Wenn man Gefäße findet, auf denen die Form der Sonne dargestellt ist, die Form des Mondes [Rambam erklärt: Nicht, dass er ein kreisförmiges Objekt findet und sagt: Dies ist die Sonne; oder ein sichelförmiges Objekt und sagt: Dies ist der Mond, aber er findet eine Figur, die die Astrologen als Darstellung der Sonne oder des Mondes ansehen, nämlich: Die Sonne wird als gekrönter König dargestellt, der auf einem Streitwagen reitet, und der wie.], die Form von Dracon, [eine Schlange, die Anhänge und Schuppen wie die eines Fisches hat. (Sie sagen, dass es die Strahlen des Mondes darstellt, die in jenen Tagen verehrt wurden.) Und selbst die Rabbiner, die oben sagen, dass alle anderen Tzelamim erlaubt sind, stimmen zu, dass diese verboten sind und Objekte der Verehrung sind.]—Sie sollten ins Tote Meer geworfen werden. R. Shimon b. Gamliel sagt: [Diese Formen], die sich auf wertvollen Gegenständen befinden [wie Armbänder, Nasenringe und (Finger-) Ringe und dergleichen], sind verboten, und solche auf gewöhnlichen Gegenständen [wie Wasserkocher, Kessel, Heizungen und die wie] sind erlaubt. R. Yossi sagt: Er sollte sie nehmen und in den Wind werfen oder ins Meer werfen [damit kein Jude von ihnen profitiert]— Daraufhin sagten sie zu ihm: Aber auch das [(sie zermahlen und in den Wind werfen, ist für die Juden von Nutzen)], um (die Gegenstände) in Dünger umzuwandeln, und es steht geschrieben (5. Mose 13:18) : "Und lass nichts von der Beute an deiner Hand haften!"
Bartenura on Mishnah Avodah Zarah
צורת חמה צורת לבנה – Rambam/Maimonides, of blessed memory, explained, that you should not find it would and he would say, “this is the sun,” or in the form of a round bow, and he would say, “this is the moon,” but rather that he should find a representation that they would relate these astrological specula to the sun or the moon, like they said, that the representation of the sun is like a wreathed king sitting on a wagon, and similarly all this that are like this.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
English Explanation of Mishnah Avodah Zarah
Introduction
This mishnah discusses what one must do with things that he found that are likely to have been used as idols.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Bartenura on Mishnah Avodah Zarah
צורת דרקון – the representation of a snake which has something glistening and scales like the scales of a fish, and they say that it is the representation of the hills of the moon, and it was worshipped in those days, and even according to the Rabbis who stated above (i.e., Mishnah 1), that all of the rest of the images are permissible, they would agree that these are forbidden for it is their custom to worship them.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
English Explanation of Mishnah Avodah Zarah
If one finds utensils upon which is the figure of the sun or moon or a dragon, he casts them into the Dead Sea. Rabban Shimon ben Gamaliel says: if [one of these figures] is upon precious utensils they are prohibited, but if upon common utensils they are permitted. If one finds a utensil that has on it a picture of the sun, moon or a dragon he must destroy it, since it was certainly used for idolatrous purposes. According to the first section of the mishnah, the best way to totally destroy an idol is to throw it into the Dead Sea. In such a way there is no chance that he, or any other Jew, will ever derive any benefit from it. Rabban Shimon ben Gamaliel states that not all utensils that have pictures of the sun, moon or dragon are forbidden. Only precious utensils with such pictures on them are forbidden, for they were certainly worshipped. Cheap utensils were, in all likelihood, not worshipped, and are therefore permitted, even though they have on them pictures of the sun, moon or dragon.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Bartenura on Mishnah Avodah Zarah
שעל המכובדים – nice utensils that their use is for adornment and honor, such as chains, nose-rings and rings and similar kinds of things.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
English Explanation of Mishnah Avodah Zarah
Rabbi Yose says: he may grind [an idol] to powder and scatter it to the wind or throw it into the sea. They said to him, even so it may then become manure, as it says, “let nothing that has been proscribed stick to your hand (Deuteronomy 13:18)”. Rabbi Yose adds to the opinion in section one which stated that the idols must be thrown into the Dead Sea. He holds that it is even sufficient to grind them up and then throw the dust to the wind. The other Sages respond to him that this is not sufficient. By grinding up the idol, someone might use it as fertilizer. This method of destruction would not, therefore, prevent other Jews from violating the strict prohibition of deriving benefit from idols. The Sages bring a verse from Deuteronomy to prove that it is forbidden to derive even the smallest benefit from idolatrous objects.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Bartenura on Mishnah Avodah Zarah
מבוזים – boilers and kettles and those things that warm up warm things, and other similar things. And the Halakha is according to Rabban Shimon ben Gamaliel.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Bartenura on Mishnah Avodah Zarah
וזורה לרוח – so that an Israelite will not benefit from it.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Bartenura on Mishnah Avodah Zarah
אף הוא – if he cast it to the wind also now there would be benefit to an Israelite from it, for it would become manure.
