M. Avodah Zarah 3-4 and T. Avodah Zarah 6-7

All statues are forbidden, i.e., it is prohibited to derive benefit from them, because they are worshipped at least once a year; this is the statement of Rabbi Meir. And the Rabbis say: The only type of statue that is forbidden is any statue that has in its hand a staff, or a bird, or an orb, as these are indications that this statue is designated for idolatry. If the statue is holding a different item, it may be assumed that the statue was fashioned for ornamental purposes and not for worship. Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel says: It is prohibited to derive benefit even from any statue that has any item whatsoever in its hand.

In the case of one who finds unidentifiable fragments of statues, these are permitted, i.e., one may derive benefit from them. If one found an object in the figure of a hand or in the figure of a foot, these are forbidden, as objects similar to those are worshipped.

In the case of one who finds vessels, and upon them is a figure of the sun, a figure of the moon, or a figure of a dragon, he must take them and cast them into the Dead Sea and not derive any benefit from them, as they are assumed to be objects of idol worship. Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel says: Those figures that are upon respectable vessels are forbidden. Those that are upon disgraceful vessels are permitted. Rabbi Yosei says: When one encounters an idol, he should grind the idol and throw the dust to the wind or cast it into the sea. The Rabbis said to him: What is the good of that? That also gives a Jew benefit from the idol, as it becomes fertilizer for his crops, and deriving any kind of benefit is prohibited, as it is stated: “And nothing of the proscribed items shall cleave to your hand” (Deuteronomy 13:18).

A wise gentile, Proclus ben Plospus, once asked a question of Rabban Gamliel in the city of Akko when he was bathing in the bathhouse of the Greek god Aphrodite. Proclus said to him: It is written in your Torah: “And nothing of the proscribed items shall cleave to your hand” (Deuteronomy 13:18). For what reason do you bathe before an idol in the bathhouse of Aphrodite? Rabban Gamliel said to him: One may not answer questions related to Torah in the bathhouse. And when he left the bathhouse, Rabban Gamliel gave him several answers. He said to him: I did not come into its domain; it came into my domain. The bathhouse existed before the statue dedicated to Aphrodite was erected. Furthermore, people do not say: Let us make a bathhouse as an adornment for Aphrodite; rather, they say: Let us make a statue of Aphrodite as an adornment for the bathhouse. Therefore, the main structure is not the Aphrodite statue, but the bathhouse. Rabban Gamliel continued: Alternatively, there is another answer: Even if people would give you a lot of money, you would not enter before your object of idol worship naked, or as one who experienced a seminal emission who comes to the bathhouse to purify himself, nor would you urinate before it. This statue stands upon the sewage pipe and all the people urinate before it. There is no prohibition in this case, as it is stated in the verse only: “Their gods” (see Deuteronomy 12:2), which indicates that a statue that people treat as a deity is forbidden, but one that people do not treat with the respect that is due to a deity is permitted.

With regard to the halakha in the case of the gentiles who worship the mountains and the hills, the mountains and hills are permitted, but what is upon them is forbidden. It is not prohibited to derive benefit from the mountains and hills themselves, and they can be used for planting, harvesting, and the like. But if gentiles coated them with gold or silver, it is prohibited to derive benefit from the coating, as it is stated: “The graven images of their gods shall you burn with fire; you shall not covet the silver or the gold that is on them, nor take it for yourself, lest you be snared by it; for it is an abomination to the Lord your God” (Deuteronomy 7:25). Rabbi Yosei HaGelili says with regard to the verse: “You shall destroy all the places where the nations that you are to dispossess served their gods, upon the high mountains, and upon the hills, and under every leafy tree” (Deuteronomy 12:2): The mitzva to destroy objects of idol worship applies to “their gods, upon the high mountains,” but not to the mountains themselves that are their gods. Similarly it applies to “their gods…upon the hills,” but not to the hills themselves that are their gods. The mishna asks: And for what reason, then, is an ashera forbidden? Doesn’t the verse also state: “And under every leafy tree,” which indicates that the mitzva to destroy objects of idol worship does not apply to the trees themselves? The mishna answers: It is because it is the product of human involvement and did not grow by itself, and the halakha is that anything that is the product of human involvement is forbidden. Rabbi Akiva says: I will explain and decide the matter before you. The verse does not indicate limitations to the halakhic definition of idols; rather, it is simply giving indicators of prevalent idolatrous practice: Everywhere that you find a high mountain, or an elevated hill, or a leafy tree, know that there is idol worship there.

In the case of one whose house was adjacent to a house of idol worship and the dividing wall fell, it is prohibited to rebuild it. What should he do? He should withdraw into his own property four cubits and build the wall there. In talmudic times, external walls to homes were often built in two parts, with a functional space between them. If the space between the two parts of the wall belonged to him and to the house of idol worship, the area is treated as half and half with regard to withdrawing into his property before rebuilding the wall; he may build the wall four cubits from the middle of that space. The stones of the fallen wall, its wood, and its dust, transmit impurity like a creeping animal, i.e., one who touches them becomes impure like one who touches a creeping animal, as it is stated: “And you shall not bring an abomination into your house, and be accursed like it; you shall detest it [shakketz teshakketzennu], and you shall abhor it; for it is a proscribed item” (Deuteronomy 7:26). The term shakketz is used in a different form, shekketz, with regard to creeping animals. Rabbi Akiva says: Those items transmit impurity like a menstruating woman, as it is stated: “You will put them far away as a menstruating woman; you shall say to it: Go away” (Isaiah 30:22). Just as a menstruating woman transmits impurity by carrying, as one who moves a menstruating woman, even without touching her, becomes impure, so too, objects of idol worship transmit impurity by carrying.

With regard to idol worship there are three types of houses, each with its own halakhot. A house that one built initially for the purpose of idol worship is forbidden, i.e., it is prohibited to derive benefit from such a house. If one plastered a house or cemented it for the purpose of idol worship, and he thereby added a layer to the walls of the house, one removes that which he added, and the rest of the house is permitted. If one brought an object of idol worship into a house temporarily and then removed it, the house is then permitted. With regard to idol worship there are three types of stones, each with its own halakhot. A stone that one initially hewed for use in a platform [bimos] for an idol is forbidden. If one plastered a stone or cemented it for the sake of idol worship, one removes that which he plastered or cemented and the stone is permitted. If one erected an object of idol worship upon a stone and subsequently removed it, the stone is then permitted. There are three types of trees that were used as part of idolatrous rites [ashera]: A tree that one initially planted for the sake of idol worship is forbidden, and one may not derive benefit from any part of the tree. If one lopped off part of the trunk of a tree or trimmed its branches for the sake of idol worship, i.e., to worship that which would regrow there, and the tree’s trunk or limbs regrew, one removes that which has regrown and burn it. The remainder of the tree is then permitted. If one erected an object of idol worship beneath a tree and subsequently removed it, it is permitted to derive benefit from the tree. Which tree is deemed forbidden as an ashera? Any tree that has an object of idol worship beneath it. Rabbi Shimon says: Any tree that people worship. And there was an incident in Tzaidan involving a tree that people would worship, and Jews found beneath it a heap of stones. Rabbi Shimon said to them: Examine this heap of stones. And they examined it and found in it an idolatrous image. Rabbi Shimon said to them: Since it is the image that they worship, we can permit use of the tree to those who wish to derive benefit from it.

With regard to an ashera, one may not sit in its shade, but if one sat in its shade he remains ritually pure. And one may not pass beneath it, and if one passed beneath it he is ritually impure. If the tree was robbing the public, i.e., if its branches extended over public property, and one passed beneath it, he remains pure. One may plant vegetables underneath an ashera during the rainy season, as the vegetables do not benefit from its shade; on the contrary, the tree’s foliage prevents the vegetables from being properly irrigated by the rain. But one may not plant vegetables under an ashera during the summer, as the shade benefits them. And lettuce may not be planted there at all, neither in the summer nor in the rainy season, because shade is always beneficial to lettuce. Rabbi Yosei says: One may not plant vegetables under an ashera even during the rainy season, because the tree’s foliage [shehaneviyya] falls upon them and serves as fertilizer for them.

If one took wood from an ashera, it is prohibited to derive benefit from it. In a case where one kindled a fire in an oven with the wood, if it is a new oven and by kindling the fire he hardened the oven and made it stronger for use in the future, then the oven must be shattered. Since forbidden items were used in the process of forming the oven, one may not derive benefit from the use of the forbidden items. But if it is an old oven it may be cooled; it is prohibited to use the oven only while it is still hot. If one baked bread with wood from the ashera as the fuel, it is prohibited to derive benefit from the bread. If this bread was intermingled with other bread, it is prohibited to derive benefit from all the bread. Rabbi Eliezer says: One must take the benefit and cast it into the Dead Sea. In other words, one is not required to destroy all of the loaves. Instead, one should designate money equal in value to the wood that he used from the ashera, and he should destroy this money to offset the benefit he derived from the forbidden wood. The Rabbis said to him: There is no monetary redemption for objects that are forbidden due to idol worship. Once the bread becomes forbidden, it cannot be redeemed by having the value of the forbidden wood cast into the Dead Sea. If one took wood from an ashera for use as a weaving shuttle [karkor], it is prohibited to derive benefit from it. If one wove a garment with it, it is prohibited to derive benefit from the garment. If the garment was intermingled with other garments, and those other garments were intermingled with others, it is prohibited to derive benefit from all of them. Rabbi Eliezer says: One must take the benefit and cast it into the Dead Sea. The Rabbis said to him: There is no monetary redemption for objects that are forbidden due to idol worship.

How does one revoke the idolatrous status of an ashera? If a gentile trimmed dry wood or pruned green wood from the tree for his own benefit, or if he removed from it a stick, or a rod, or even a leaf, he has thereby revoked its idolatrous status, as he has proven that he no longer worships it. If a gentile shaved down the tree for its own sake, to improve its appearance, it remains prohibited to derive benefit from it. If he shaved it down not for its own sake, it is permitted.

Rabbi Yishmael says: Three stones that are adjacent to each other at the side of Mercury [Markulis] are prohibited, as that idol was worshipped by tossing stones toward it, which then became part of the idol. But if there are only two stones, then they are permitted. And the Rabbis say: Those stones that are adjacent to Mercury and appear to have fallen from it are prohibited. But those stones that are not adjacent to it are permitted.

If one found money, a garment, or vessels at the head of Mercury, these are permitted. If one found vine branches laden with clusters of grapes, or wreaths made of stalks, or containers of wine, oil, or flour, or any other item the likes of which is sacrificed on the altar there, it is prohibited.

In the case of an object of idol worship that had a garden or a bathhouse, one may derive benefit from them when it is not to the advantage of the idol worship, i.e., when he does not pay for his use, but one may not derive benefit from them when it is to their advantage, i.e., if one is required to pay for his use. If the garden or bathhouse belonged jointly to the place of idol worship and to others, one may derive benefit from them, both when it is to their advantage and when it is not to their advantage.

A gentile’s object of idol worship is prohibited immediately, i.e., as soon as it is fashioned for that purpose, but a Jew’s object of idol worship is not prohibited until it is actually worshipped. A gentile can revoke the status of his object of idol worship and the status of the idol of another gentile, but a Jew cannot revoke the status of the object of idol worship of a gentile. One who revokes the status of an object of idol worship thereby revokes the status of its accessories. But if he revokes the status of its accessories, its accessories alone are rendered permitted, but the object of idol worship itself remains prohibited.

