Pt2 Forbidden Images and Idolatrous Objects: Representation, Worship, and Annulment (Avodah Zarah 42b-44a)

This is the second part of a four-part series. Part 1 is here; the outline of the series can be found at Part 1.

R’ Shimon ben Elazar - A dragon image is identified by scales between its joints

תנו רבנן:

איזהו צורת דרקון?

פירש רבי שמעון בן אלעזר:

כל שיש לו ציצין בין פרקיו.

§ A baraita states:

What is a figure of a dragon?

R’ Shimon ben Elazar explained:

It is any figure that has scales¹ between its joints.

R’ Asi - Specifies that the dragon’s distinctive scales are between the joints of its neck

מחוי רבי אסי:

בין פרקי צואר.

R’ Asi motioned with his hands to depict

scales between the joints of the neck.

R’ Hama b. Hanina - The halakha follows R’ Shimon ben Elazar’s definition of a dragon

אמר רבי חמא ברבי חנינא:

הלכה כרבי שמעון בן אלעזר.

R’ Ḥama, son of R’ Ḥanina, says:

The halakha is in accordance with the opinion of R’ Shimon ben Elazar.

Rabba bar bar Hana citing R’ Yehoshua ben Levi - R’ Elazar HaKappar found a ring bearing a dragon; he had an adult non-Jew revoke its idolatrous status, even coercing him to do so

אמר רבה בר בר חנה, אמר רבי יהושע בן לוי:

פעם אחת

הייתי מהלך אחר רבי אלעזר הקפר בריבי בדרך,

ומצא שם טבעת

ועליה צורת דרקון,

Rabba bar bar Ḥana says that R’ Yehoshua ben Levi says:

Once,

I was following R’ Elazar HaKappar the Distinguished on the road,

and he found a ring there,

and there was a figure of a dragon on it.

ומצא גוי קטן

ולא אמר לו כלום,

מצא גוי גדול

ואמר לו:

בטלה,

ולא בטלה,

סטרו

ובטלה.

And he then encountered a minor (=under age 13) non-Jew boy,

but did not say anything to him.

He then encountered an adult non-Jew,

and said to him:

Revoke the ring’s idolatrous status.

But the non-Jew did not revoke it.

R’ Elazar HaKappar then slapped him (סטרו) across his face,

whereupon the non-Jew succumbed and revoked its idolatrous status.

From R’ Elazar HaKappar’s anecdote we can derive the following halachot: a non-Jew may annul his own or another non-Jew’s idol; only one knowledgeable about idolatry can annul it; annulment may be coerced

שמע מינה תלת:

1. שמע מינה

   1. גוי מבטל עבודה זרה שלו ושל חבירו,

2. ושמע מינה

   1. — יודע בטיב של עבודה זרה ומשמשיה

      1. מבטל,

   2. — ושאינו יודע בטיב עבודה זרה ומשמשיה

      1. אינו מבטל,

3. ושמע מינה

   1. גוי מבטל בעל כרחו.

The Talmud comments:

Learn from this incident the following 3 halakhot:

1. Learn from it that

   1. a non-Jew can revoke the idolatrous status of both his object of idol worship and that of another non-Jew.

2. And learn from the fact that

   1. R’ Elazar HaKappar waited to find an adult non-Jew, that only one who is aware of the nature of idol worship and its accessories —

      1. can revoke the idol’s status,

   2. but one who is not aware of the nature of idol worship and its accessories, such as a minor —

      1. cannot revoke the idol’s status.

3. And finally, learn from it that

   1. a non-Jew can revoke the status of an idol even against his will.

R’ Hanina - Challenges the need to annul the lost dragon ring: its owner should already have despaired of it

מגדף בה רבי חנינא,

ולית ליה לרבי אלעזר הקפר בריבי הא דתנן:

המציל

1. מן הארי

2. ומן הדוב

3. ומן הנמר

4. ומן הגייס

5. ומן הנהר

6. ומזוטו של ים

7. ומשלוליתו של נהר,

8. והמוצא בסרטיא ופלטיא גדולה,

9. ובכל מקום שהרבים מצוין שם —

הרי אלו שלו,

מפני שהבעלים מתייאשין מהן

R’ Ḥanina ridiculed (מגדף) this ruling and asked: But why was it necessary to have a non-Jew actively revoke the idolatrous status of the ring?

Doesn’t R’ Elazar HaKappar the Distinguished maintain in accordance with that which we learned in a baraita:

In the case of one who saves an object

1. from a lion,

2. or from a bear,

3. or from a cheetah,

4. or from a troop (גייס) of soldiers,

5. or from a river,

6. or from the tide (זוטו) of the sea,

7. or from the flooding (שלוליתו) of a river,

8. or similarly one who finds an object in a main thoroughfare² or in a large plaza,³

9. or for that matter, anywhere frequented by the public --

in all these cases, the objects belong to him,

because the owners despair of recovering them

Therefore, in the case of a lost ring with an idolatrous figure on it, its idolatrous status is automatically revoked, as its owner despairs of recovering it.

