Commentary for Avodah Zarah 3:10
כֵּיצַד מְבַטְּלָהּ. קִרְסֵם, וְזֵרַד, נָטַל מִמֶּנָּה מַקֵּל אוֹ שַׁרְבִיט, אֲפִלּוּ עָלֶה, הֲרֵי זוֹ בְטֵלָה. שְׁפָיָהּ לְצָרְכָּהּ, אֲסוּרָה. שֶׁלֹּא לְצָרְכָּהּ, מֻתֶּרֶת:
How dos he [a gentile] nullify it [an asheirah]? If he plucks them [twigs of the asheirah, to burn for his purposes] or he cuts off [its wet leaves], or if he takes from it a stick or a staff, or even a leaf, it is nullified. If he files it [shefayah (see Targum [veshafith] on Devarim 9:21) ] — if for its own need [i.e., to beautify it], it is forbidden; if not, it is permitted. [And only an adult gentile, who is knowledgeable in idolatry and its appurtenances can nullify idolatry. And even if he is forced to do so, his nullification stands.]
Bartenura on Mishnah Avodah Zarah
כיצד מבטלה – an idolater for a tree used for idolatrous purposes.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
English Explanation of Mishnah Avodah Zarah
How does one annul [an asherah]? If [a pagan] pruned or trimmed it, removing from it a stick or twig or even a leaf, behold it is annulled.
If he smoothed it out for its own sake, it is prohibited; but if not for its own sake, it is permitted.
Our mishnah asks how does one annul an asherah in order to make it permitted for Jews to use.
As we will learn in the next chapter of mishnah, a pagan can “annul” his idol by stopping to treat it as such. If he does so, what was formerly an idol reverts to being a normal object and a Jew may use it. Our mishnah teaches that removing a piece of an asherah tree is a sign that it is no longer being worshipped. Evidently the asherah was not used by the pagan for anything but idol worship. If the pagan does make even the most minimal use of the tree, such as using its leaf, it loses its status as an asherah. The only exception to this case is if he removes something from the tree for its own sake. In other words, if he smoothed the tree to make it look better, it is still an asherah and it is still forbidden. If he did so in order to get a branch, he has annulled its status as an asherah and it is permitted.
If he smoothed it out for its own sake, it is prohibited; but if not for its own sake, it is permitted.
Our mishnah asks how does one annul an asherah in order to make it permitted for Jews to use.
As we will learn in the next chapter of mishnah, a pagan can “annul” his idol by stopping to treat it as such. If he does so, what was formerly an idol reverts to being a normal object and a Jew may use it. Our mishnah teaches that removing a piece of an asherah tree is a sign that it is no longer being worshipped. Evidently the asherah was not used by the pagan for anything but idol worship. If the pagan does make even the most minimal use of the tree, such as using its leaf, it loses its status as an asherah. The only exception to this case is if he removes something from the tree for its own sake. In other words, if he smoothed the tree to make it look better, it is still an asherah and it is still forbidden. If he did so in order to get a branch, he has annulled its status as an asherah and it is permitted.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Bartenura on Mishnah Avodah Zarah
קרסם – dry chips that are on the tree, he took for his needs to burn.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Bartenura on Mishnah Avodah Zarah
ורד – cut moist branches tht are on it.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Bartenura on Mishnah Avodah Zarah
שפאה – it is the Aramaic translation of (Deuteronomy 9:21): “I broke it to bits and ground it thoroughly,” and you crushed it well.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Bartenura on Mishnah Avodah Zarah
לצורכה – in order to beautify it, and not to disannul idolatry but rather to worship idolatry as an adult and with knowledge for he knew the nature of idolatry and those who use it, and even if he disannulled it against his will, it is annulled.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy