוכבים ידון מחצה למחצה מחצה שלו מותר בהנאה ושל עבודת כוכבים הכל אסור בהנאה אבניו עציו ועפרו הכל אסור בהנאה:
Commentary on Halachah 5
6
How must one destroy a false deity and the other entities which are forbidden on its account - e.g., its accessories and offerings? One must grind them and scatter [the dust] in the wind, or burn them and deposit the ashes in the Dead Sea.
ו
כיצד מאבד עבודת כוכבים ושאר דברים האסורים בגללה כגון משמשיה ותקרובת שלה שוחק וזורה לרוח או שורף ומטיל לים המלח:
Commentary on Halachah 6
7
Although [as mentioned above,] an entity which cannot be manipulated by man - e.g., a mountain, animal, or tree - even when worshiped remains permitted, it is forbidden to benefit from its coatings. A person who derives any benefit from them whatsoever is [liable for] lashes, as [Deuteronomy 7:25] states: "Do not desire the silver and gold which are upon them."
Any coating of a false deity is considered to be one of its accessories.
ז
דבר שאין בו תפיסת יד אדם שנעבד כגון הרים ובהמה ואילן אף על פי שהנעבד עצמו מותר בהנאה ציפויו אסור בהנאה והנהנה בכל שהוא מהן לוקה שנאמר לא תחמוד כסף וזהב עליהם וכל ציפויי עבודת כוכבים הרי הן בכלל משמשיה:
Commentary on Halachah 7
8
It is permitted to benefit from a false deity belonging to a gentile whose deification was nullified [by gentiles] before it entered the possession of a Jew, as [Deuteronomy, ibid.] states, "You must burn the statues of their gods with fire." [This command applies] only if they are treated as gods when they enter our possession. If, however, their deification was nullified, they are permitted.
ח
עבודת כוכבים של עובדי כוכבים שבטלוה קודם שתבא לידי ישראל הרי זו מותרת בהנאה שנאמר פסילי אלהיהם תשרפון באש כשבאו לידינו והן נוהגין בהם אלהות אבל אם בטלום הרי אלו מותרין:
Commentary on Halachah 8
9
A false deity belonging to a Jew can never be nullified. Even if he owns it in partnership with a gentile, its nullification is of no consequence. Rather, it is forbidden to benefit from it forever, and it must be entombed.
Similarly, when a false deity belonging to a gentile enters the possession of a Jew, and then is nullified by a gentile, the nullification is of no consequence, and it is forbidden to benefit from it forever.
A Jew cannot nullify a false deity even when it is in the possession of a gentile. A gentile who is a minor or a fool cannot nullify a false deity. When a gentile is forced to nullify a false deity - whether it belongs to him or to other gentiles, even when he is forced to do so by Jews - the nullification is of consequence.
The gentile who nullifies idol worship must himself be an idolater. If he is not an idolater, his nullification is of no consequence.
When [a gentile] nullifies a false deity, he also nullifies [the connection to idol worship of] its accessories. When he nullifies [the connection to idol worship of] its accessories, it is permitted to benefit from the accessories. [The deity] itself, however, remains forbidden until it is nullified. [The connection to idol worship of] an object that was brought to an idol as an offering can never be nullified.
ט
עבודת כוכבים של ישראל אינה בטלה לעולם אפילו היה לעובד כוכבים בה שותפות אין ביטולו מועיל כלום אלא אסורה בהנאה לעולם וטעונה גניזה וכן עבודת כוכבים של עובד כוכבים שבאת ליד ישראל ואח"כ בטלה העובד כוכבים אין ביטולו מועיל כלום אלא אסורה בהנאה לעולם ואין ישראל מבטל עבודת כוכבים ואפילו ברשות עובד כוכבים עובד כוכבים קטן או שוטה אינו מבטל עבודת כוכבים ועובד כוכבים שבטל עבודת כוכבים בין שלו בין של עובדי כוכבים אחרים בעל כרחו אע"פ שאנסו ישראל על כך הרי זו בטילה ובלבד שיהא העובד כוכבים המבטל עובד עבודת כוכבים אבל מי שאינו עובד עבודת כוכבים אין ביטולו ביטול המבטל עבודת כוכבים ביטל משמשיה ביטל משמשיה משמשיה מותרים והיא אסורה בהנאה כמו שהיתה עד שיבטלנה ותקרובת עבודת כוכבים אינה בטילה לעולם:
Commentary on Halachah 9
10
How is [an idol] nullified? When one cuts off the tip of its nose, the tip of its ear, or the tip of its finger, smoothes out its face - even though none of its substance was destroyed - or sells it to a Jewish jeweler, it is nullified.
If, however, one gave it as security for a loan, sold it to a gentile, [sold it] to a Jew who is not a jeweler, [left it] after it was covered by fallen articles without removing them, did not demand its return after it was stolen by thieves, spat in its face, urinated upon it, dragged it [in mud], or threw feces upon it, it is not nullified.
י
כיצד מבטלה קטע ראש חוטמה ראש אזנה ראש אצבעה פחסה בפניה אף על פי שלא חסרה או שמכרה לצורף ישראל הרי זו בטילה אבל אם משכנה או מכרה לעובד כוכבים או לישראל שאינו צורף או שנפלה עליה מפולת ולא פינה גנבוה לסטים ולא תבעוה רקק בפניה השתין בפניה גררה זרק בה את הצואה הרי זו אינה בטילה:
Commentary on Halachah 10
11
When a false deity was abandoned by its worshipers in a time of peace, it is apparent that they nullified it. Hence, benefit may be derived from it. [If it was abandoned] in a time of war, it is forbidden. The only reason they abandoned it was the war.
When a false deity becomes broken in the course of nature, it is forbidden to benefit from its broken pieces until they have been nullified. Accordingly, when a person finds broken pieces of an idol, [he must regard them] as forbidden, lest the gentiles have not nullified them.
[The following principles apply to an idol] which comes in pieces: If it could be reassembled by an ordinary person, each piece must be nullified individually. If [an ordinary person] could not reassemble it, once one has nullified one of its limbs, all of them are nullified.
יא
עבודת כוכבים שהניחוה עובדיה בשעת שלום מותרת בהנאה שהרי בטלוה בשעת מלחמה אסורה מפני שלא הניחוה אלא מפני המלחמה עבודת כוכבים שנשברה מאליה שבריה אסורים בהנאה עד שיבטלוה לפיכך המוצא שברי עבודת כוכבים הרי אלו אסורין בהנאה שמא לא בטלוה העובדי כוכבים ואם היתה של פרקים והדיוט יכול להחזירם צריך לבטל כל פרק ופרק מפרקיה ואם אינו יכול להחזיר כיון שביטל אבר אחד ממנה בטלו כל השברים:
Commentary on Halachah 11
12
Though an altar for idol worship has been damaged, it is still forbidden to benefit from it until the majority of it has been destroyed by gentiles. A platform which has been damaged is permitted.
What is considered a platform, and what, an altar? A platform consists of a single stone; an altar, of many stones.
How are the stones of Marculis nullified? When one constructs a building from them or uses them to pave the roads or the like, it is permitted to benefit from them.
How is an asherah nullified? When one pulls off a leaf, cuts off a branch, takes a staff or scepter from it, or planes off its sides in a manner which does not benefit it, it is nullified. When one planes its sides in a manner which benefits it, it is forbidden, but its shavings are permitted.
If [the sides of] an asherah which belongs to a Jew [are planed off], both it and its shavings are forbidden forever, regardless of whether [it was planed] for its benefit or not, because a false deity belonging to a Jew can never be nullified.
יב
מזבח עבודת כוכבים שנפגם עדין הוא אסור בהנאה עד שינתץ רובו ביד עובד כוכבים ובימוס שנפגם מותר אי זהו בימוס ואי זהו מזבח בימוס אבן אחת מזבח אבנים הרבה וכיצד מבטלין אבני מרקוליס כיון שבנה מהם בנין או חיפה בהן את הדרכים וכיוצא באלו הרי הן מותרים בהנאה כיצד מבטלים את האשרה קרסם ממנה עלה או זרק ממנה יונק נטל ממנה מקל או שרביט או ששפאה שלא לצרכה הרי זו בטלה שפאה לצרכה היא אסורה ושפאיה מותרים ואם היתה של ישראל בין לצרכה בין שלא לצרכה בין היא ובין שפאיה אסורה לעולם שעבודת כוכבים של ישראל אין לה ביטול לעולם:
Commentary on Halachah 12
Avodat Kochavim - Chapter Nine
1
It is forbidden to purchase or sell any durable entity to an idolater within three days of one of their holidays. [Similarly, within this period, it is forbidden] to borrow from them, to lend to them, to accept payment from them or to repay them for a loan that is supported by a promissory note or collateral. It is, however, permitted to collect a loan which is supported by a verbal commitment alone, because one is saving one's property from being lost to them.
It is permitted to sell them an entity which will not endure - e.g., vegetables, or a cooked dish - until the day of their festival.
When does the above apply? In Eretz Yisrael. In other lands, however, it is forbidden [to engage in such activities] only on the day of their festival itself.
If one transgressed and did business with them during these three days, one may derive benefit from the results of these transactions. When, however, one does business with them on the day of their festival itself, it is forbidden to benefit from the results of these transactions.
א
שלשה ימים לפני חגם של עובדי כוכבים אסור ליקח מהם ולמכור להם דבר המתקיים ללוות מהן ולהלוותם ליפרע מהן ולפרוע להם מלוה בשטר או על המשכון אבל מלוה על פה נפרעין מהן מפני שהוא כמציל מידם ומותר למכור להן דבר שאינו מתקיים כגון ירקות ותבשיל עד יום חגם במה דברים אמורים בארץ ישראל אבל בשאר ארצות אינו אסור אלא יום חגם בלבד עבר ונשא ונתן עמהן באותן השלשה ימים הרי זה מותר בהנאה והנושא ונותן ביום חגם עמהן הרי זה אסור בהנאה:
2
It is forbidden to send a present to a gentile on one of his holidays, unless one knows that he does not acknowledge or worship idols. Similarly, if a gentile sends a present to a Jew on one of [the gentile's] holidays, the Jew should not accept it. If, however, there is the possibility of ill-feeling arising, he should take it from him. Nevertheless, he should not derive any benefit from it until he finds out that the gentile does not acknowledge or worship idols.
ב
ואסור לשלוח דורון לכותי ביום אידו אא"כ נודע לו שאינו מודה בעבודת כוכבים ואינו עובדה וכן כותי ששלח דורון לישראל ביום חגו לא יקבלנו ממנו ואם חשש לאיבה נוטלו בפניו ואינו נהנה בו עד שיודע לו שזה הכותי אינו עובד כוכבים ואינו מודה בה:
3
If the idolaters' festival lasts several days - whether three, four, or ten - all the days [of the festival] are considered as a single day. [Carrying out transactions] on any of these days, or on the three days preceding them, is forbidden.
ג
היה אידן של אותן עכו"ם ימים הרבה שלשה או ארבעה או עשרה כל אותן הימים כיום אחד הן וכולן אסורין עם ג' ימים לפניהן:
4
The Canaanites are idol worshipers, and Sunday is their festival. Accordingly, in Eretz Yisrael, it is forbidden to conduct transactions with them on Thursday and Friday each and every week, and, needless to say, on Sunday itself, when transactions with them are forbidden everywhere.
ד
כנענים עובדי כו"ם הם ויום ראשון הוא יום אידם לפיכך אסור לתת ולשאת עמהם בארץ ישראל יום חמישי ויום ששי שבכל שבת ושבת ואין צריך לומר יום ראשון עצמו שהוא אסור בכ"מ וכן נוהגין עמהם בכל אידיהם:
5
The day on which the idolaters gather together to crown a king and offer sacrifice and praise to their false deities is considered to be one of their holidays, since it is comparable to their other holidays. In contrast, on a day which is celebrated by an individual idolater as a festival on which he gives thanks and praise to the star he [worships] - for example, his birthday, the day on which he shaves his beard or hair, the day on which he returns from a sea-voyage, the day on which he leaves prison, the day on which he makes a [wedding] feast for his son, and the like - it is forbidden [to do business] on that particular day only with that individual man.
Similarly, when [it is customary] that the day on which one of them dies is marked with festivities, it is forbidden [to do business] with those individuals on that day. Whenever [a person's] death is marked by the burning of his utensils and the offering of incense, we can assume that idol worship is [involved in the ritual].
The [above] prohibition applies only to those who worship [the false deity]. In contrast, it is permitted to do business with those who join in the celebrations by eating, drinking, and observing it as a matter of custom or in deference to the king.
ה
יום שמתכנסין בו עובדי כוכבים להעמיד להן מלך ומקריבין ומקלסים לאלהיהם יום חגם הוא והרי הוא כשאר חגיהם אבל עובד כוכבים שעושה הוא חג לעצמו ומודה לכוכב שלו ומקלסו ביום שנולד בו ויום תגלחת זקנו או בלוריתו ויום שעלה בו מן הים ושיצא מבית האסורים ויום שעשה בו משתה לבנו וכיוצא באלו אינו אסור אלא אותו היום ואותו האיש בלבד וכן יום שימות להן בו מת ויעשוהו חג אותם העושים אסורין אותו היום וכל מיתה ששורפין בה כלים ומקטרים קטורת בידוע שיש בה עבודת כוכבים אין יום החג אסור אלא לעובדיה בלבד אבל אותם ששמחים בו ואוכלין ושותין ומשמרין אותו מפני מנהג או מפני כבוד המלך אבל הם אין מודין בו הרי אלו מותרין לשאת ולתת עמהן:
6
Articles which are distinguished by their use [in the worship] of one of the false deities in a particular locale may never be sold to the worshipers of that deity in that locale. Articles which are not characterized by such uniqueness may be sold to them without enquiring [about the purpose for which they will be used].
If, however, an idolater specifically states that he is purchasing the article for the sake of idol worship, it is forbidden to sell it to him unless one blemishes it in a manner which disqualifies it for use as an offering to the idol. An animal lacking a limb is not offered as a sacrifice to an idol.
ו
דברים שהן מיוחדין למין ממיני עבודת כוכבים שבאותו מקום אסור למכור לעובדי אותה עבודת כוכבים שבאותו המקום לעולם ודברים שאינן מיוחדין לה מוכרין אותם סתם ואם פירש העובד כוכבים שהוא קונה אותם לעבודת כוכבים אסור למכור לו אלא אם כן פסלו מלהקריבו לעבודת כוכבים לפי שאין מקריבין חסד לעבודת כוכבים:
7
It is permitted to sell articles which are distinguished [by their use in the worship of a false deity] that are mixed together with articles that are not used for such purposes - e.g., pure frankincense with black frankincense - without enquiring [about the purpose for which they will be used]. We do not suspect that [the purchaser] will separate the pure frankincense to use for idol worship. The same applies in other similar situations.
ז
היו מעורבין דברים המיוחדין עם דברים שאין מיוחדין כגון לבונה זכה בכלל לבונה שחורה מוכר הכל סתם ואין חוששין שמא ילקט הזכה לבדה לעבודת כוכבים וכן כל כיוצא בזה:
8
Just as it is forbidden to sell idolaters articles that assist them in idol worship, it is forbidden to sell them articles that can cause harm to many people - for example, bears, lions, weapons, fetters, and chains. [Similarly,] it is forbidden to sharpen their weapons.
Everything that is forbidden to be sold to idolaters is also forbidden to be sold to a Jew who is suspect that he will sell to idolaters. Similarly, it is forbidden to sell dangerous objects to a Jewish thief.
ח
כשם שאין מוכרין לעובד כוכבים דברים שמחזיקין בהן ידיהן לעבודת כוכבים כך אין מוכרין להם דבר שיש בו נזק לרבים כגון דובים ואריות וכלי זיין וכבלים ושלשלאות ואין משחיזין להם את הזיין וכל שאסור למוכרו לעובד כוכבים אסור למוכרו לישראל החשוד למכור לעובד כוכבים וכן אסור למכור כלי נזק לישראל ליסטם:
9
When the Jews dwell among the idolaters and have established a covenant with them, it is permissible to sell weapons to the servants of the king and his to his soldiers, because they use them to wage war against the enemies of the country and to protect it. Thus, they also protect us, for we dwell among them.
It is permitted to walk around a city in which an idol is located. It is, however, forbidden to enter [the city]. If the idol is located outside the city, it is permitted to walk within it.
ט
היו ישראל שוכנים בין העובדי כוכבים וכרתו להם ברית מותר למכור כלי זיין לעבדי המלך וגייסותיו מפני שעושים בהם מלחמה עם צרי המדינה להצילה ונמצאו מגינים עלינו שהרי אנו שרויין בתוכם עיר שיש בה עבודת כוכבים מותר להלך חוצה לה ואסור להכנס בתוכה היה חוצה לה עבודת כוכבים מותר להלך בתוכה:
10
A person who is journeying from one place to another may not pass through a city in which a false deity is located.
When does this apply? When this is the only way to his destination. If, however, there is an alternate route to his destination and, by chance, he took [the route which passed through this city], it is permissible.
י
ההולך ממקום למקום אסור לו לעבור בעיר שיש בה עבודת כוכבים במה דברים אמורים בזמן שהדרך מיוחדת לאותו מקום אבל אם יש שם דרך אחרת ונקרה והלך בזו מותר:
11
It is forbidden to build - [even] together with an idolater - a dome under which an idol is placed. If one transgressed and built such a structure, however, one's wage is permitted. A priori, one may construct the palace or the courtyard where that dome is located.
יא
אסור לבנות עם העובדי כוכבים כיפה שמעמידים בה עבודת כוכבים ואם עבר ובנה שכרו מותר אבל בונה הוא לכתחילה הטרקלין או החצר שיש בה אותה הכיפה:
12
[The following laws apply] when an idol is located within a city and there some shops which are adorned and some which are not: It is forbidden to benefit from those which are adorned or [to use] anything they contain, since we can assume that they were adorned for the sake of idol worship. It is permitted to benefit from those which are not adorned.
It is forbidden to do business with a store owned by a false deity, because one offers benefit to the false deity.
יב
עיר שיש בה עבודת כוכבים והיו בה חנויות מעוטרות ושאינן מעוטרות המעוטרות אסור ליהנות בהן בכל מה שבתוכן מפני שחזקתן שבגלל עבודת כוכבים נתעטרו ושאינן מעוטרות מותרות בהנאה חנויות של עבודת כוכבים אסור לשכרן מפני שמהנה עבודת כוכבים:
13
When a person sells his house to an idol, it is forbidden to benefit from the proceeds of the sale. Rather, they must be taken to the Dead Sea. If, however, an idolater steals a Jew's house against his will and places an idol within, it is permitted [to accept whatever] money [he offers]. [The Jew] may compose [a bill of sale] and formalize it in accordance with the civil law procedures.
יג
המוכר בית לעבודת כוכבים דמיו אסורים בהנאה ויוליכם לים המלח אבל עובדי כוכבים שאנסו ישראל וגזלו ביתו והעמידו בו עבודת כוכבים דמיו מותרין וכותב ומעלה בערכאות שלהם:
14
Flutes belonging to idolaters should not be used in a funeral dirge.
One may attend a pagan commercial fair and purchase livestock, gentile servants and maidservants before they convert, houses, fields, and vineyards. One may compose a bill of sale and formalize it in accordance with the civil law procedures, since by doing so one saves [one's property] from them.
When does the above apply? When one buys from a private individual who does not have to pay a tax [to the false deity]. If, however, one buys from a merchant, it is forbidden, for a merchant must pay a tax which must be given to the false deity. Hence, [by making such a purchase], one is giving benefit to a false deity.
[The following laws apply] if one transgressed and purchased [merchandise] from a merchant: If one purchased livestock, one should cut off the animal's hooves from below the anklebone. If one purchased garments or other objects, one should let them rot. If one purchased money or metal utensils, one should bring them to the Dead Sea. If one purchased a servant, one may not help him up [from a pit], nor should one push him into one.
יד
וחלילין של עובדי כוכבים אסור לספוד בהן הולכין ליריד של עבודת כוכבים ולוקחין מהן בהמה עבדים ושפחות בגיותן ובתים ושדות וכרמים וכותב ומעלה בערכאות שלהן מפני שהוא כמציל מידם בד"א בלוקח מבעל הבית שאינו נותן מכם אבל הלוקח שם מן התגר אסור מפני שהוא נותן מכס והמכס לעבודת כוכבים ונמצא זה מהנה עבודת כוכבים עבר ולקח מן התגר אם בהמה לקח מנשר פרסותיה מן הארכובה ולמטה ואם כסות וכלים לקח ירקבו לקח מעות וכלי מתכות יוליכם לים המלח לקח עבד לא מעלים ולא מורידין:
15
When an idolater makes a [wedding] party for his son or daughter, it is forbidden to benefit from the feast. It is even forbidden for a Jew to eat and drink his own food there, since it is being consumed at a celebration of idolaters.