How does a gentile revoke the status of an object of idol worship? If he cut off the tip of its ear, or the tip of its nose, or its fingertip; or if he crushed it, even though he did not remove any part of it, in all these cases he thereby revoked its status as an object of idol worship. If he spat before the idol, urinated before it, dragged it on the ground, or threw excrement at it, the status of this idol is not revoked, as this is only a temporary display of scorn, and afterward the gentile might continue to worship the idol. If the gentile sold it or mortgaged it, Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi says: He thereby revoked its status. And the Rabbis say that he did not revoke its status.

With regard to an object of idol worship that was abandoned by its worshippers, if it was abandoned in peacetime, it is permitted, as it was evidently abandoned by choice and this constitutes an implicit revocation of its status as an object of idol worship. If it was abandoned in wartime, it is prohibited, as it was not abandoned by choice. With regard to the stone platforms of kings upon which idols are placed in honor of the kings, these are permitted, due to the fact that the idol is placed on these platforms only at the time that the kings pass by.

The gentiles asked the Jewish Sages who were in Rome: If it is not God’s will that people should engage in idol worship, why does He not elimi-nate it? The Sages said to them: Were people worshipping only objects for which the world has no need, He would eliminate it. But they worship the sun and the moon and the stars and the constellations. Should He destroy His world because of the fools? The gentiles said to the Sages: If so, let Him destroy those objects of idol worship for which the world has no need and leave those objects for which the world has a need. The Sages said to them: If that were to happen, we would thereby be supporting the worshippers of those objects for which the world has need, as they would say: You should know that these are truly gods, as they were not eliminated from the world, whereas the others were eliminated.

One may purchase from a gentile a winepress in which the grapes have been trodden on, despite the fact that the gentile takes grapes in his hand from the winepress and places them on the pile that remains to be trodden on. And the gentile’s touch does not render the juice of the grapes wine used for a libation in idol worship, which is forbidden, until it descends into the collection vat, because until then it does not have the status of wine. Once the wine descended into the collection vat, that which is in the vat is prohibited, and the rest, which did not yet descend into the vat, is permitted.

One may tread on grapes together with the gentile in the winepress, but one may not harvest grapes with him. After the harvest the grapes are brought to the winepress, which is ritually impure. This would render the grapes impure, and it is prohibited to render produce of Eretz Yisrael impure. In the case of a Jew who produces his wine in a state of ritual impurity, one may not tread on grapes nor harvest them with him, as it is prohibited to assist transgressors. But once he has produced his wine, one may take the barrels to the winepress with him, as the wine is already impure. And one may also bring the barrels from the winepress together with him. Similarly, in the case of a baker who makes his bread in a state of ritual impurity, one may not knead or arrange the dough in the shape of bread together with him, so as not to assist in a transgression. But one may take the bread with him to the bread merchant [lapalter].

In the case of a gentile who was found standing next to the wine collection vat, if there is a loan owed by the owner of the wine vat to the gentile, the wine is prohibited. Since the gentile maintains that he has a right to the owner’s property he has no compunctions about touching the wine. But if there is no loan owed by the owner of the wine vat to the gentile, the wine is permitted, as it is assumed that the gentile did not touch the wine that was not his. If a gentile fell into the wine collection vat and emerged from it, or if he measured the wine in the winepress with a pole without touching it with his hands, or if he cast a hornet out of the wine by means of a pole and the pole touched the wine, or where the gentile was removing the foam that was on the top of a fermenting barrel of wine; with regard to all these cases there was such an incident. And the Sages said that the wine may be sold to gentiles, as it is permitted to derive benefit from the wine, but not to drink it. And Rabbi Shimon deems the wine permitted even for drinking. In a case where a gentile took the barrel of wine and threw it, in his anger, into the wine collection vat, this was an incident that occurred and the Sages deemed the wine fit for drinking.

