Avodah Zarah, Daf Nun Bet, Part 1
Introduction
Last week s daf ended by beginning to explain the baraita about when an idol becomes prohibited. I am copying that baraita again for ease of reference:
The idol of an idolater is not prohibited until it is worshipped; but if it belonged to an Israelite it is prohibited immediately, the words of R. Yishmael;
But R. Akiva says the opposite: The idol of an idolater is prohibited immediately; but if it belonged to an Israelite it is not prohibited until it is worshipped.
ורבי ישמעאל אשכחן עבודת כוכבים של עובד כוכבים דאין אסורה עד שתעבד דישראל דאסורה מיד מנא ליה סברא הוא מדעובד כוכבים עד שתעבד דישראל אסורה מיד
We have explained why R. Ishmael holds that the idol of an idolater is not prohibited until it is worshipped; but from where does he derive that the idol of an Israelite is prohibited immediately?
It is common sense that if when it belongs to an idolater [it is not prohibited] until it is worshipped, when it belongs to an Israelite it should be prohibited immediately.
Last week we saw a midrash which explained why R. Ishmael holds that the idol of an idolater is prohibited only once it is worshipped. But what about the second half of his statement that an idol made by a Jew is prohibited immediately.
The Talmud seems to think that this is just common sense. Below we will examine the other possibilities as to when this idol becomes prohibited. It s not really common sense but rather process of elimination.
אימא דישראל כלל וכלל לא השתא גניזה בעיא איתסורי לא מיתסרא
But say that when it belongs to an Israelite it is not prohibited at all!
Since it has to be disposed of, how can it not be prohibited!
Since we know (from elsewhere) that an idol made by a Jew must be disposed of (it requires geniza) we cannot say that it may be permitted.
ואימא כדעובד כוכבים אמר קרא (דברים ט, כא) ואת חטאתכם אשר עשיתם את העגל משעת עשייה קם ליה בחטא
But say [that when it belongs to an Israelite it is to be treated in the same way as when it belongs to] an idolater! The verse says, And I took your sin that you made, the calf (Deuteronomy 9:21) from the moment it was made they were accounted as sinning.
The verse referring to the making of the golden calf proves that as soon as the Jews made the calf they were considered sinners, even before they had worshipped it.
אימא ה"מ למיקם גברא בחטא איתסורי לא מיתסרא אמר קרא (דברים כז, טו) ארור האיש אשר יעשה פסל ומסכה משעת עשייה קם ליה בארור
אימא ה"מ למיקם גברא בארור איתסורי לא מיתסרא תועבת ה’ כתיב ור"ע דבר המביא לידי תועבה
Say that these words make a man is guilty of sin [when he makes an idol] but not that it is prohibited! The verse says, Cursed be the man that makes a graven or molten image (Deuteronomy 27:15) from the moment it is made he comes under the curse.
But say again that these words make a man guilty of sin [when he makes an idol] but not that it is prohibited! An abomination unto the Lord is written.
How does R. Akiva [explain this phrase]? [The idol] is a thing that leads to an abomination.
The verse from Deuteronomy 9 about the golden calf might say only that the person is guilty of sin, not that the idol is prohibited. The Talmud then brings another verse to show that a Jew is cursed for making an idol before he even worships it. But this too does not seem to prove that the idol is prohibited immediately, only that the person who makes it is cursed.
To finally solve the issue, the Talmud quotes the next word of the verse the idol is an abomination as soon as it is made. It need not be worshipped.
R. Akiva, who holds that an idol made by a Jew is not prohibited until it is worshipped, would hold that the idol itself is not an abomination. But making it leads to the abomination of worshipping it.
ור"ע עבודת כוכבים של עובד כוכבים דאסורה מיד מנא ליה? אמר עולא אמר קרא (דברים ז, כה) פסילי אלהיהם תשרפון באש משפסלו נעשה אלוה
From where does R. Akiva derive his view that the idol of an idolater is prohibited immediately? Ulla said: The verse says, The graven images of their gods you shall burn with fire (Deuteronomy 7:25): once they have been made into graven images they become gods.
R. Akiva derives the idea that idols made by idolaters become prohibited immediately from a verse that calls them graven images. They are prohibited as soon as they are made.
ואידך ההוא מיבעי ליה לכדתני רב יוסף דתני רב יוסף מנין לעובד כוכבים שפוסל אלוהו שנאמר פסילי אלהיהם תשרפון באש
And the other [how does he explain this verse]? He requires it in accordance with the teaching of Rav Joseph, for R. Joseph taught: From where do we know that an idolater can disqualify his god? As it is stated, The graven images of their gods you shall burn with fire.
R. Ishmael would use this verse for a different derashah. The word for graven is pesilei and the word for disqualify is posel. So R. Ishmael makes a wordplay how do we know that a non-Jew can annul or disqualify an idol? From the wordplay on this verse.
ואידך נפקא ליה מדשמואל דשמואל רמי כתיב (דברים ז, כה) לא תחמוד כסף וזהב עליהם וכתיב ולקחת לך הא כיצד פסלו לאלוה לא תחמוד פסלו מאלוה ולקחת לך
And the other [where does he derive this regulation]? He deduces it from the statement of Shmuel, for Shmuel contrasted the following: It is written, You shalt not covet the silver or the gold that is on them, and it is written, You shall keep it for yourselves (Deuteronomy 7:25). How is this to be understood? When [the idolater] fashions it into a god do not covet it, but when he has annulled it so that it is no longer a god you may take it for yourself.
In its totality the verse reads, You shall consign the images of their gods to the fire; you shall not covet the silver and gold on them and keep it for yourselves. Clearly one is not supposed to keep the silver and gold for oneself. But Shmuel makes a midrash on the verse, reading the second half in isolation, and concluding that sometimes one can keep the silver and gold for oneself. When the idolater makes the idol it becomes prohibited and you shall not covet it. But when he annuls it, it is permitted and you shall keep it for yourselves.