Mishnah
Mishnah

Quoting%20commentary for Avodah Zarah 3:4

שָׁאַל פְּרוֹקְלוֹס בֶּן פִלוֹסְפוֹס אֶת רַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל בְּעַכּוֹ, שֶׁהָיָה רוֹחֵץ בַּמֶּרְחָץ שֶׁל אַפְרוֹדִיטִי, אָמַר לוֹ, כָּתוּב בְּתוֹרַתְכֶם, וְלֹא יִדְבַּק בְּיָדְךָ מְאוּמָה מִן הַחֵרֶם. מִפְּנֵי מָה אַתָּה רוֹחֵץ בַּמֶּרְחָץ שֶׁל אַפְדוֹדִיטִי. אָמַר לוֹ, אֵין מְשִׁיבִין בַּמֶּרְחָץ. וּכְשֶׁיָּצָא אָמַר לוֹ, אֲנִי לֹא בָאתִי בִגְבוּלָהּ, הִיא בָאתָה בִגְבוּלִי, אֵין אוֹמְרִים, נַעֲשֶׂה מֶרְחָץ לְאַפְרוֹדִיטִי נוֹי, אֶלָּא אוֹמְרִים, נַעֲשֶׂה אַפְרוֹדִיטִי נוֹי לַמֶּרְחָץ. דָּבָר אַחֵר, אִם נוֹתְנִין לְךָ מָמוֹן הַרְבֵּה, אִי אַתָּה נִכְנָס לַעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה שֶׁלְּךָ עָרוֹם וּבַעַל קֶרִי וּמַשְׁתִּין בְּפָנֶיהָ, וְזוֹ עוֹמֶדֶת עַל פִּי הַבִּיב וְכָל הָעָם מַשְׁתִּינִין לְפָנֶיהָ. לֹא נֶאֱמַר אֶלָּא אֱלֹהֵיהֶם. אֶת שֶׁנּוֹהֵג בּוֹ מִשּׁוּם אֱלוֹהַּ, אָסוּר. וְאֶת שֶׁאֵינוֹ נוֹהֵג בּוֹ מִשּׁוּם אֱלוֹהַּ, מֻתָּר:

Proclus the son of Plospos asked R. Gamliel in Acco when he bathed in the baths of Aphrodite [(where there was an image of the star Venus; thus, Rambam)]: "It is written in your Torah (Deuteronomy 13:18): 'And let naught of the spoil adhere to your hand.' Why, then, do you bathe in the baths of Aphrodite?" He answered: "One does not answer (questions of Torah) in the bath-house" [(because he stands naked there)]. When he went out, he said to him: "I did not enter her (Aphrodite's) border; she entered my border" [i.e., the bath-house was there before she was, and the bath-house was made for all who came to bathe] and [another answer]: "We do not say: Let us make a bath-house as an ornament for Aphrodite, [a bath-house not being ornamental], but "Let us make an Aphrodite as an ornament for the bath-house," [Aphrodite being secondary to the bath-house]. Another indication (that the Aphrodite was placed there for ornament and not for worship): "Even if they gave you a great deal of money (for doing so), you would not go to your idolatry naked, or having experienced a (seminal) discharge, and (you would not) urinate before it. Yet this (Aphrodite) stands before the (sewage) duct, and all the people urinate before it, (which indicates that the Aphrodite was placed there for ornament and not for worship.) It is written (that you are not to derive benefit from) "their gods" (Deuteronomy 12:2). A Jew may not (derive benefit) from what they perceive as a god; but he may (derive benefit) from what they do not perceive as a god (but as an ornament).

Explore quoting%20commentary for Avodah Zarah 3:4. In-depth commentary and analysis from classical Jewish sources.

Previous VerseFull ChapterNext Verse