In the case of a Jew who renders the wine of a gentile permitted by treading the gentile’s grapes so that the wine can be sold to Jews, and although a Jew has not yet paid for the wine he then places the wine in the gentile’s domain in a house that is open to a public thoroughfare until he sells it, the halakha depends on the circumstances. If this occurs in a city in which there are both gentiles and Jews, the wine is permitted, as the gentile does not touch the wine lest the Jews see him doing so. If this occurs in a city in which all its inhabitants are gentiles, the wine is prohibited unless a Jew sits and safeguards the wine. But the watchman is not required to sit and guard the wine constantly; even if he frequently leaves the place and comes in again later, the wine is permitted. Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar says: The domain of gentiles is all one, as the Gemara will explain.

In the case of a Jew who renders the wine of a gentile permitted by treading the gentile’s grapes so that the wine can be sold to Jews, and he then places the wine in the gentile’s domain until he sells it, the halakha depends on the circumstances. If that one, the gentile, writes for the Jew: I received money from you in payment for the wine, even though he did not yet receive the actual payment, the wine is permitted. This is because the wine is considered the Jew’s property and the gentile does not venture to touch it. But if the Jew desires to remove the wine and the gentile does not allow him to do so until the Jew gives him the money due to him, this was an incident that occurred in Beit She’an and the Sages deemed the wine prohibited. In this case the gentile believes that he has a lien upon the wine, and therefore he has no compunctions about touching it.

And the Sages say, the only one that is prohibited is the one that has in its hand a staff, a bird, or a globe, sword, crown, ring, image, or snake. And those things on objects of honor like silk, noserings, necklaces, or rings, these are prohibited. On common [items] like kettles of hot water, mats, pots, bowls, signs, or coins, these are permitted. If one found a ring and on it was the image of the sun or the image of the moon or the image of a dragon, he brings it to the salt sea. Rabbi Yehuda says, even the likeness of [a nursing woman, Isis] or Serapis. A ring that has an idol upon it, if it projects out, it is prohibited for benefit. If it does not project out, it is permitted. In either case it is prohibited to make a seal with it. If it does not have an idol on it, it is permitted for benefit and to make a seal with it. A ring that has a seal on it can be used to make a seal with it. Rabbi Yehuda says, if it was stamped down [into the ring], it is prohibited to seal with it because it will make a projected [image when used as a stamp in wax], but it is permitted to put it on one’s hand. The one whose seal projects is permitted to seal with it and prohibited to put it on one’s hand. A ring that has on it a face is permitted to seal with it. Rabbi Hanina ben Gamliel says, those of [my] father’s house would [use a] seal with faces. Rabbi Elazar bar Tzadoq says, all figures were in Jerusalem aside from the image of a man. The one made in the shape of a dragon is prohibited and on which a dragon is hanging—if he takes it and throws it away the rest is permitted. Which is the sort that has the image of a dragon on it that is prohibited? Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar says, all whose fringes [emerge] from its neck but if it is smooth, it is permitted.

The one who purchases scrap metal from an idolator and finds in it idols, he takes it and throws it away and the rest is permitted. An idol until it has come into [the Jew’s] domain, he asks an idolator to nullify it, as an idolator can nullify idols whether his own or belonging to others, whether worshipped or not worshipped, whether unwitting or purposeful, whether under duress or willingly. A Jew who makes an idol, it is prohibited even though it has not been worshipped. Therefore he has no power to nullify it. An idolator who made an idol, it is permitted until it has been worshipped. Therefore he has the power to nullify. Rabbi says in the name of Rabbi Yaaqov, if a Jew made it from the beginning, he cannot nullify it. An idolator who sold an idol for [people] to worship it, it is prohibited, but if not for them to worship it, it is permitted. One may lend on it. If debris fell on it or a river swept it away or brigands took it or its owner left it behind, like in the war of Yehoshua, if the owners are going to return for it, it is prohibited. If not, it is permitted. The pedestals which the idolators set up during the persecution, even if the persecution has passed, these are prohibited. And can any idol that an idolator nullified be prohibited? Scripture says, “You shall consign the images of their gods to burn in the fire” (Deut 7:25)—what he treats as if it were a god is prohibited but what he treats as it if were not a god is permitted. And of a Jew, whether he treats it like a god or whether he doesn’t, it is prohibited. How does one nullify it? Rabbi Meir says, unless one strikes it with a hammer and damages it. Rabbi Shimon says, even if he saw it, struck it and it fell, it is nullified. And the Sages say, an idolator nullifies his idol and that of a Jew, but a Jew cannot nullify the idol of an idolator. Rabbi Shimon ben Menasiya says, an idol of a Jew is never nullified. A pedestal, the majority of which was damaged, it is permitted. An altar, the majority of which was damaged, is prohibited until one tears it down.