When is it forbidden to eat such an idolater's food? From when he began to prepare for the wedding feast, the entire duration of the wedding feast, and for thirty days afterwards. [Furthermore,] if he makes another celebration because of the wedding even after thirty days have passed, it is forbidden [to participate] until twelve months [have passed].
This stringency was imposed because of idol worship, as [implied by Exodus 34:15-16]: "And he shall call to you and you shall eat from his slaughter, and you shall choose from his daughters for your sons. His daughters will stray after their gods, and they will lead your sons astray after these gods."
טו
עובד כוכבים שעשה לבנו או לבתו משתה אסור ליהנות מסעודתו ואפילו לאכול ולשתות הישראל משלו שם אסור הואיל ובמסיבת עובדי כוכבים אכלו ומאימתי אסור לאכול אצלו משיתחיל לעסוק ולהכין צרכי סעודה וכל ימי המשתה ולאחר ימי המשתה שלשים יום ואם עשה סעודה אחרת מחמת הנישואין אפילו לאחר שלשים יום אסור עד שנים עשר חדש וכל ההרחקה הזאת מפני עבודה של כוכבים הוא שנאמר וקרא לך ואכלת מזבחו ולקחת מבנותיו לבניך וזנו וגו':
16
A Jewish woman should not nurse the child of an idolater, since, by doing so, she raises a son who will be an idolater. She should not serve as a midwife for an idolatrous woman [without charge]. She may, however, do so for a fee, lest strife arise.
An idolatrous woman may serve as a midwife for a Jewess and nurse her child. [This must be done] in premises belonging to a Jew, lest the idolatrous woman kill the child.
טז
בת ישראל לא תיניק את בנה של עובדת כוכבים מפני שמגדלת בן לעבודת כוכבים ולא תיילד את הנכרית עכו"ם אבל מילדת היא בשכר משום איבה והנכרית עכו"ם מילדת את בת ישראל ומניקה את בנה ברשותה כדי שלא תהרגנו:
17
It is forbidden to trade with [gentiles] on their way to reproachful places of idol worship, but it is permitted to trade with them when they return. This applies when they do not journey in a caravan. If, however, they are traveling in a caravan, they may change their mind and return.
If a Jew journeys to a reproachful place of idol worship, one may trade with him on his way, since he may change his mind. On his way back, it is forbidden. [It is forbidden to trade with] an apostate Jew on his way there and on his way back.
יז
ההולכין לתרפות עכו"ם אסור לשאת ולתת עמהן והבאים מותרין והוא שלא יהיו קשורין זה בזה שאם היו קשורין שמא דעתן לחזור ישראל ההולך לתרפות עכו"ם בהליכה מותר לשאת ולתת עמו שמא יחזור בו ובחזירה אסור ישראל מומר בין בהליכה בין בחזירה אסור:
18
When a Jew attends a fair of idol worshipers it is forbidden to trade with him when he returns. Perhaps he sold an idol to them, and it is forbidden to benefit from the proceeds of the sale of idol worship possessed by a Jew.
It is, however, permitted to benefit from [the proceeds of the sale of an idol] possessed by an idolater. Therefore, it is permitted to trade with an idolater coming from such a fair, but not with a Jew. It is forbidden to trade with an apostate Jew on his way to and on his way from such a fair.
יח
ישראל שהלך ליריד של עכו"ם בחזירה אסור לשאת ולתת עמו שמא עכו"ם מכר להן שם ודמי עכו"ם ביד ישראל אסורים בהנאה וביד עכו"ם מותרין בהנאה ומפני זה נושאין ונותנין עם עכו"ם הבא מן התרפות של עכו"ם ואין נושאין ונותנין עם ישראל הבא מן התרפות ההוא ולא עם ישראל מומר לא בהליכתו ולא בחזירתו:
Hayom Yom
Today's Hayom Yom
The Highest Happiness
True happiness is the highest form of self-sacrifice.
There, in that state, there is no sense of self
—not even awareness that you are happy.
True happiness is somewhere beyond “knowing.”
Beyond self.
All the more so when you bring joy to others. (Likutei Sichot vol. 16, pp. 365–372.)
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Avodat Kochavim - Chapter Seven, Avodat Kochavim - Chapter Eight, Avodat Kochavim - Chapter NineAvodat Kochavim - Chapter Seven
1
It is a positive commandment to destroy false deities, all their accessories, and everything that is made for their purposes, as [Deuteronomy 12:2] states: "You shall surely destroy all the places [where the gentiles... served their gods]" and, as [implied by Deuteronomy 7:5]: "Rather, what you should do to them is tear down their altars."
In Eretz Yisrael, the mitzvah requires us to hunt after idol worship until it is eradicated from our entire land. In the diaspora, however, we are not required to hunt after it. Rather, whenever we conquer a place, we must destroy all the false deities contained within.
[The source for this distinction is Deuteronomy 12:3, which] states: "And you shall destroy their name from this place," [implying that] you are obligated to hunt false deities in Eretz Yisrael, but you are not obligated to do so in the diaspora.
א
מצות עשה היא לאבד עבודת כוכבים ומשמשיה וכל הנעשה בשבילה שנאמר אבד תאבדון את כל המקומות ונאמר כי אם כה תעשו להם וגו' ובארץ ישראל מצוה לרדוף אחריה עד שנאבד אותה מכל ארצנו אבל בחוץ לארץ אין אנו מצווין לרדוף אחריה אלא כל מקום שנכבוש אותו נאבד כל עבודת כוכבים שבו שנאמר ואבדתם את שמם מן המקום ההוא בארץ ישראל אתה מצווה לרדוף אחריהן ואי אתה מצווה לרדוף אחריהן בחוץ לארץ:
Commentary on Halachah 1
2
It is forbidden to benefit from false deities, their accessories, offerings for them, and anything made for them, as [implied by Deuteronomy 7:26]: "Do not bring an abomination to your home."
Anyone who derives benefit from any of the above receives two measures of lashes: one because of the prohibition, "Do not bring an abomination...," and one because of the prohibition, "Let nothing which is condemned cling to your hand."
ב
עבודת כוכבים ומשמשיה ותקרובת שלה וכל הנעשה בשבילה אסור בהנאה שנאמר ולא תביא תועבה אל ביתך וכל הנהנה באחד מכל אלו לוקה שתים אחת משום ולא תביא ואחת משום ולא ידבק בידך מאומה מן החרם:
Commentary on Halachah 2
3
It is forbidden to benefit from an animal which was sacrificed to false deities in its entirety - even its excrement, its bones, its horns, its hooves, and its hide. It is forbidden to benefit from it at all.
To cite an example, the hide of an animal which is marked by a sign that indicates that it was offered as a sacrifice to false deities - e.g., it has a round hole in the place of the heart through which the heart is extracted, which was a common practice [of idolaters] - It is forbidden to benefit from all of these hides and others of the like.
ג
בהמה שהקריבוה כולה לעבודת כוכבים אסורה בהנאה אפילו פרשה ועצמותיה וקרניה וטלפיה ועורה הכל אסור בהנאה לפיכך אם היה בעור סימן שיודע בו שזה העור תקרובת עבודת כוכבים הוא כגון שהיו עושים שקורעים קרע עגול כנגד הלב ומוציאין הלב הרי כל אותן העורות שהן כך אסורין בהנאה וכן כל כיוצא בזה:
Commentary on Halachah 3
4
What is the difference between an idol belonging to a gentile and one belonging to a Jew? It is forbidden to benefit from an idol belonging to a gentile immediately [after it is fashioned], as [implied by Deuteronomy 7:25]: "You shall burn the sculptures of their gods with fire" - i.e., they are considered gods as soon as they have been sculpted.
[In contrast,] it is not forbidden to benefit from a Jew's [idol] until he worships it, as [implied by Deuteronomy 27:15]: "[Cursed is the person who makes an idol...] and places it in a hidden place" - i.e., it is not forbidden until he does private acts - i.e., worship - on its behalf.
The accessories of idol worship, whether belonging to a Jew or to a gentile, are not forbidden until they were actually used for the purpose of idol worship.
ד
מה בין עבודת כוכבים של עובד כוכבים לעבודת כוכבים של ישראל עבודת כוכבים של עובד כוכבים אסורה בהנאה מיד שנאמר פסילי אלהיהם תשרפון באש משפסלו נעשה לו אלוה ושל ישראל אינה אסורה בהנאה עד שתעבד שנאמר ושם בסתר עד שיעשה לה דברים שבסתר שהן עבודתה ומשמשי עבודת כוכבים בין של עובד כוכבים בין של ישראל אינן אסורין עד שישתמשו בהן לעבודת כוכבים:
Commentary on Halachah 4
5
[When] a person makes an idol for another person - although he receives lashes - his wage is permitted. [This applies] even when he made [the idol] for a gentile, and it is therefore forbidden immediately.
[What is the rationale for the latter decision? The idol] is not forbidden until it is completed and the hammer-stroke which completes it is not worth a penny.
[The following rules apply when] a person buys scrap metal from a gentile and finds idols within it: If he has already paid the money, but has not taken possession of it, he should return it to the gentile. The same [rules] apply if he took possession of it, but did not pay the money. Though taking possession represents a formal transfer of ownership in dealings with a gentile, the transaction was made in error. If he paid the money and took possession [of the scrap], he must take [the idols] to the Dead Sea.
Similarly, when a gentile and a convert [divide] the estate of their father - a gentile - the convert may tell the gentile, "Take the idols and I will take the money," "Take the forbidden wine and I will take the produce." Once [idols] come into the possession of the convert, however, they are forbidden.
ה
העושה עבודת כוכבים לאחרים אע"פ שהוא לוקה שכרו מותר ואפילו עשאה לעובד כוכבים שהיא אסורה מיד מפני שאינה נאסרת עד שתגמר ומכוש אחרון שגומרה אין בו שוה פרוטה הלוקח גרוטאות מן העובד כוכבים ומצא בהן עבודת כוכבים אם נתן מעות ולא משך יחזירם לעובד כוכבים וכן אם משך ולא נתן מעות אף על פי שמשיכה בעובד כוכבים קונה כמקח טעות הוא נתן מעות ומשך יוליכם לים המלח וכן עובד כוכבים וגר שירשו את אביהן עובד כוכבים יכול הגר לומר לעובד כוכבים טול אתה עבודת כוכבים ואני מעות טול אתה יין נסך ואני פירות ואם משבאו לרשות הגר אסור:
Commentary on Halachah 5
6
We are allowed to benefit from images which gentiles made for aesthetic purposes. It is forbidden, however, to benefit from images that are made for the purpose of idol worship.
What is implied? It is forbidden to benefit from any images found in villages, for one may assume that they were made for the sake of idol worship. When images are found in a city, they are forbidden only when they are found at the entrance to the city and hold a staff, bird, globe, sword, crown, or ring in their hands. Otherwise, we may assume that they were made for aesthetic purposes, and benefit from them is permitted.
ו
צורות שעשאום עובדי כוכבים לנוי מותרין בהנאה וצורות שעשאום לעבודת כוכבים אסורין כיצד כל הצורות הנמצאים בכפרים אסורים בהנאה מפני שחזקתן שלעבודת כוכבים הן עשויין והנמצאות במדינה אם היו עומדין על פתח המדינה והיה ביד הצורה צורת מקל או צפור או כדור או סייף או עטרה וטבעת חזקתו שהוא לעבודת כוכבים ואסור בהנאה ואם לאו הרי הוא בחזקת לנוי ומותר:
Commentary on Halachah 6
7
Statues of false deities which are found discarded in the marketplace or in a scrap metal heap are permitted. Needless to say, this applies to pieces of statues.
In contrast, should one find a hand, a foot, or another limb from the form of one of the constellations or celestial signs, it is forbidden to benefit from it. Since one knows that this limb is one of the images that is worshiped, the prohibition against [benefiting from it] remains until one knows that the gentiles who worshiped it, nullified it.
ז
צלמי עבודת כוכבים הנמצאים מושלכים בשוקים או בתוך הגרוטאות הרי אלו מותרין ואין צריך לומר שברי צלמיהן אבל המוצא יד מצורת כוכב או מזל או רגלה או אבר מאיבריה מושלך הרי זה אסור בהנאה הואיל וידע בודאי שזה האבר מן צורת עבודת כוכבים הנכבדת הרי היא באיסורה עד שיודע לו שהעובדי כוכבים עובדיה בטלוה:
Commentary on Halachah 7
8
[The following laws apply when] a person finds articles which have the form of the sun, the moon, or a d'rakon upon them: If they are golden or silver objects, or silk garments, or if these forms were engraved on a nose-ring or finger-ring, they are forbidden. If these forms are found on other articles, they are permitted, since we may assume that they were made for aesthetic purposes. Similarly, we may assume that any other form which is found on an article was intended for aesthetic purposes. Therefore, [the articles] are permitted.
ח
המוצא כלים ועליהן צורת חמה ולבנה ודרקון אם היו כלי כסף וזהב או בגדי שני או שהיו חקוקים על הנזמים ועל הטבעות הרי אלו אסורין ועל שאר הכלים מותרין מפני שחזקתן לנוי וכן שאר הצורות הנמצאות על כל הכלים חזקתן לנוי ומותרין:
Commentary on Halachah 8
9
A false deity, its accessories, and the objects offered to it are always forbidden, regardless of the proportion [of a mixture they make up].
What is implied? If an idol becomes mixed together with statues made for aesthetic purposes - even if the proportion is merely one in several thousand - the entire group must be taken to the Dead Sea. Similarly, if a goblet [used for] idol worship becomes mixed together with many other goblets, or a piece of meat [coming from a sacrifice to a false deity] becomes mixed with other meat, the entire group must be taken to the Dead Sea. Similarly, if a hide with a hole through which the heart was removed becomes mixed with other hides, it is forbidden to benefit from the entire mixture.
[When] a person transgresses and sells a false deity, one of its accessories, or an object that was offered to it, it is forbidden to benefit from the money received, and that prohibition [remains if these funds become mixed with others], regardless of the proportion [of the mixture] they make up. [Deuteronomy 7:26] states: "Lest you become condemned like it." [From this we infer,] that anything that comes from a false deity, from any of its accessories, or from [anything] offered to it is [governed by the same prohibitions] as it is.
ט
עבודת כוכבים ומשמשיה וכל התקרובת שלה אוסרים בכל שהן כיצד עבודת כוכבים שנתערבה בצורות של נוי אפילו אחת בכמה אלפים יוליך הכל לים המלח וכן אם נתערב כוס של עבודת כוכבים בכמה כוסות או חתיכה מן הבשר (שנתערבה) בכמה חתיכות יוליך הכל לים המלח וכן עור לבוב שנתערב בכמה עורות הכל אסור בהנאה עבר ומכר עבודת כוכבים או אחד ממשמשיה או תקרובת שלה הרי הדמים אסורין בהנאה ואוסרין בכל שהן כעבודת כוכבים שנאמר והיית חרם כמוהו כל מה שאתה מביא מעבודת כוכבים ומכל משמשיה ותקרובתה הרי היא כמוה:
Commentary on Halachah 9
10
When a false deity or an asherah is burned, it is forbidden to benefit from its ashes. A coal taken from an idol is forbidden; a flame [from an idol] is permitted, for it is not an entity with substance.
When there is a doubt whether an object is connected to idol worship or not, it is forbidden. If, however, that doubt is questionable, it is permitted.
What is implied? Should a goblet used for idol worship fall into a storage room of goblets, they are all forbidden, because a false deity and all its accessories are always forbidden, regardless of the proportion [of a mixture they make up]. If one of the cups from this mixture falls together with two other cups, the the [entire second mixture] is permitted.
Should a ring [used to adorn] an idol become mixed together with one hundred other rings, and then two of them fall into the Mediterranean Sea, it is permissible to use all of them. We presume that the [forbidden] ring was among the two [which fell].
Should [a forbidden ring] become mixed together with a hundred others and then [the group] becomes divided, forty being separated in one group and sixty in another, and then the entire [group of] forty fall into another group of rings, it is permissible to use all of them. We presume that the forbidden ring remained among the majority. If the [group of] sixty fall into another group of rings, they are all forbidden.
י
עבודת כוכבים או אשרה שנשרפה אפרה אסור בהנאה וגחלת של עבודת כוכבים אסורה והשלהבת מותרת מפני שאין בה ממש ספק עבודת כוכבים אסור ספק ספיקה מותר כיצד כוס של עבודת כוכבים שנפל באוצר מלא כוסות כולן אסורים מפני שעבודת כוכבים וכל משמשיה אוסרין בכל שהן פירש כוס אחד מן התערובת ונפל לכוסות שנים הרי אלו מותרין טבעת של עבודת כוכבים שנתערבה בכמה טבעות ונפלו שתים מהן לים הגדול הותרו כולן שאני אומר אותה הטבעת היתה בכלל השתים נתערבה במאה ונתחלקו ארבעים למקום אחד וששים למקום אחר ונפלו הארבעים כולן לטבעות אחרות כלן מותרות שאני אומר אותה הטבעת האסורה ברוב היא נפלו הששים לטבעות אחרות כולן אסורות:
Commentary on Halachah 10
11
Sitting under the shade of the trunk of an asherah - whether it is worshiped itself or whether an idol was placed under it - is forbidden. It is, however, permissible to sit under the shade of its branches and its leaves.
If a person has another route, it is forbidden for him to pass under it. If he has no other route, he may pass under it, provided he runs.
יא
האשרה בין שהיתה נעבדת בין שהיתה עבודת כוכבים ומונחת תחתיה אסור לישב בצל קומתה ומותר לישב בצל השריגים והעלים שלה ואם יש לו דרך אחרת אסור לו לעבור תחתיה ואם אין שם דרך אחרת עובר תחתיה כשהוא רץ:
Commentary on Halachah 11
12
Chicks which do not need their mother and nest in [an asherah] are permitted. In contrast, the chicks and eggs which need their mother are forbidden for the asherah is considered as if it is a base for them. The nest itself - [even though it is] in the top of the tree - is permitted, for the birds bring the wood for it from other places.
יב
אפרוחים שקננו בה ואין צריכין לאמן מותרין והאפרוחים והביצים שצריכין לאמן אסורין שהרי האשרה כמו בסיס להן והקן עצמה שבראשה מותר מפני שהעוף מביא עציו ממקום אחר:
Commentary on Halachah 12
13
It is forbidden to benefit from wood which one takes from it. Should a person have heated the oven with such wood, he must cool it off. Afterwards, he should kindle it with other, permitted, wood and then bake within.
Should he bake bread in [an oven heated in this manner] without cooling it, he is forbidden to benefit from the bread. If [such a loaf] became mixed together with others, he must bring the value of that loaf to the Dead Sea so that he will never benefit from it. The other loaves, however, are permitted.
יג
נטל ממנה עצים אסורים בהנאה הסיק בהן את התנור יוצן ואחר כך יסיק בעצים אחרים של היתר ויאפה בו אפה בו את הפת ולא צננו הפת אסורה בהנאה נתערבה באחרות יוליך דמי אותה הפת לים המלח כדי שלא יהנה בה ושאר הככרות מותרין:
Commentary on Halachah 13
14
If one took [a piece of wood from an asherah to use as] a shuttle, and wove a garment with it, it is forbidden to benefit from [the garment]. Should the garment become mixed together with other garments, he must bring the value of that garment to the Dead Sea. All the other garments, however, are permitted.
It is permissible to plant vegetables under [an asherah] - whether in the summer - when they need the shade - or in the winter. [This leniency is granted] because the vegetables' growth is produced by two factors: the shade of the asherah, which is forbidden, and the earth, which is permitted. Whenever an effect is produced by the combination of a forbidden factor and a permitted factor, it is permitted. Therefore, if a field was fertilized with fertilizer [that was forbidden because of a connection with] idol worship, one may sow it. Similarly, [the meat of] a cow that was fed with beans [that were forbidden because of a connection with] idol worship, may be eaten. The same principle applies in other similar situations.
יד
נטל ממנה כרכר וארג בו את הבגד אסור בהנאה נתערב בבגדים אחרים יוליך דמי אותו הבגד לים המלח ושאר כל הבגדים מותרין ומותר ליטע תחתיה ירקות בין בימות החמה שהן צריכין לצל בין בימות הגשמים מפני שצל האשרה שהוא אסור עם הקרקע שאינה נאסרת גורמין לירקות אלו לצמוח וכל שדבר אסור ודבר מותר גורמין לו הרי זה מותר בכל מקום לפיכך שדה שזבלה בזבל עבודת כוכבים מותר לזרוע אותה ופרה שפטמה בכרשיני עבודת כוכבים תיאכל וכן כל כיוצא בזה:
Commentary on Halachah 14
15
It is not forbidden to benefit from meat, wine, and fruits that were prepared as offerings for idols. Although they were brought into the temple of a false deity, [they are not prohibited] until they are actually brought as offerings.
Once they are brought as offerings, [their status changes] and they remain forbidden forever, even if they were later removed [from the temple].
Torah law forbids benefiting from anything that is found in a temple of a false deity, even water or salt. If a person eats even the slightest amount from such substances, he is [punished by] lashing.
טו
בשר או יין או פירות שהכינום להקריבם לעבודת כוכבים לא נאסרו בהנאה אף על פי שהכניסום לבית עבודת כוכבים עד שיקריבום לפניה הקריבום לפניה נעשו תקרובת ואע"פ שחזרו והוציאום הרי אלו אסורין לעולם וכל הנמצא בבית עבודת כוכבים אפילו מים ומלח אסור בהנאה מן התורה והאוכל ממנו כל שהוא לוקה:
Commentary on Halachah 15
16
[The following laws apply when] a person finds garments, utensils, or money [placed] on the head of an idol. If he finds them [placed] in a derisive manner, they are permitted. If he finds them [placed] in a deferential manner, they are forbidden.
What is implied? If one finds a purse hanging around its neck, folded garments placed on its head, or a utensil overturned on its head, they are permitted, because [they were placed] in a derisive manner. The same applies to other similar situations. [In contrast,] if one finds an object of a type which is used as an offering for the [Temple] altar on the head [of an idol], it is forbidden.
When does the above apply? When one finds such articles outside its [usual] place of worship. When, however, one finds such articles within the [idol's place of worship], regardless of whether it was placed in a derisive manner or in a deferential manner, or whether it is of the type of objects used as sacrifices for the [Temple] altar, any article found within [such a structure] - even water or salt - becomes forbidden.
[Different laws apply regarding] Pe'or and Marculis. It is forbidden to benefit from anything that is found together with them, whether [it is found] in their [temple] or outside of it. Similarly, with regard to the stones [found near a symbol of] Marculis: If a stone appears to be together with it, it is forbidden to benefit from it.
טז
המוצא כסות וכלים ומעות בראש עבודת כוכבים אם מצאן דרך בזיון הרי אלו מותרין ואם מצאן דרך כבוד הרי אלו אסורין כיצד מצא כיס תלוי בצוארו כסות מקופלת ומונחת על ראשו כלי כפוי על ראשו הרי זה מותר מפני שהוא דרך בזיון וכן כל כיוצא בזה מצא בראשו דבר שכיוצא בו קרב לגבי המזבח הרי זה אסור בד"א בזמן שמצאן חוץ למקום עבודתו אבל אם מצאו בפנים בין דרך כבוד בין דרך בזיון בין דבר הראוי למזבח בין דבר שאינו ראוי כל הנמצא בפנים אסור אפילו מים ומלח ופעור ומרקוליס כל הנמצא עמהן בין בפנים בין בחוץ אסור בהנאה וכן אבני מרקוליס אבן הנראית שהיא עמו אסור בהנאה:
Commentary on Halachah 16
17
When [the shrine of] a false deity possesses a bathhouse or a garden, benefit may be derived from it, provided one does not offer appreciation [in return]. [If] one must offer appreciation, it is forbidden.
[If the garden or bathhouse] is mutually owned by [the shrine] and another entity, one may derive benefit from it even if one provides its priests with appreciation. One may not, however, pay a fee.
יז
עבודת כוכבים שהיה לה מרחץ או גינה נהנים בהם שלא בטובה ואין נהנים בהם בטובה היה לה ולאחרים נהנין בהן אפי' בטובת כהניה ובלבד שלא יתן שכר:
Commentary on Halachah 17
18
It is permitted to bathe in a bathhouse even though an idol is located within, because it is placed there for aesthetic purposes and not to be served. [This leniency can be inferred from the use by Deuteronomy 12:2 of the term:] "their gods" - i.e., the prohibition applies when they treat them as gods, and not when they humiliate them, such as in an instance where [the idol] stands over the sewage pipe and they urinate before it.
Should [the idol's] worship involve such activities, it is forbidden to enter [the bathhouse].
יח
מרחץ שיש בה עבודת כוכבים מותר לרחוץ בה מפני שהיא נעשית שם לנוי ולא לעבדה שנאמר אלהיהם בזמן שנוהגים בה מנהג אלהות ולא בזמן שמבזין אותן כגון זו שהיא עומדת על הביב והכל משתינין בפניה ואם היתה דרך עבודתה בכך אסור ליכנס בו:
Commentary on Halachah 18
19
It is permitted to benefit from [an animal] slaughtered using a knife [forbidden because of its connection to] idol worship, because one is detracting from [the animal's] value. If the animal is in danger [of dying], it is forbidden, because one is enhancing its value, and this improvement involves benefit from an accessory of idol worship.
Similarly, it is forbidden to cut meat with [such a knife], because one is enhancing its value. Should one cut with a destructive intent, causing a loss, the meat is permitted.
יט
סכין של עבודת כוכבים ששחט בה הרי זה מותר מפני שהוא מקלקל ואם היתה בהמה מסוכנת הרי זו אסורה מפני שהוא מתקן והרי זה התיקון מהנאת משמשי עבודת כוכבים וכן אסור לחתוך בה בשר מפני שהוא מתקן ואם חתך דרך הפסד והשחתה מותר:
Commentary on Halachah 19
Avodat Kochavim - Chapter Eight
1
It is permitted to derive benefit from anything that has not been manipulated by man or that was not made by man, even though it was worshiped [as a deity]. Therefore, it is permitted to benefit from mountains, hills, trees - provided they were planted originally with the intent of harvesting their fruit - springs which provide water for many people, and animals, despite their having been worshiped by pagans. It is permitted to partake of fruits that were worshiped in the place where they grow and to partake of such an animal.
Needless to say, it is permitted to partake of an animal that was set aside for the purpose of idol worship. It is permitted regardless of whether it was set aside to be worshiped or to be sacrificed [to another deity].
When do the above statements permitting the use of an animal apply? When a deed involving it was not committed for the sake of idol worship. If, however, any deed whatsoever was committed involving it, it is forbidden; for example, one cut one of its signs for the sake of an idol. Should one exchange it for an idol, it is forbidden. Similarly, it is forbidden if it was exchanged for an article that was itself exchanged for an idol, since the latter article is considered to be "payment for an idol."
When does the above apply? Regarding one's own animal. If, however, one slaughtered a colleague's animal for the sake of a false deity, or exchanged it for an idol, it does not become forbidden, because a person cannot cause an article that does not belong to him to become forbidden.
When a person bows down to virgin earth, he does not cause it to become forbidden. If he digs pits, channels, and caverns in it for the sake of a false deity, it becomes forbidden.
א
כל שאין בו תפיסת יד אדם ולא עשהו אדם אף על פי שנעבד הרי זה מותר בהנאה לפיכך עובדי כוכבים העובדים את ההרים ואת הגבעות ואת האילנות הנטועין מתחלתן לפירות ואת המעיינות הנובעין לרבים ואת הבהמה הרי אלו מותרין בהנאה ומותר לאכול אותן הפירות שנעבדו במקום גדילתן ואותה הבהמה ואין צריך לומר הבהמה שהוקצת לעבודת כוכבים שהיא מותרת באכילה בין שהקצוה לעובדה בין שהקצוה להקריבה הרי זו מותרת במה דברים אמורים שאין הבהמה נאסרת בשלא עשה בה מעשה לשם עבודת כוכבים אבל עשה בה מעשה כל שהוא אסרה כיצד כגון ששחט בה סימן לעבודת כוכבים עשאה חליפין לעבודת כוכבים אסרה וכן חליפי חליפין מפני שנעשים דמי עבודת כוכבים בד"א בבהמת עצמו אבל אם שחט בהמת חבירו לעבודת כוכבים או החליפה לא נאסרה שאין אדם אוסר דבר שאינו שלו המשתחוה לקרקע עולם לא אסרה חפר בה בורות שיחין ומערות לשם עבודת כוכבים אסרה:
Commentary on Halachah 1
2
When a person bows down to water which was lifted up by a wave, he does not cause [the water] to become forbidden. If, however, he picked [water] up with his hands and bowed down to it, it becomes forbidden.
If rocks which had slid down from a mountain were worshiped in the place where they [landed], they are permitted, since they were not manipulated by man.
ב
מים שעקרן הגל והשתחוה להן לא אסרן נטלן בידו והשתחוה להן אסרן אבני הר שנדלדלו ועבדן במקומם מותרות שהרי אין בהן תפיסת יד אדם:
Commentary on Halachah 2
3
When a Jew stands a brick up with the intention of bowing down to it, but does not bow down to it, and then a gentile comes and bows down to it, benefit from [the brick] becomes forbidden, because standing it up is considered to be a deed. Similarly, if he stands an egg up and a gentile comes and bows down to it, it becomes forbidden.
If one cuts off a gourd or the like and bows down to it, it is forbidden. Even when one bows down to only half the gourd, and the other half is still attached to it, it is forbidden because of the doubt involved: perhaps the second half is considered to be a handle for the half which was worshiped.
It is forbidden to benefit from a tree which was planted for the purpose of being worshiped. This is the asherah that the Torah mentions. When a tree which had been planted previously was pruned and carved for the sake of idol worship - even if it was extended or a growth was grafted onto the trunk of the tree - and branches grew, one must cut off [these] branches, and benefit from them is forbidden. The remainder of the tree, however, is permitted.
Similarly, when a person bows down to a tree, even though the tree itself is not forbidden, it is forbidden to benefit from all the branches, leaves, sprouts, and fruits which it produces during the time it is worshiped.
When gentiles guard the fruits of a tree and say that they are designated to be used to make alcoholic beverages for a particular pagan temple, and [the fruits] are used for alcoholic beverages which are drunken on their pagan holidays, it is forbidden to benefit from this tree. This is the ritual associated with an asherah. Accordingly, we can assume that [the tree] is an asherah, and therefore its fruits will be used for such purposes.
