141 Avodah Zarah 3/7-10

(ז) שְׁלשָׁה בָתִּים הֵן. בַּיִת שֶׁבָּנוּי מִתְּחִלָּה לַעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, הֲרֵי זֶה אָסוּר. סִיְּדוֹ וְכִיְּרוֹ לַעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה וְחִדֵּשׁ, נוֹטֵל מַה שֶּׁחִדֵּשׁ. הִכְנִיס לְתוֹכָה עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה וְהוֹצִיאָהּ, הֲרֵי זֶה מֻתָּר. שָׁלשׁ אֲבָנִים הֵן. אֶבֶן שֶׁחֲצָבָהּ מִתְּחִלָּה לְבִימוֹס, הֲרֵי זוֹ אֲסוּרָה. סִיְּדָהּ וְכִיְּרָהּ לְשֵׁם עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה וְחִדֵּשׁ, נוֹטֵל מַה שֶּׁחִדֵּשׁ. הֶעֱמִיד עָלֶיהָ עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה וְסִלְּקָהּ, הֲרֵי זוֹ מֻתֶּרֶת. שָׁלשׁ אֲשֵׁרוֹת הֵן. אִילָן שֶׁנְּטָעוֹ מִתְּחִלָּה לְשֵׁם עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, הֲרֵי זֶה אָסוּר. גִּדְּעוֹ וּפִסְּלוֹ לְשֵׁם עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה וְהֶחֱלִיף, נוֹטֵל מַה שֶּׁהֶחֱלִיף. הֶעֱמִיד תַּחְתֶּיהָ עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה וּבִטְּלָהּ, הֲרֵי זֶה מֻתָּר. אֵיזוֹ הִיא אֲשֵׁרָה, כֹּל שֶׁיֵּשׁ תַּחְתֶּיהָ עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה. רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אוֹמֵר, כֹּל שֶׁעוֹבְדִין אוֹתָהּ. וּמַעֲשֶׂה בְצַיְדָּן בְּאִילָן שֶׁהָיוּ עוֹבְדִין אוֹתוֹ, וּמָצְאוּ תַחְתָּיו גָּל. אָמַר לָהֶן רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן, בִּדְקוּ אֶת הַגַּל הַזֶּה, וּבְדָקוּהוּ וּמָצְאוּ בוֹ צוּרָה. אָמַר לָהֶן, הוֹאִיל וְלַצּוּרָה הֵן עוֹבְדִין, נַתִּיר לָהֶן אֶת הָאִילָן:

(ח) לֹא יֵשֵׁב בְּצִלָּהּ. וְאִם יָשַׁב, טָהוֹר. וְלֹא יַעֲבֹר תַּחְתֶּיהָ. וְאִם עָבַר, טָמֵא. הָיְתָה גוֹזֶלֶת אֶת הָרַבִּים, וְעָבַר תַּחְתֶּיהָ, טָהוֹר. וְזוֹרְעִין תַּחְתֶּיהָ יְרָקוֹת בִּימוֹת הַגְּשָׁמִים אֲבָל לֹא בִימוֹת הַחַמָּה. וְהַחֲזָרִין, לֹא בִימוֹת הַחַמָּה וְלֹא בִימוֹת הַגְּשָׁמִים. רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אוֹמֵר, אַף לֹא יְרָקוֹת בִּימוֹת הַגְּשָׁמִים, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהַנְּמִיָּה נוֹשֶׁרֶת עֲלֵיהֶן וְהֹוָה לָהֶן לְזָבֶל:

(ט) נָטַל מִמֶּנָּה עֵצִים, אֲסוּרִים בַּהֲנָאָה. הִסִּיק בָּהֶן אֶת הַתַּנּוּר, אִם חָדָשׁ, יֻתַּץ. וְאִם יָשָׁן, יֻצַּן. אָפָה בוֹ אֶת הַפַּת, אֲסוּרָה בַהֲנָאָה. נִתְעָרְבָה בַאֲחֵרוֹת, כֻּלָּן אֲסוּרוֹת בַּהֲנָאָה. רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר, יוֹלִיךְ הֲנָאָה לְיָם הַמֶּלַח. אָמְרוּ לוֹ, אֵין פִּדְיוֹן לַעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה. נָטַל הֵימֶנָּה כַרְכֹּר, אָסוּר בַּהֲנָאָה. אָרַג בּוֹ אֶת הַבֶּגֶד, הַבֶּגֶד אָסוּר בַּהֲנָאָה. נִתְעָרֵב בַּאֲחֵרִים וַאֲחֵרִים בַּאֲחֵרִים, כֻּלָּן אֲסוּרִין בַּהֲנָאָה. רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר, יוֹלִיךְ הֲנָאָה לְיָם הַמֶּלַח. אָמְרוּ לוֹ, אֵין פִּדְיוֹן לַעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה:

(י) כֵּיצַד מְבַטְּלָהּ. קִרְסֵם, וְזֵרַד, נָטַל מִמֶּנָּה מַקֵּל אוֹ שַׁרְבִיט, אֲפִלּוּ עָלֶה, הֲרֵי זוֹ בְטֵלָה. שְׁפָיָהּ לְצָרְכָּהּ, אֲסוּרָה. שֶׁלֹּא לְצָרְכָּהּ, מֻתֶּרֶת:

(7) There are three [types of] houses. A house that is initially built for idolatry: this is prohibited. If it was painted and the molding was put in for idolatry, or if it was renewed [for idolatry], what is new is removed [and the rest is permitted]. If idols are brought inside and removed: this [house] is permitted. There are three [types of] stones. A stone initially hewed to be a pedestal [for an idol]: this is prohibited. If it was painted or molded for idolatry, or renewed [for idolatry], what is new is removed. If an idol was erected on top of it and removed: this [stone] is permitted. There are three [types of] asherot. A tree initially planted for idolatry: this is prohibited. If it was pruned and trimmed for idolatry and it sprouted, the new growth is removed. If an idol is erected under it and taken away: this [tree] is permitted. What is an asherah? Every [tree] that has idolatry below it. Rabbi Shimon says: Every [tree] that is worshiped. It happened in Tzidon, regarding a tree that was worshiped, that they found below it a pile of stones. Rabbi Shimon said to them: "Examine this pile." They examined it and found an image. He said to them: "Because the image is what was worshiped, we shall permit the tree for them."

(8) One should not sit in its shade, but if one did sit he is pure. One should not pass beneath it, and if one did pass he is impure. If it encroaches on the public [domain], one who passes beneath it is pure. Vegetables may be sown beneath it in the rainy season but not in the sunny season. Lettuces may [be sown there] neither in the sunny season nor in the rainy season. Rabbi Yose says: Not even vegetables in the rainy season, because the leaves [of the ashera] fall on them and become fertilizer.

(9) If one took some wood from it, it is prohibited for benefit. If one stoked the oven with it: if [the oven] is new, it must be shattered; if old, it must be cooled. If one baked bread in it, it is prohibited for benefit. If [the bread] became mixed up with others, they are all prohibited for benefit. Rabbi Eliezer said: Let him cast [a sum equivalent to the worth of their] benefit into the Dead Sea! They said to him: There is no redemption when it comes to idolatry. If one took wood from it for a loom, it is prohibited for benefit. If he wove a garment with it, the garment is prohibited for benefit. If that garment became mixed up with others, and then those others became became mixed up with others, they are all prohibited for benefit. Rabbi Eliezer said: Let him cast [a sum equivalent to the worth of their] benefit into the Dead Sea! They said to him: There is no redemption when it comes to idolatry.

(10) How does one annul [the idolatrous status of an asherah]? If one trims or prunes, removes a branch or a stick, or even a leaf, it is annulled. If [after picking from it] one smooths it over for its tree's [aesthetic] sake, it is prohibited, but if not for its sake, then it is permitted.