Questions tagged [avodah-zarah]
Worship of foreign deities, one of the three cardinal sins.
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What exactly are the forbidden statues according to Yerushalmi- Avodah Zarah 3:1 18a?
We read in Yerushalmi- Avodah Zarah 3:1 18a (English translation by Rabbi Jacob Neusner):
[A] All images are prohibited.
[B] "Because they are worshipped once a year", the words of R. Meir
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3answers
265 views
Is it a sin to read a book arguing for the existence of G-d written by a Catholic? [closed]
So I bought this book written by a philosopher by the name of Edward Feser. His book is called "Five Proofs for the Existence of God".
It can be found here: https://www.amazon.com/Five-Proofs-...
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3answers
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Rabbinical knowledge of idolatry
I heard once that the Sanhedrin had to know exactly what the different forms of idolatry were and how they worked in order to correctly judge cases of avodah zara brought before them. Does anyone know ...
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Hiring idolaters
Is one allowed to hire idolaters, if it is known that part of their salary is donated to idolatrous activities?
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Yirmiyahu and Zoroastrianism
In Yirmiyahu 6:25 and 20:3 he mentions the word magor. Is this related to the Zoroastrian deity magi https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magi
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What is the exact position expressed by Rabbi Danzig's Chochmat Adam regarding three-dimensional human images?
I'm an Italian noahide.
I read what Rambam says in Avodat Kochavim 3: 10-11 about the making of images by a Jew.
I also read the following words in a Jewish forum:
“The Torah says, "Don't make a ...
5
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0answers
60 views
What happened to Lovon's idols that were taken by Rochel?
In a comment on this question Did anyone (especially Yaakov) ever find out about the idols? Ezra says:
In Genesis 35:1-4, Jacob requests his household to hand over "foreign
deities", and he ...
2
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1answer
77 views
Bereishit 31:53 “chol”
In my Artscroll chumash, on Bereishit 31:53, there is an asterisk next to the two uses of "elohei" which refer to the "god" of Nachor and of "their fathers."
It looks like this
אֱלֹהֵ֨י אַבְרָהָ֜ם *...
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What is in greater violation of the prohibition of blasphemy: Atheism vs Avoda Zara?
In the eyes of halacha, who is in greater violation of the prohibition of blasphemy, an idolator or an atheist?
Whichever is worse, is that the case by both Jew and Non-Jew?
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1answer
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Does definition of Nichush cover Middos based behavior?
The Gemmorah (on Gen 24) considers Eliezer's approach to choosing a wife a [forbidden] Nichush.
IIRC it was based on a girl's special [and seemingly rare] virtues and not blind chance. If I was truly ...
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Source for Rashi's claim that some nations worshiped dust?
Rashi (Gen 18,4) on "יֻקַּח־נָא מְעַט־מַיִם וְרַחֲצוּ רַגְלֵיכֶם׃" says:
כַּסָּבוּר שֶׁהֵם עַרְבִיִּים שֶׁמִּשְׁתַּחֲוִים לַאֲבַק רַגְלֵיהֶם
He thought they were Arabians who worship the dust of ...
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Does the Torah encourage monotheistic evangelism? [duplicate]
Although Judaism is not a proselytizing religion in the classical sense, is there any responsibility to bring non-jews to monotheism and away from idolatry?
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Is Unitarian Christianity עבודה זרה? [duplicate]
According to Wikipedia:
"Unitarians believe that mainline Christianity does not adhere to strict monotheism, but that Unitarians do by maintaining that Jesus was a great man and a prophet of God, ...
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2answers
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Is there anyway to repent for proselytizing for idol worship?
In hilchos teshuva of the Rambam (4:1), he states that one for proselytizes for idol worship is unable to repent. Are there any other sources that comment on anyway to repent for such a sin?
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Adopting idolatrous Babylonian name of Month Tamuz
Jerusalem Rosh Hashana 6a
דא"ר חנינה שמות חדשים עלו בידם מבבל
R'Hanina said: the names of the Months were brought with them from Babylon
The Gemmorah explains the process of adopting the ...
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Did Avoda Zara Work? [duplicate]
Did avoda zara actually work and was thereby forbidden (Devarim 30:17), or was idolatry a wasted endeavor and forbidden due to its foolishness?
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Are dolls/stuffed bears/action figures forbidden due to the fact they might be considered idols? [duplicate]
It's not uncommon for children to play with dolls. Girls with "American Girl" dolls and baby dolls while boys typically have action figures and the like.
Do these not violate the rules on idols ...
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1answer
66 views
Why did God not accept the people's repentance in the days of King Yoshiyahu?
After a disastrous 57 years (the reigns of Menashe and his son Amon), during which idolatry was rampant in Judah and Judaism was threatened with extinction, the good king Yoshiyahu comes on the scene ...
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How can ancestors leave a makom l'hisgader?
The gemara in חולין on 6b / 7a (apologies, on mobile so can't provide link) discusses how the copper snake of Moshe should have been destroyed by earlier Kings (specifically referring to those kings ...
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3answers
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Do Samaritans go to Olam Haba?
My question is if samaritans go to Olam Haba. It would seem pretty obvious except for the fact they don’t recognize the Jewish people as Hashem’s Chosen. They also have their own Slightly altered ...
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Prophecy and idolatry [duplicate]
The Steinsaltz commentary to Arakhin 32b notes that the evil inclination to worship idols was prevalent during the First Temple period but not during the time of the Second Temple. It goes on to say ...
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What did Elijah say about Baal?
When Eliahu HaNavi confronted the prophets of Baal and they couldn't deliver, he told them [1Kings 18:27]:
וַיְהִ֨י בַֽצָּהֳרַ֜יִם וַיְהַתֵּ֧ל בָּהֶ֣ם אֵלִיָּ֗הוּ וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ קִרְא֤וּ בְקוֹל־...
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Sources on the Rogochover and Islam
Someone once told me the Rogochover says that Muslims are idol worshippers, as they secretly worship the moon.
I couldn't find where the Rogochover actually writes this. This article (fn. 20) says ...
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0answers
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Can a Jew encourage non-Jews to convert to other monotheistic religions?
Would it be permissible for a Jew to encourage or help a non-Jew convert from a faith that involves avodah zara to one that does not? For example a Christian (on the notion that Christianity is avodah ...
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1answer
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Idolatrous origin of the name TAMMUZ
The Gemmorah in [Jerusalem Rosh Hashana 6a][1]
explains the process of adopting the Babylonian names on Months instead of Biblical ones.
דא"ר חנינה שמות חדשים עלו בידם מבבל
R'Hanina said: the ...
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0answers
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Why is one who's influenced by a Persian priest liable to death?
It says in Shabbat 75b that if a magosh tries to influence a Jew to adopt even a single one of his customs, that Jew should be put to death:
אמר רב זוטרא בר טוביה אמר רב: ... והלומד דבר אחד מן ...
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How can people dance around bonfires on Lag Lo'Omer - it's darchei emori?
In Tosephto Shabbos 7:1, it says that one who dances by a bonfire is following in the ways of the Emorites. In light of this, how can so many supposedly frum Jews dance around bonfires on Lag Lo'Omer?
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2answers
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Was Avodah Zara (idolatry) Effective?
For centuries Idol Worship was extremely popular across the ancient world & even in the Jewish community. I highly doubt that all these people were busy building & worshipping statutes based ...
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1answer
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May one graduate in a multi-purpose church building? [duplicate]
Suppose a school graduation is held in a building that is used for church services as well as various kinds of non-religious cultural events. One example of such a venue is the United Palace theater; ...
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0answers
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Why can Avodah Zara be בטל בשישים?
If עבודה זרה is so strict, why can it be בטל by 1/60 in דבר שלא במינו? (see :עבודה זרה ע"ג)
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Standing in the presence of an idol / entering a room which has an idol
The question is remarkably simple (even though the answer may not be so).
Is it allowed by halacha to stand in the presence of an idol or enter a room where an idol is present ?
Specifically, I'm ...
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2answers
146 views
Is one allowed to sleep in a room/house where there are images of JC, Virgin Mary and other avodah zarah?
Is a Jew permitted to sleep in a room/house where there are idolatrous images on the walls, such as JC, virgin Mary, etc.? What about non-Jews?
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2answers
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Should one wish for the destruction of buildings of idol worship?
Two sequential questions, prompted by the Notre Dame fire:
Is one obligated to wish that places of idol worship are consumed if they already are on fire? (I would think so, given e.g. OC 224:2)
If so,...
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1answer
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Are Jews allowed to contribute to the reconstruction of the Paris cathedral?
I assume most of you have already heard about the sad events that happened yesterday in France. One of the main symbols of Paris, a functioning cathedral caught on fire and caused huge damage to the ...