That which he sets aside is prohibited and that of his fellow is permitted. Before it is sanctified, it is prohibited. After it is sanctified, it is permitted. At what point is it called “set aside”? Once he has done something to it. What is that which has been worshipped? Anything that people worship, whether unwittingly or purposefully. What is that which is set aside? It was set aside for idolatry. But if someone says, this bull is for idolatry, he says nothing because there is no such thing as consecration when it comes to idolatry.

The cow that is fattened on idolatrous lentils or went down into a garden fertilized with idolatrous manure, it should be left fallow. A garden that one plowed with pieces of an asherah, it must be left fallow. Q’la ilan wool which has been stamped with pieces of an asherah should be burnt. Others say, it is subject to a legal stringency until it returns to its original appearance. Fifes that belong to idolatry, it is prohibited to lament with them. If he rented them for money from the state, even though they were made for the use of idolatry, it is permitted to lament with them. Shops belonging to idolatry, it is permitted to rent from them. Idolatrous charity collectors, it is forbidden to give to them. If they were hired for money, even if they were used for the benefit of idolatry, it is permitted to give to them. One who designates his house for idolatry, the whole of it imparts impurity upon entry, and the one who passes within it is like one who passes within a house of idolatry. If a public thoroughfare cut through it, it confers impurity on that path alone.

The one who adjoins his house to a house of idolatry, the whole of it confers impurity upon entry. If they [built a house of idolatry] adjoining his [house], the whole of it does not confer impurity upon entry. That wall [near the idol] is deemed to be divided half and half [between the two owners]. [If the house] fell down, it is prohibited to rebuild it. If one rebuilt it, he has made it like it was in the beginning. If [someone else] rebuilt it for him, the whole of it does not confer impurity upon entry, but only the wall, which is divided half and half. The one who sells his house to idolatry, its money is prohibited and he should bring them to the salt sea. But an idolator who forced someone and took his house and set it up for idolatry, its money is permitted and one may write [a document to that effect] and deposit it in the archives. The one who enters his head and most of his body into a house of idolatry, he is impure. An earthenware vessel that has been entered into a house of idolatry is unclean. Benches and backed chairs most of which are entered into a house of idolatry, they are unclean.

All places that are referred to positively as a place of idolatry should be called by a negative epithet. If it is called “the Spring of the Cup,” one should call it, “the Spring of the Thorn.” “The place of fortune,” call it “the place of undress.” One who scatters his money before an idol, he shouldn’t bend down in front of it to gather [the money] because it will appear that he is bowing to an idol. But if he turns his back to it and from that positive it does not appear [that he is bowing to it], it is permitted. A spring of water that comes out from a house of idolatry, he should not bend over to drink from it because it appears that he is bowing to an idol. But if he turns his back to it and drinks and is in a place where it does not appear [that he is bowing to the idol], it is permitted. Human faces that spray water in cities, one may not put his mouth on the mouth of the face because it looks like he is kissing an idol, but he can collect [water] in his hands and drink. In addition to that, they say he should not put his mouth on the pipe and drink because of danger to his life. Philosophers asked the elders in Rome, if it is not [God’s] will [that people should engage in] idolatry, why do does he not eliminate it? They said to them, if they were worshipping [only] objects upon which the world does not depend, he would eliminate it. But they worship the sun and the moon and the stars and the constellations. Should He destroy the world on account of fools? Rather he leaves the world to follow its course and the fools who sinned will in the future be given to judgment. The one who steals seeds for planting, [the seeds’] end should not be to sprout. The one who had sex with another man’s wife, his end should not be to beget a child. But [God] leaves the world to follow its course and the fools who sinned will come to be subject to justice.

