Mesorat%20hashas for Avodah Zarah 4:1

רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל אוֹמֵר, שָׁלשׁ אֲבָנִים זוֹ בְצַד זוֹ בְּצַד מַרְקוּלִיס, אֲסוּרוֹת. וּשְׁתַּיִם, מֻתָּרוֹת. וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים, שֶׁנִּרְאוֹת עִמּוֹ, אֲסוּרוֹת. וְשֶׁאֵין נִרְאוֹת עִמּוֹ, מֻתָּרוֹת:

R. Yishmael says: Three stones, one beside the other, [and, it goes without saying, one atop two, the "essential" Mercury], beside (an idol of) Mercury, are forbidden. ["beside Mercury": That is, four ells to the side of Mercury, it being known that they did not fall from it. It is of this that R. Yishmael says that three stones are forbidden, Mercury not being less than three stones. They would make a small Mercury beside the big one. And this small one would be made with stones of any size, without care being taken that it be one stone atop two]. And the sages say that those seen with it are forbidden, and those not seen with it, permitted. [The Rabbis hold that a small Mercury is not made beside a big one. Therefore, if the stones can be seen together with it, i.e., if they are near it, so that it can be said that they have fallen from it, whether two or thee, they are forbidden. If they cannot be seen together with it, they are permitted. The halachah is in accordance with the Rabbis.]

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