ג
ישראל שזקף לבינה להשתחות לה ולא השתחוה לה ובא עובד כוכבים והשתחוה לה אסרה בהנאה שזקיפתה מעשה וכן אם זקף ביצה ובא עובד כוכבים והשתחוה לה אסרה חתך דלעת וכיוצא בה והשתחוה לה אסרה השתחוה לחצי דלעת וחצי האחר מעורה בו הרי זה אסור מספק שמא זה החצי כמו יד לחצי הנעבד אילן שנטעו מתחלה שיהיה נעבד אסור בהנאה וזו היא אשרה האמורה בתורה היה אילן נטוע וגדעו ופסלו לשם עבודת כוכבים אפילו הבריך והרכיב בגופו של אילן והוציא שריגים כורת את השריגים והם אסורים בהנאה ושאר האילן מותר וכן המשתחוה לאילן אע"פ שלא נאסר גופו כל השריגים והעלים והלולבין והפירות שיוציא כל זמן שהוא נעבד הרי אלו אסורין בהנאה אילן שהיו העובדי כוכבים משמרין את פירותיו ואומרים שהם מוכנים לעשות שכר לבית עבודת כוכבים פלוני ועושין מהן שכר ושותים אותו ביום חגם הרי זה האילן אסור בהנאה מפני שסתמו שהוא אשרה ולפיכך עושין בפירותיו כך שזו היא חוקה של אשרה:
Commentary on Halachah 3
4
[The following rules apply to] a tree under which a false deity was placed: It is forbidden to benefit from it as long as the deity is located under it. When it is removed, we are permitted [to benefit] from it, since the tree itself is not the entity which was worshiped.
When a gentile constructs a building with the intention that the building itself be worshiped, and, similarly, when a person bows down to a building that has already been constructed, they become forbidden.
When a [building] which had already been constructed, was plastered and embellished for the sake of worship to the extent that it is considered to be a new entity, one must remove all the new additions, and it is forbidden to benefit from them, since they were made with the intention of being worshiped. It is, however, permitted to benefit from the remainder of the building.
If one placed an idol within a house, it is forbidden to benefit from the house while the idol is located within. When it is removed, the house becomes permitted.
Similarly, it is forbidden to benefit from a stone which was hewn from a mountain with the intention that it be worshiped. If it had already been hewn out, but was adorned and embellished with the intention that it be worshiped - even if the stone itself was adorned and embellished and, needless to say, if the adornment was added to it - one must remove all the new additions, and it is forbidden to benefit from them, since they were made with the intention of being worshiped. It is, however, permitted to benefit from the remainder of the stone.
ד
אילן שמעמידין תחתיו עבודת כוכבים כל זמן שהיא תחתיו אסור בהנאה נטלה מתחתיו הרי זה מותר מפני שאין האילן עצמו הוא הנעבד בית שבנאו העובד כוכבים מתחלה שיהא הבית עצמו נעבד וכן המשתחוה לבית בנוי הרי זה אסור בהנאה היה בנוי וסיידו וכיירו לשם עבודת כוכבים עד שנתחדש נוטל מה שחידש והחידוש אסור בהנאה מפני שעשאהו לעובדו ושאר הבית מותר הכניס עבודת כוכבים לתוך הבית כל זמן שהיא שם הבית אסור בהנאה הוציאה הותר הבית וכן אבן שחצבה מתחילה לעובדה אסורה בהנאה היתה חצובה וציירה וכיירה שתעבד אפילו צייר וכייר בגוף האבן ואין צריך לומר אם כייר עליה נוטל מה שחידש והוא אסור בהנאה הואיל ונעשה שיעבד ושאר האבן מותר:
Commentary on Halachah 4
5
A stone on which an idol is placed is forbidden as long as the idol is upon it. Once [the idol] is removed, it is permitted.
When a person's house which is located next to [a shrine of] an idol falls, it is forbidden for him to rebuild it. What must he do? He must move [the wall] within his own four cubits, and then rebuild it. The empty space must not be left free for the sake of the shrine of the idol. Rather, he should fill it with thorns or feces.
If the wall belonged jointly to both a private individual and an idol, it should be considered to belong to them equally. It is permitted to benefit from his half; the [half] belonging to the idol, however, is forbidden. [Similarly,] it is forbidden to benefit from all [the wall's] stones, beams, and earth.
ה
אבן שהעמיד עליה עבודת כוכבים הרי זו אסורה כל זמן שהיא עליה סלקה האבן מותרת מי שהיה ביתו סמוך לעבודת כוכבים ונפל אסור לבנותו כיצד יעשה כונס לתוך שלו ובונה ואותו הריוח ממלאהו קוצים או צואה כדי שלא ירחיב לבית עבודת כוכבים היה הכותל שלו ושל עבודת כוכבים ידון מחצה למחצה מחצה שלו מותר בהנאה ושל עבודת כוכבים הכל אסור בהנאה אבניו עציו ועפרו הכל אסור בהנאה:
Commentary on Halachah 5
6
How must one destroy a false deity and the other entities which are forbidden on its account - e.g., its accessories and offerings? One must grind them and scatter [the dust] in the wind, or burn them and deposit the ashes in the Dead Sea.
ו
כיצד מאבד עבודת כוכבים ושאר דברים האסורים בגללה כגון משמשיה ותקרובת שלה שוחק וזורה לרוח או שורף ומטיל לים המלח:
Commentary on Halachah 6
7
Although [as mentioned above,] an entity which cannot be manipulated by man - e.g., a mountain, animal, or tree - even when worshiped remains permitted, it is forbidden to benefit from its coatings. A person who derives any benefit from them whatsoever is [liable for] lashes, as [Deuteronomy 7:25] states: "Do not desire the silver and gold which are upon them."
Any coating of a false deity is considered to be one of its accessories.
ז
דבר שאין בו תפיסת יד אדם שנעבד כגון הרים ובהמה ואילן אף על פי שהנעבד עצמו מותר בהנאה ציפויו אסור בהנאה והנהנה בכל שהוא מהן לוקה שנאמר לא תחמוד כסף וזהב עליהם וכל ציפויי עבודת כוכבים הרי הן בכלל משמשיה:
Commentary on Halachah 7
8
It is permitted to benefit from a false deity belonging to a gentile whose deification was nullified [by gentiles] before it entered the possession of a Jew, as [Deuteronomy, ibid.] states, "You must burn the statues of their gods with fire." [This command applies] only if they are treated as gods when they enter our possession. If, however, their deification was nullified, they are permitted.
ח
עבודת כוכבים של עובדי כוכבים שבטלוה קודם שתבא לידי ישראל הרי זו מותרת בהנאה שנאמר פסילי אלהיהם תשרפון באש כשבאו לידינו והן נוהגין בהם אלהות אבל אם בטלום הרי אלו מותרין:
Commentary on Halachah 8
9
A false deity belonging to a Jew can never be nullified. Even if he owns it in partnership with a gentile, its nullification is of no consequence. Rather, it is forbidden to benefit from it forever, and it must be entombed.
Similarly, when a false deity belonging to a gentile enters the possession of a Jew, and then is nullified by a gentile, the nullification is of no consequence, and it is forbidden to benefit from it forever.
A Jew cannot nullify a false deity even when it is in the possession of a gentile. A gentile who is a minor or a fool cannot nullify a false deity. When a gentile is forced to nullify a false deity - whether it belongs to him or to other gentiles, even when he is forced to do so by Jews - the nullification is of consequence.
The gentile who nullifies idol worship must himself be an idolater. If he is not an idolater, his nullification is of no consequence.
When [a gentile] nullifies a false deity, he also nullifies [the connection to idol worship of] its accessories. When he nullifies [the connection to idol worship of] its accessories, it is permitted to benefit from the accessories. [The deity] itself, however, remains forbidden until it is nullified. [The connection to idol worship of] an object that was brought to an idol as an offering can never be nullified.
ט
עבודת כוכבים של ישראל אינה בטלה לעולם אפילו היה לעובד כוכבים בה שותפות אין ביטולו מועיל כלום אלא אסורה בהנאה לעולם וטעונה גניזה וכן עבודת כוכבים של עובד כוכבים שבאת ליד ישראל ואח"כ בטלה העובד כוכבים אין ביטולו מועיל כלום אלא אסורה בהנאה לעולם ואין ישראל מבטל עבודת כוכבים ואפילו ברשות עובד כוכבים עובד כוכבים קטן או שוטה אינו מבטל עבודת כוכבים ועובד כוכבים שבטל עבודת כוכבים בין שלו בין של עובדי כוכבים אחרים בעל כרחו אע"פ שאנסו ישראל על כך הרי זו בטילה ובלבד שיהא העובד כוכבים המבטל עובד עבודת כוכבים אבל מי שאינו עובד עבודת כוכבים אין ביטולו ביטול המבטל עבודת כוכבים ביטל משמשיה ביטל משמשיה משמשיה מותרים והיא אסורה בהנאה כמו שהיתה עד שיבטלנה ותקרובת עבודת כוכבים אינה בטילה לעולם:
Commentary on Halachah 9
10
How is [an idol] nullified? When one cuts off the tip of its nose, the tip of its ear, or the tip of its finger, smoothes out its face - even though none of its substance was destroyed - or sells it to a Jewish jeweler, it is nullified.
If, however, one gave it as security for a loan, sold it to a gentile, [sold it] to a Jew who is not a jeweler, [left it] after it was covered by fallen articles without removing them, did not demand its return after it was stolen by thieves, spat in its face, urinated upon it, dragged it [in mud], or threw feces upon it, it is not nullified.
י
כיצד מבטלה קטע ראש חוטמה ראש אזנה ראש אצבעה פחסה בפניה אף על פי שלא חסרה או שמכרה לצורף ישראל הרי זו בטילה אבל אם משכנה או מכרה לעובד כוכבים או לישראל שאינו צורף או שנפלה עליה מפולת ולא פינה גנבוה לסטים ולא תבעוה רקק בפניה השתין בפניה גררה זרק בה את הצואה הרי זו אינה בטילה:
Commentary on Halachah 10
11
When a false deity was abandoned by its worshipers in a time of peace, it is apparent that they nullified it. Hence, benefit may be derived from it. [If it was abandoned] in a time of war, it is forbidden. The only reason they abandoned it was the war.
When a false deity becomes broken in the course of nature, it is forbidden to benefit from its broken pieces until they have been nullified. Accordingly, when a person finds broken pieces of an idol, [he must regard them] as forbidden, lest the gentiles have not nullified them.
