Mishnah
Mishnah

Reference for Avodah Zarah 3:6

מִי שֶׁהָיָה בֵיתוֹ סָמוּךְ לַעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה וְנָפַל, אָסוּר לִבְנוֹתוֹ. כֵּיצַד יַעֲשֶׂה, כּוֹנֵס בְּתוֹךְ שֶׁלּוֹ אַרְבַּע אַמּוֹת וּבוֹנֶה. הָיָה שֶׁלּוֹ וְשֶׁל עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, נִדּוֹן מֶחֱצָה עַל מֶחֱצָה. אֲבָנָיו עֵצָיו וַעֲפָרוֹ, מְטַמְּאִין כַּשֶּׁרֶץ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים ז) שַׁקֵּץ תְּשַׁקְּצֶנּוּ. רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא אוֹמֵר, כַּנִּדָּה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה ל) תִּזְרֵם כְּמוֹ דָוָה, צֵא תֹּאמַר לוֹ, מַה נִּדָּה מְטַמְּאָה בְמַשָּׂא, אַף עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה מְטַמְּאָה בְמַשָּׂא:

If one's house adjoined idolatry [i.e., if one of its walls were (part of) a house of idolatry, and the house itself was worshiped], and it (that wall) fell, it is forbidden to rebuild it, [for he thereby builds a house of idolatry. ] What can he do? He moves (the wall) four cubits [within his property, and he builds. And he does not leave it (the intervening space) empty; for he would thereby be benefitting idolatry (by aggrandizing its space.) But he fills the space with thorns and makes it a lavatory for the young.] If it [the space of the thickness of the wall] were [half] his and [half] idolatry's, it is estimated half and half. [i.e., that space of idolatry does not enter into four cubits (of his property); but only his space does. So that if the space of the wall were two cubits, he counts one cubit of his (of the wall) and moves it three cubits within his property]. The stones, the wood, and the sand of that (common) wall cause tumah as a sheretz (a creeping thing) does, [even the part of the Jew, for there is no distinguishing (between the two parts). It causes tumah by contact (maga) and not by carrying (massa), for the tumah of idolatry, being rabbinically ordained, they (the rabbis) were lenient therein. And it does not cause tumah (by contact) with the size of a lentil, as a sheretz does, but only with the size of an olive, as a dead body does.], it being written (of idolatry) (Deuteronomy 7:26): "Shaketz (like "sheretz") teshaktzenu" — "Despite shall you despise it." R. Akiva says: (It causes tumah) as a niddah does, it being written (Isaiah 30:22): "You will cast them (your idols) away, like a niddah. Begone! will you say to it (idolatry)." Just as a niddah causes tumah by massa, so does idolatry. [The halachah is not in accordance with R. Akiva, even with idolatry itself — how much more so, with its appurtenances.]

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