Avodah Zarah, Daf Mem Gimmel, Part 2
Introduction
Today s section discusses other cases in rabbinic literature where it seems that rabbis make certain use of various images. How did they do this, if it is prohibited?
תנן התם דמות צורות לבנות היה לו לר"ג בעלייתו בטבלא בכותל שבהן מראה את ההדיוטות ואומר להן כזה ראיתם או כזה ראיתם
ומי שרי והכתיב (שמות כ, כג) לא תעשון אתי לא תעשון כדמות שמשי המשמשים לפני
We have learned elsewhere: On a tablet on the wall of his upper chamber Rabban Gamaliel had images of the moon which he used to show to the unlearned and say to them, Did you see (the moon] thus or thus?
But is [such a picture] allowed, is it not written, You shall not make with Me (Exodus 20:23) you shall not make according to the likeness of My attendants who serve before Me!
Rabban Gamaliel used to have pictures of the moon that he would show people to determine if they had seen the new moon and that he could rule that the day was Rosh Hodesh (this source is from Mishnah Berachot). But how could he do this is it not prohibited to make pictures of the moon!
אמר אביי לא אסרה תורה אלא שמשין שאפשר לעשות כמותן
Abaye said: The Torah forbids only the making of His attendants which can be reproduced in their likeness.
Abaye explains that the Torah prohibits only the making of God s attendants, things that serve God, if they can actually be reproduced in a way that is close to how they actually are. Since one cannot make a moon that is anything like the moon, drawing the moon is permitted.
כדתניא לא יעשה אדם בית תבנית היכל אכסדרה תבנית אולם חצר תבנית עזרה שולחן תבנית שולחן מנורה תבנית מנורה אבל הוא עושה של ה’ ושל ו’ ושל ח’ ושל ז’ לא יעשה אפילו של שאר מיני מתכות רבי יוסי בר יהודה אומר אף של עץ לא יעשה כדרך שעשו בית חשמונאי
אמרו לו משם ראיה שפודין של ברזל היו וחופין בבעץ העשירו עשאום של כסף חזרו והעשירו עשאום של זהב
As it is taught: A man should not make a house after the design of the Temple, or a porch after the design of the Temple-porch, a courtyard after the design of the Temple-court, a table after the design of the table [in the Temple], or a candelabrum after the design of [the Temple] candelabrum . He may, however, make one with five, six or eight [branches], but with seven he may not make even of other metals. R. Yose b. Judah says: Also of wood he should not make it, because this is how the Hasmoneans did it.
[The rabbis] said to him: Can you bring any proof from there? It consisted of metal staves, which they covered with tin. When [the Hasmoneans] grew rich they made one of silver, and when they grew still richer they made one of gold!
This baraita is cited as proof for Abaye s statement. One should not make things that are exactly like the structures in the Temple, or the objects therein. But one can make objects that are close to those in the Temple, but not exactly the same, such as 5, 6 or 8 branched candelabra.
The baraita cites a menorah made by the Hasmoneans when they purified the Temple. This is an interesting historical memory, which is found also in other rabbinic sources. According to R. Yose, the Hasmoneans needed to make it out of wood, because they were in haste after the Greeks either stole or defiled the gold menorah. The other rabbis believe that this menorah was made of staves, which other sources identify as the spears they used in war. They covered the menorah with tin, probably to stabilize or protect it and then eventually made it into gold.