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Is it lawful,for the Noahide Laws, the thesis of Gentiles Christians according to whom Jesus has a divine nature but he is subordinate to God? [duplicate]
I am not a christian but I am an Italian noahide, therefore I do not believe in the divinity and messianicity of Jesus the Nazarene.
I clarify that my question, being relevant to the application of ...
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Where does the ohr hachaim say that one who fails to destroy avoda zara is also oveir on the lav of not serving it?
The ohr hachaim is quoted as saying that one who fails to destroy avoda zara is also oveir on the lav of not serving it in "hatekufah hagedolah" (r' menachem mendel kasher) in perek 13 "(ד' ר"ש)" ...
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Is one allowed to embarass idolaters and atheists in public?
From the story of Yehudah and Tamar, we know that it's better to die than embarass a fellow Jew in public. However, I've heard multiple times that Torah permits embarassing and insulting idolaters (...
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5answers
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Is it forbidden to help idolaters become righteous Noahides?
I heard from a Rabbi who cited Rambam that it is forbidden to help idolaters do teshuvah.
Does that mean it is forbidden to persuade them that they follow fake religions and that Judaism is the only ...
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1answer
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Why did the ploy to get Mitzraim to come to the sea require Ba'al Tzefon's existence and Bnei Yisrael's wandering aimlessly?
Shemos 14:1-4:
וַיְדַבֵּר יְהֹוָה אֶל־מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹר׃ דַּבֵּר אֶל־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְיָשֻׁבוּ וְיַחֲנוּ לִפְנֵי פִּי הַחִירֹת בֵּין מִגְדֹּל וּבֵין הַיָּם לִפְנֵי בַּעַל צְפֹן נִכְחוֹ תַחֲנוּ עַל־...
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Would you be permitted to sell a house that was built for idol worship?
Suppose you purchased a house and subsequently discovered it had been built for the express purpose of idol worship (a nice suburban Ba'al Peor temple right outside of Lakewood, say, or the Avodah ...
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1answer
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What is the process for purifying your home if you believe it may have been previously used for pagan worship?
Locations of foreign worship are typically of concern. You're not supposed to enter a church for this very reason.
My question relates to the idea that one finds out their home was previously used ...
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0answers
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Destroy or sell? Avodah zarah? [closed]
I previously owned a rental and had a tenant who passed away. His family left Scientology fiction books and lectures by Ron Hubbard in my rental attic. These may be worth around $500 if I were to sell ...
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Name of avoda zara in the mishna?
Avoda Zara 3, 4:
שאל פרוקלוס... שהיה רוחץ במרחץ של אפרודיטי
Proclus asked... because he was washing in the bathroom of aphroditi ...
Given it is forbidden to say name of avoda zara (Sanhedrin ...
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Why for a sorceress does the Torah say “shall not live” instead of “shall be put to death?”
In Exodus 22:17 the Torah tells us:
מְכַשֵּׁפָ֖ה לֹ֥א תְחַיֶּֽה׃
A sorceress you shall not let live.
We learn from Sanhedrin 67a that (man or woman) the punishment for sorcery is death by ...
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1answer
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Why Moses could be only replaced with an idol?
In the previous question about the Golden Calf I thought it was suspicious that neither Moses left the "chain of command" just in case, neither Aharon offered himself as Moses' replacement.
Also, ...
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1answer
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Money obtained by selling Tikrovet avoda zara
Talmud Kiddushin 58a says that Avoda Zara 'catches its value' (תופס דמיו) to be forbidden as itself: the money obtained from its sale is also forbidden.
Now, what with tikrovet avoda zara (offerings ...
3
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1answer
81 views
Is idolatry more than the worship of inanimate objects?
Many rabbis (mostly, if not only, non-traditional, I believe) are giving us new interpretations of the word “idolatry”. We sometimes hear that the pursuit of material possessions is worship of wealth;...
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3answers
81 views
What causes a person to do Avodah Zarah?
In relation to "Definition of Avodah Zarah":
I would like to know what drives or causes a person to worship Avodah Zarah in the first place; i.e. what lies at the core of it? Is there a reason why it’...
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1answer
51 views
Do objects of idolatry contaminate?
Rambam in Mishneh Torah, Foreign Worship and Customs of the Nations 7:9 speaking about idolatrous objects says that "everything it mingled with and its identity lost" is forbidden property.
Is Rambam ...
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2answers
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Definition of Avodah Zarah
Looking at different explanations regards Avodah Zarah, different/various forms of idolatry, I tried to sum things up, I tried to get to get a definition out of it based on their common denominator.
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