Avodah Zarah, Daf Mem Gimmel, Part 5
Introduction
Yesterday s section concluded by justifying Rabban Gamaliel s moon images by saying that he did not make them, someone made them for him, so it is okay. Today s section questions whether it is allowed to use images that someone else made.
והא רב יהודה דאחרים עשו לו וא"ל שמואל לרב יהודה שיננא סמי עיניה דדין
But there is the case of R. Judah for whom others made [a design on a seal], and Shmuel said to him, Toothy one! Blind its eyes!
People made a seal with the imprint of a face for R. Judah. Shmuel mocked R. Judah and told him to disfigure the seal. This proves that even if others make the image, it is still prohibited.
התם בחותמו בולט ומשום חשדא דתניא טבעת שחותמה בולט אסור להניחה ומותר לחתום בה חותמה שוקע מותר להניחה ואסור לחתום בה
That was a case of a protruding seal and because of suspicion [that it might be worshipped, Shmuel objected to it]; for it has been taught: A signet-ring which has a protruding ring, it is forbidden to wear it, but it is permitted to seal with it; and if the signet is sunk in, one may put the ring on but not seal with it.
The ring that they made for R. Judah had a protruding seal, and it is prohibited to wear such a ring. One should not wear such a ring because it looks like an idol. But one can seal with such a ring because the image is sunken in, and therefore does not look so much like an image.
But if the ring s image is sunken in, then it is permitted to wear it, but one may not sign with it, because such a sign would be protruding. In short, protruding images are prohibited, but sunken ones are not.
ומי חיישינן לחשדא והא בי כנישתא דשף ויתיב בנהרדעא דאוקמי ביה אנדרטא והוו עיילי ביה אבוה דשמואל ולוי ומצלו בגויה ולא חיישי לחשדא רבים שאני
But are we concerned with the suspicion [that an object might be worshipped]? Behold in the synagogue of Shaf Veyativ in Nehardea a statue was set up, and Shmuel’s father and Levi entered it and prayed there without worrying about the possibility of suspicion!
It is different when there are many people together.
The Talmud here cites the fascinating case of a synagogue in Nehardea. The synagogue is called Shaf Veyativ which means destroyed and rebuilt, and indeed, there does seem to have been a famous destruction of the Jewish community in Nehardea in 247 and then the community was rebuilt. Fascinatingly, there was a statue in this synagogue, certainly something that the rabbis would not have been comfortable with. Rabbis attended this synagogue, but it does not seem that they were leaders of it, nor were they consulted on questions of behavior there. So if Shmuel s father and Levi attended this synagogue, they must not have been too worried that someone would think they re worshipping idols.
The Talmud resolves the issue by saying that if many people are around, then we re not concerned that someone will worship the statue. It seems that the presence of others will act as a deterrent (there are things one might do in private that one will not do in public).
והא רבן גמליאל דיחיד הוה כיון דנשיא הוא שכיחי רבים גביה
ואיבעית אימא דפרקים הואי
ואיבעית אימא להתלמד שאני דתניא (דברים יח, ט) לא תלמד לעשות אבל אתה למד להבין ולהורות:
But R. Gamaliel was a single individual!
Since he was the Nasi, many people were always found with him.
Or if you wish I can say that [his chart] was in sections.
Or if you wish I can say that when it is for the purpose of study it is different; as it has been taught: You shall not learn to do, (Deuteronomy 18:9) but you may learn in order to understand and teach.
The final problem is again with regard to Rabban Gamaliel he was an individual, and he had these images in his upper chamber. Why wasn t he concerned that people would suspect him of worshipping them?
There are three answers:
1) He was the head of the community, and therefore, other people were always there with him.
2) The images were in pieces, and it is only prohibited if the image is whole
3) Rabban Gamaliel had these images for study, and one may make images to study them. This is a very broad relaxation of the prohibition and was frequently invoked throughout history to allow for the making of images.