Avodah Zarah, Daf Mem Vav, Part 6

 

Introduction

At the end of yesterday s section we learned that the rabbis used Deuteronomy 12:2 as a source for the rule that in a case where one is obligated to destroy an idol, he must utterly eradicate it. So where does R. Yose son of R. Yehudah derive this law, considering he used the verse for another purpose?

ורבי יוסי בר’ יהודה לשרש אחריה מנא ליה נפקא ליה (דברים יב, ג) מואבדתם את שמם מן המקום ההוא

 

From where does R. Yose son of R. Judah [derive the rule] that he must eradicate every trace of it? He derives it from, and you shall destroy their name from that place (Deuteronomy 12:3).

 

R. Yose son of R. Judah uses the very next verse in Deuteronomy to derive the rule that one must eradicate any trace of the idol.

 

ורבנן ההוא לכנות לה שם דתניא ר"א אומר מנין לעוקר עבודת כוכבים שצריך לשרש אחריה ת"ל ואבדתם את שמם. אמר לו ר"ע והלא כבר נאמר (דברים יב, ב) אבד תאבדון. אם כן מה ת"ל ואבדתם את שמם מן המקום ההוא לכנות לה שם יכול לשבח לשבח ס"ד אלא יכול לא לשבח ולא לגנאי ת"ל (דברים ז, כו) שקץ תשקצנו ותעב תתעבנו כי חרם הוא הא כיצד היו קורין אותה בית גליא קורין אותה בית כריא עין כל עין קוץ

 

And the Rabbis [how do they explain that verse]? That the idol must be renamed; for it has been taught: R. Eliezer says: From where do we known is it that when one destroys an idol he must eradicate every trace of it? Scripture says, And you shall destroy their name. R. Akiva said to him: But has it not been already stated, You shall surely destroy? If so, what does Scripture say, And you shall destroy their name from that place? That verse teaches that an idol must be renamed. You might have thought [it should be renamed] for praise. For praise? Would you really think such a thing! Rather, you might have thought [that the renaming should be] neither for praise nor contempt; Scripture says, You shall utterly detest it, and you shall utterly abhor it for it is proscribed (Deuteronomy 7:26). How so? If they called it Bet Galya [house of revelation], call it Beth Karya [house of concealment]; if they called it En Kol [the all-seeing eye], call it En Koz [the eye of a thorn].

 

This baraita explains what the rabbis do with Deuteronomy 12:3. Upon destroying the idol, one must also rename it with some name that both plays on the word and degrades the place of idolatry.

The idea of renaming the place of idolatry with a degrading word seems to me very emblematic of how a quite powerless people (the Jews living during the Roman period) would fantasize carrying out the words of the Torah, which imagine Israelites taking control of their land. Rabbis did not have the power to physically do anything to Roman idols. But maybe they could have slandered them behind their backs.