[The following principles apply to an idol] which comes in pieces: If it could be reassembled by an ordinary person, each piece must be nullified individually. If [an ordinary person] could not reassemble it, once one has nullified one of its limbs, all of them are nullified.
יא
עבודת כוכבים שהניחוה עובדיה בשעת שלום מותרת בהנאה שהרי בטלוה בשעת מלחמה אסורה מפני שלא הניחוה אלא מפני המלחמה עבודת כוכבים שנשברה מאליה שבריה אסורים בהנאה עד שיבטלוה לפיכך המוצא שברי עבודת כוכבים הרי אלו אסורין בהנאה שמא לא בטלוה העובדי כוכבים ואם היתה של פרקים והדיוט יכול להחזירם צריך לבטל כל פרק ופרק מפרקיה ואם אינו יכול להחזיר כיון שביטל אבר אחד ממנה בטלו כל השברים:
Commentary on Halachah 11
12
Though an altar for idol worship has been damaged, it is still forbidden to benefit from it until the majority of it has been destroyed by gentiles. A platform which has been damaged is permitted.
What is considered a platform, and what, an altar? A platform consists of a single stone; an altar, of many stones.
How are the stones of Marculis nullified? When one constructs a building from them or uses them to pave the roads or the like, it is permitted to benefit from them.
How is an asherah nullified? When one pulls off a leaf, cuts off a branch, takes a staff or scepter from it, or planes off its sides in a manner which does not benefit it, it is nullified. When one planes its sides in a manner which benefits it, it is forbidden, but its shavings are permitted.
If [the sides of] an asherah which belongs to a Jew [are planed off], both it and its shavings are forbidden forever, regardless of whether [it was planed] for its benefit or not, because a false deity belonging to a Jew can never be nullified.
יב
מזבח עבודת כוכבים שנפגם עדין הוא אסור בהנאה עד שינתץ רובו ביד עובד כוכבים ובימוס שנפגם מותר אי זהו בימוס ואי זהו מזבח בימוס אבן אחת מזבח אבנים הרבה וכיצד מבטלין אבני מרקוליס כיון שבנה מהם בנין או חיפה בהן את הדרכים וכיוצא באלו הרי הן מותרים בהנאה כיצד מבטלים את האשרה קרסם ממנה עלה או זרק ממנה יונק נטל ממנה מקל או שרביט או ששפאה שלא לצרכה הרי זו בטלה שפאה לצרכה היא אסורה ושפאיה מותרים ואם היתה של ישראל בין לצרכה בין שלא לצרכה בין היא ובין שפאיה אסורה לעולם שעבודת כוכבים של ישראל אין לה ביטול לעולם:
Commentary on Halachah 12
Avodat Kochavim - Chapter Nine
1
It is forbidden to purchase or sell any durable entity to an idolater within three days of one of their holidays. [Similarly, within this period, it is forbidden] to borrow from them, to lend to them, to accept payment from them or to repay them for a loan that is supported by a promissory note or collateral. It is, however, permitted to collect a loan which is supported by a verbal commitment alone, because one is saving one's property from being lost to them.
It is permitted to sell them an entity which will not endure - e.g., vegetables, or a cooked dish - until the day of their festival.
When does the above apply? In Eretz Yisrael. In other lands, however, it is forbidden [to engage in such activities] only on the day of their festival itself.
If one transgressed and did business with them during these three days, one may derive benefit from the results of these transactions. When, however, one does business with them on the day of their festival itself, it is forbidden to benefit from the results of these transactions.
א
שלשה ימים לפני חגם של עובדי כוכבים אסור ליקח מהם ולמכור להם דבר המתקיים ללוות מהן ולהלוותם ליפרע מהן ולפרוע להם מלוה בשטר או על המשכון אבל מלוה על פה נפרעין מהן מפני שהוא כמציל מידם ומותר למכור להן דבר שאינו מתקיים כגון ירקות ותבשיל עד יום חגם במה דברים אמורים בארץ ישראל אבל בשאר ארצות אינו אסור אלא יום חגם בלבד עבר ונשא ונתן עמהן באותן השלשה ימים הרי זה מותר בהנאה והנושא ונותן ביום חגם עמהן הרי זה אסור בהנאה:
2
It is forbidden to send a present to a gentile on one of his holidays, unless one knows that he does not acknowledge or worship idols. Similarly, if a gentile sends a present to a Jew on one of [the gentile's] holidays, the Jew should not accept it. If, however, there is the possibility of ill-feeling arising, he should take it from him. Nevertheless, he should not derive any benefit from it until he finds out that the gentile does not acknowledge or worship idols.
ב
ואסור לשלוח דורון לכותי ביום אידו אא"כ נודע לו שאינו מודה בעבודת כוכבים ואינו עובדה וכן כותי ששלח דורון לישראל ביום חגו לא יקבלנו ממנו ואם חשש לאיבה נוטלו בפניו ואינו נהנה בו עד שיודע לו שזה הכותי אינו עובד כוכבים ואינו מודה בה:
3
If the idolaters' festival lasts several days - whether three, four, or ten - all the days [of the festival] are considered as a single day. [Carrying out transactions] on any of these days, or on the three days preceding them, is forbidden.
ג
היה אידן של אותן עכו"ם ימים הרבה שלשה או ארבעה או עשרה כל אותן הימים כיום אחד הן וכולן אסורין עם ג' ימים לפניהן:
4
The Canaanites are idol worshipers, and Sunday is their festival. Accordingly, in Eretz Yisrael, it is forbidden to conduct transactions with them on Thursday and Friday each and every week, and, needless to say, on Sunday itself, when transactions with them are forbidden everywhere.
ד
כנענים עובדי כו"ם הם ויום ראשון הוא יום אידם לפיכך אסור לתת ולשאת עמהם בארץ ישראל יום חמישי ויום ששי שבכל שבת ושבת ואין צריך לומר יום ראשון עצמו שהוא אסור בכ"מ וכן נוהגין עמהם בכל אידיהם:
5
The day on which the idolaters gather together to crown a king and offer sacrifice and praise to their false deities is considered to be one of their holidays, since it is comparable to their other holidays. In contrast, on a day which is celebrated by an individual idolater as a festival on which he gives thanks and praise to the star he [worships] - for example, his birthday, the day on which he shaves his beard or hair, the day on which he returns from a sea-voyage, the day on which he leaves prison, the day on which he makes a [wedding] feast for his son, and the like - it is forbidden [to do business] on that particular day only with that individual man.
Similarly, when [it is customary] that the day on which one of them dies is marked with festivities, it is forbidden [to do business] with those individuals on that day. Whenever [a person's] death is marked by the burning of his utensils and the offering of incense, we can assume that idol worship is [involved in the ritual].
The [above] prohibition applies only to those who worship [the false deity]. In contrast, it is permitted to do business with those who join in the celebrations by eating, drinking, and observing it as a matter of custom or in deference to the king.
ה
יום שמתכנסין בו עובדי כוכבים להעמיד להן מלך ומקריבין ומקלסים לאלהיהם יום חגם הוא והרי הוא כשאר חגיהם אבל עובד כוכבים שעושה הוא חג לעצמו ומודה לכוכב שלו ומקלסו ביום שנולד בו ויום תגלחת זקנו או בלוריתו ויום שעלה בו מן הים ושיצא מבית האסורים ויום שעשה בו משתה לבנו וכיוצא באלו אינו אסור אלא אותו היום ואותו האיש בלבד וכן יום שימות להן בו מת ויעשוהו חג אותם העושים אסורין אותו היום וכל מיתה ששורפין בה כלים ומקטרים קטורת בידוע שיש בה עבודת כוכבים אין יום החג אסור אלא לעובדיה בלבד אבל אותם ששמחים בו ואוכלין ושותין ומשמרין אותו מפני מנהג או מפני כבוד המלך אבל הם אין מודין בו הרי אלו מותרין לשאת ולתת עמהן:
6
Articles which are distinguished by their use [in the worship] of one of the false deities in a particular locale may never be sold to the worshipers of that deity in that locale. Articles which are not characterized by such uniqueness may be sold to them without enquiring [about the purpose for which they will be used].
If, however, an idolater specifically states that he is purchasing the article for the sake of idol worship, it is forbidden to sell it to him unless one blemishes it in a manner which disqualifies it for use as an offering to the idol. An animal lacking a limb is not offered as a sacrifice to an idol.
ו
דברים שהן מיוחדין למין ממיני עבודת כוכבים שבאותו מקום אסור למכור לעובדי אותה עבודת כוכבים שבאותו המקום לעולם ודברים שאינן מיוחדין לה מוכרין אותם סתם ואם פירש העובד כוכבים שהוא קונה אותם לעבודת כוכבים אסור למכור לו אלא אם כן פסלו מלהקריבו לעבודת כוכבים לפי שאין מקריבין חסד לעבודת כוכבים:
7
It is permitted to sell articles which are distinguished [by their use in the worship of a false deity] that are mixed together with articles that are not used for such purposes - e.g., pure frankincense with black frankincense - without enquiring [about the purpose for which they will be used]. We do not suspect that [the purchaser] will separate the pure frankincense to use for idol worship. The same applies in other similar situations.
ז
היו מעורבין דברים המיוחדין עם דברים שאין מיוחדין כגון לבונה זכה בכלל לבונה שחורה מוכר הכל סתם ואין חוששין שמא ילקט הזכה לבדה לעבודת כוכבים וכן כל כיוצא בזה:
8
Just as it is forbidden to sell idolaters articles that assist them in idol worship, it is forbidden to sell them articles that can cause harm to many people - for example, bears, lions, weapons, fetters, and chains. [Similarly,] it is forbidden to sharpen their weapons.
Everything that is forbidden to be sold to idolaters is also forbidden to be sold to a Jew who is suspect that he will sell to idolaters. Similarly, it is forbidden to sell dangerous objects to a Jewish thief.
ח
כשם שאין מוכרין לעובד כוכבים דברים שמחזיקין בהן ידיהן לעבודת כוכבים כך אין מוכרין להם דבר שיש בו נזק לרבים כגון דובים ואריות וכלי זיין וכבלים ושלשלאות ואין משחיזין להם את הזיין וכל שאסור למוכרו לעובד כוכבים אסור למוכרו לישראל החשוד למכור לעובד כוכבים וכן אסור למכור כלי נזק לישראל ליסטם:
9
When the Jews dwell among the idolaters and have established a covenant with them, it is permissible to sell weapons to the servants of the king and his to his soldiers, because they use them to wage war against the enemies of the country and to protect it. Thus, they also protect us, for we dwell among them.