Idolators who worship the mountains and the hills, even though [the mountains and hills] are permitted, their worshippers should be stoned. A person who is worshipped, even though he is permitted [to live], his worshippers are stoned. Which is the asherah? All which idolators worship and guard them and do not taste of their fruits. Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar says, There are three asherahs in Eretz Yisrael: a carob in Kfar Patam, and [a carob] in Kfar Pigshah, [and] a sycamore in Rani and in Karmel. They plant vegetables under an asherah in the rainy season but not in the dry season. Lettuce, neither in the dry nor in the wet season. Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar says, not even seeds or vegetables in the rainy season, because the leaves fall and become manure [for the plants].

The one who enters under [the asherah] is like one who entered a house of idolatry. If a public thoroughfare cuts through it, it is permitted. A Jew who trims an asherah: if for [the tree’s] benefit, it is prohibited; if for [the Jew’s] benefit, it is permitted; if for the benefit of both, it is prohibited. A person shouldn’t go up to the top of a pedestal even to disfigure it or to soil it because, as it says, “Let nothing that has been doomed stick to your hand” (Deut 13:18). A person should not say to his fellow, “Wait for me next to so-and-so’s idol” or “I will wait for you next to so-and-so’s idol,” as it says, “Make no mention of the names of other gods[, they shall not be heard on your lips” (Ex 23:13).

An idol and everything that is on it is prohibited. If one found on it wine or oil or fine flour or anything of the like that is offered on the altar, it is prohibited. Utensils used for them or their bodies are prohibited. If not used for their body, they are permitted. Utensils used on them or their bodies if idolatrous priests stole them and sold them, they are permitted. One scripture says, “You shall not covet the silver and gold on them” (Deut 7:25). How can one uphold both verses? Whether its body is clothed in them or not, they are prohibited. “With them”—the ones with which the body [of the idol] is clothed are forbidden, the ones with which the body is not clothed are permitted. Even utensils with which the body is clothed which idolatrous priests solve and sold, they are permitted. A marqolis and everything on it is prohibited. If one found on it wine or oil or fine flour or anything of the like that is offered on the altar, it is prohibited. Money or utensils, these are permitted. Others say, money and utensils that are on the top stone are forbidden. Stones that are dropped from the marqolis, if they seem to be associated with it, they are forbidden, and if not, they are permitted. Rabbi Yishmael says, within three tofasot of it are forbidden but outside are permitted. A Jew who brought stones from a marqolis, these are prohibited because they have been forbidden by the idol. An idolator that brings stones from a marqolis, these are permitted because they are like an idol whose worshippers have abandoned it. A marqolis which was pulled up from its place is permitted for benefit. A person who throws a stone on a marqolis, what does it say of him? “Like a pebble in a sling, so is paying honor to a dullard” (Prov 26:8). Honor [given] by way of throwing a stone to a marqolis but the honor it does not recognize, so too all who give honor to an evil person who does not know the honor given it. Another thing: Like the one who puts a stone, just as one who tosses a stone to a marqolis practices idolatry thus all who honor a wicked person are like those who practice idolatry. Another thing: Like the one who puts a stone, the one who throws a stone to a marqolis becomes liable for his life, thus the one who gives over to his impuse becomes liable for his life. Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar says, the one who teaches to a wicked student, what does it say? “Like one who puts a stone,” as the one who throws a stone to a marqolis practices idolatry, thus the one who teaches to a wicked student is like one who practices idolatry.