It is permitted to walk around a city in which an idol is located. It is, however, forbidden to enter [the city]. If the idol is located outside the city, it is permitted to walk within it.
ט
היו ישראל שוכנים בין העובדי כוכבים וכרתו להם ברית מותר למכור כלי זיין לעבדי המלך וגייסותיו מפני שעושים בהם מלחמה עם צרי המדינה להצילה ונמצאו מגינים עלינו שהרי אנו שרויין בתוכם עיר שיש בה עבודת כוכבים מותר להלך חוצה לה ואסור להכנס בתוכה היה חוצה לה עבודת כוכבים מותר להלך בתוכה:
10
A person who is journeying from one place to another may not pass through a city in which a false deity is located.
When does this apply? When this is the only way to his destination. If, however, there is an alternate route to his destination and, by chance, he took [the route which passed through this city], it is permissible.
י
ההולך ממקום למקום אסור לו לעבור בעיר שיש בה עבודת כוכבים במה דברים אמורים בזמן שהדרך מיוחדת לאותו מקום אבל אם יש שם דרך אחרת ונקרה והלך בזו מותר:
11
It is forbidden to build - [even] together with an idolater - a dome under which an idol is placed. If one transgressed and built such a structure, however, one's wage is permitted. A priori, one may construct the palace or the courtyard where that dome is located.
יא
אסור לבנות עם העובדי כוכבים כיפה שמעמידים בה עבודת כוכבים ואם עבר ובנה שכרו מותר אבל בונה הוא לכתחילה הטרקלין או החצר שיש בה אותה הכיפה:
12
[The following laws apply] when an idol is located within a city and there some shops which are adorned and some which are not: It is forbidden to benefit from those which are adorned or [to use] anything they contain, since we can assume that they were adorned for the sake of idol worship. It is permitted to benefit from those which are not adorned.
It is forbidden to do business with a store owned by a false deity, because one offers benefit to the false deity.
יב
עיר שיש בה עבודת כוכבים והיו בה חנויות מעוטרות ושאינן מעוטרות המעוטרות אסור ליהנות בהן בכל מה שבתוכן מפני שחזקתן שבגלל עבודת כוכבים נתעטרו ושאינן מעוטרות מותרות בהנאה חנויות של עבודת כוכבים אסור לשכרן מפני שמהנה עבודת כוכבים:
13
When a person sells his house to an idol, it is forbidden to benefit from the proceeds of the sale. Rather, they must be taken to the Dead Sea. If, however, an idolater steals a Jew's house against his will and places an idol within, it is permitted [to accept whatever] money [he offers]. [The Jew] may compose [a bill of sale] and formalize it in accordance with the civil law procedures.
יג
המוכר בית לעבודת כוכבים דמיו אסורים בהנאה ויוליכם לים המלח אבל עובדי כוכבים שאנסו ישראל וגזלו ביתו והעמידו בו עבודת כוכבים דמיו מותרין וכותב ומעלה בערכאות שלהם:
14
Flutes belonging to idolaters should not be used in a funeral dirge.
One may attend a pagan commercial fair and purchase livestock, gentile servants and maidservants before they convert, houses, fields, and vineyards. One may compose a bill of sale and formalize it in accordance with the civil law procedures, since by doing so one saves [one's property] from them.
When does the above apply? When one buys from a private individual who does not have to pay a tax [to the false deity]. If, however, one buys from a merchant, it is forbidden, for a merchant must pay a tax which must be given to the false deity. Hence, [by making such a purchase], one is giving benefit to a false deity.
[The following laws apply] if one transgressed and purchased [merchandise] from a merchant: If one purchased livestock, one should cut off the animal's hooves from below the anklebone. If one purchased garments or other objects, one should let them rot. If one purchased money or metal utensils, one should bring them to the Dead Sea. If one purchased a servant, one may not help him up [from a pit], nor should one push him into one.
יד
וחלילין של עובדי כוכבים אסור לספוד בהן הולכין ליריד של עבודת כוכבים ולוקחין מהן בהמה עבדים ושפחות בגיותן ובתים ושדות וכרמים וכותב ומעלה בערכאות שלהן מפני שהוא כמציל מידם בד"א בלוקח מבעל הבית שאינו נותן מכם אבל הלוקח שם מן התגר אסור מפני שהוא נותן מכס והמכס לעבודת כוכבים ונמצא זה מהנה עבודת כוכבים עבר ולקח מן התגר אם בהמה לקח מנשר פרסותיה מן הארכובה ולמטה ואם כסות וכלים לקח ירקבו לקח מעות וכלי מתכות יוליכם לים המלח לקח עבד לא מעלים ולא מורידין:
15
When an idolater makes a [wedding] party for his son or daughter, it is forbidden to benefit from the feast. It is even forbidden for a Jew to eat and drink his own food there, since it is being consumed at a celebration of idolaters.
When is it forbidden to eat such an idolater's food? From when he began to prepare for the wedding feast, the entire duration of the wedding feast, and for thirty days afterwards. [Furthermore,] if he makes another celebration because of the wedding even after thirty days have passed, it is forbidden [to participate] until twelve months [have passed].
This stringency was imposed because of idol worship, as [implied by Exodus 34:15-16]: "And he shall call to you and you shall eat from his slaughter, and you shall choose from his daughters for your sons. His daughters will stray after their gods, and they will lead your sons astray after these gods."
טו
עובד כוכבים שעשה לבנו או לבתו משתה אסור ליהנות מסעודתו ואפילו לאכול ולשתות הישראל משלו שם אסור הואיל ובמסיבת עובדי כוכבים אכלו ומאימתי אסור לאכול אצלו משיתחיל לעסוק ולהכין צרכי סעודה וכל ימי המשתה ולאחר ימי המשתה שלשים יום ואם עשה סעודה אחרת מחמת הנישואין אפילו לאחר שלשים יום אסור עד שנים עשר חדש וכל ההרחקה הזאת מפני עבודה של כוכבים הוא שנאמר וקרא לך ואכלת מזבחו ולקחת מבנותיו לבניך וזנו וגו':
16
A Jewish woman should not nurse the child of an idolater, since, by doing so, she raises a son who will be an idolater. She should not serve as a midwife for an idolatrous woman [without charge]. She may, however, do so for a fee, lest strife arise.
An idolatrous woman may serve as a midwife for a Jewess and nurse her child. [This must be done] in premises belonging to a Jew, lest the idolatrous woman kill the child.
טז
בת ישראל לא תיניק את בנה של עובדת כוכבים מפני שמגדלת בן לעבודת כוכבים ולא תיילד את הנכרית עכו"ם אבל מילדת היא בשכר משום איבה והנכרית עכו"ם מילדת את בת ישראל ומניקה את בנה ברשותה כדי שלא תהרגנו:
17
It is forbidden to trade with [gentiles] on their way to reproachful places of idol worship, but it is permitted to trade with them when they return. This applies when they do not journey in a caravan. If, however, they are traveling in a caravan, they may change their mind and return.
If a Jew journeys to a reproachful place of idol worship, one may trade with him on his way, since he may change his mind. On his way back, it is forbidden. [It is forbidden to trade with] an apostate Jew on his way there and on his way back.
יז
ההולכין לתרפות עכו"ם אסור לשאת ולתת עמהן והבאים מותרין והוא שלא יהיו קשורין זה בזה שאם היו קשורין שמא דעתן לחזור ישראל ההולך לתרפות עכו"ם בהליכה מותר לשאת ולתת עמו שמא יחזור בו ובחזירה אסור ישראל מומר בין בהליכה בין בחזירה אסור:
18
When a Jew attends a fair of idol worshipers it is forbidden to trade with him when he returns. Perhaps he sold an idol to them, and it is forbidden to benefit from the proceeds of the sale of idol worship possessed by a Jew.
It is, however, permitted to benefit from [the proceeds of the sale of an idol] possessed by an idolater. Therefore, it is permitted to trade with an idolater coming from such a fair, but not with a Jew. It is forbidden to trade with an apostate Jew on his way to and on his way from such a fair.
יח
ישראל שהלך ליריד של עכו"ם בחזירה אסור לשאת ולתת עמו שמא עכו"ם מכר להן שם ודמי עכו"ם ביד ישראל אסורים בהנאה וביד עכו"ם מותרין בהנאה ומפני זה נושאין ונותנין עם עכו"ם הבא מן התרפות של עכו"ם ואין נושאין ונותנין עם ישראל הבא מן התרפות ההוא ולא עם ישראל מומר לא בהליכתו ולא בחזירתו:
Hayom Yom
Today's Hayom Yom
Wednesday, 21 Tishrei 5778 / October 11, 2017TODAY
Daily Study: Hayom Yom
Wednesday, Tishrei 21, Hosha'ana Raba, 5704
Torah lessons: Chumash: B'racha, Revi'i with Rashi.
Tehillim: 104-105.
Tanya: Therefore, my beloved (p. 527) ...Rashi, ad loc. (p. 529).
In the Tikun of Hosha'ana Raba night, the parsha of B'racha1 is also2 said only once. (My father instructed certain individuals to say it with Rashi's commentary on Hosha'ana Raba, but this was not a general instruction.) On erev3 Simchat Torah, B'racha is said twice and its Targum4 once.
Before Hallel remove the (top) two rings from the lulav, leaving the three rings that bind the lulav with the hadassim and aravot. Eiruv Tavshilin (p. 249). On Hosha'ana Raba the piece of bread on which one says hamotzi is dipped in honey, but not on Sh'mini Atzeret or Simchat Torah.
Compiled and arranged by the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, of righteous memory, in 5703 (1943) from the talks and letters of the sixth Chabad Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn, of righteous memory.
FOOTNOTES
1.The weekly Torah-portion (or sedra) more commonly called V'zot Habracha.
2.I.e. just like all the other portions of Devarim read that night.
3.The day preceding; i.e. Sh'mini Atzeret (in the Diaspora).
4.Aramaic rendition by Onkelos. This procedure (reading the Hebrew verse twice and Targum once) is followed weekly for every sedra.
Daily Thought:The Highest Happiness
True happiness is the highest form of self-sacrifice.
There, in that state, there is no sense of self
—not even awareness that you are happy.
True happiness is somewhere beyond “knowing.”
Beyond self.
All the more so when you bring joy to others. (Likutei Sichot vol. 16, pp. 365–372.)
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