Abaye - Despair of recovering an idol does not equal annulment of its idolatrous status, since the non-Jewish owner expects that whoever finds it will ultimately cause it to be worshipped again by a non-Jew

אמר אביי:

נהי דמינה מייאש,

מאיסורא מי מייאש?!

מימר אמר:

• אי גוי משכח לה —

  • מפלח פלח לה,

• אי ישראל משכח לה —

  • איידי דדמיה יקרין, מזבין לה לגוי, ופלח לה.

Abaye said:

Granted, the owner despairs of recovering the object itself,

but does he despair of its forbidden [me’issura] idolatrous status?!

The owner does not assume that the object will never be worshipped again; rather, he says to himself:

1. If a non-Jew finds it,

   1. he will worship it.

2. If a Jew finds it,

   1. since it is valuable, he will sell it to a non-Jew, who will then worship it.

Therefore, R’ Elazar HaKappar had to have the ring’s idolatrous status revoked.

Mishnah (in tractate Rosh Hashana) - Rabban Gamliel kept diagrams of phases/forms of the moon to question witnesses about their sighting of the new moon

תנן התם:

דמות צורות לבנות היה לו לרבן גמליאל בעלייתו, בטבלא בכותל,

שבהן מראה את ההדיוטות,

ואומר להן:

כזה ראיתם או כזה ראיתם?

§ We learned in a Mishnah there (Rosh HaShana 24a):

Rabban Gamliel had diagrams of the different figures (דמות צורות) of moons drawn on a tablet⁴ that hung on the wall of his attic,

which he would show to the commoners⁵ who came to testify about sighting Rosh Chodesh but who were unable to adequately describe what they had seen.

And he would say to them:

Did you see an image like this, or did you see an image like that?

ומי שרי?

והכתיב:

״לא תעשון אתי״,

לא תעשון כדמות שמשי המשמשים לפני!

The Talmud asks: And is it permitted to form these figures?

But isn’t it written:

“You shall not make with Me gods of silver, or gods of gold” (Exodus 20:20),

which is interpreted to mean: You shall not make figures of My attendants who serve before Me,

i.e., those celestial bodies that were created to serve God, including the sun and the moon.

Abaye - distinguishes between heavenly attendants whose actual likeness can and cannot be reproduced - Exodus 20:20

אמר אביי:

לא אסרה תורה אלא שמשין שאפשר לעשות כמותן,

In answering, Abaye said:

The Torah prohibited only the figures of those attendants that one can possibly reproduce something that is truly in their likeness.

Since it is impossible to reproduce the sun and the moon, the prohibition does not apply to these entities.

Baraita - One may not construct replicas of the Temple building, Entrance Hall, courtyard, Table, or seven-branched Menorah; but Menorahs with other numbers of branches are permitted

כדתניא:

לא יעשה אדם

1. בית תבנית היכל,

2. אכסדרה תבנית אולם,

3. חצר תבנית עזרה,

4. שולחן תבנית שולחן,

5. מנורה תבנית מנורה,

אבל הוא עושה של חמש ושל שש ושל שמונה,

ושל שבע לא יעשה

אפילו של שאר מיני מתכות.

As it is taught in a baraita:

A person may not construct

1. a house in the exact image of the Temple Sanctuary (היכל),

2. nor a portico in the exact image of the Temple Entrance Hall (אולם) of the Sanctuary,

3. nor a courtyard corresponding to the Temple courtyard (עזרה),

4. nor a table corresponding to the Table in the Temple,

5. nor a menorah corresponding to the Menorah in the Temple.

But one may fashion a candelabrum of 5 or of 6 or of 8 lamps.

And one may not fashion a candelabrum of 7 lamps

even if he constructs it from other kinds of metal rather than gold,

as in extenuating circumstances the Candelabrum in the Temple may be fashioned from other metals.

R’ Yosei bar Yehuda - Even a wooden seven-branched Menorah is forbidden, since the Hasmoneans used one

רבי יוסי בר יהודה אומר:

אף של עץ לא יעשה,

כדרך שעשו בית חשמונאי.

The baraita continues:

R’ Yosei bar Yehuda says:

One may not fashion a candelabrum of wood either,

in the manner that the kings of the Hasmonean monarchy (בית חשמונאי) fashioned it.

When they first purified the Temple they had to fashion the Candelabrum out of wood as no other material was available. Since a wooden candelabrum is fit for the Temple, it is prohibited to fashion one of this kind for oneself.

Rabbis - Reject R’ Yosei bar Yehuda’s historical proof: the Hasmoneans initially used iron spits coated with tin, later replacing them with silver and then gold

אמרו לו:

משם ראיה?!

1. שפודין של ברזל היו,

   1. וחיפום בבעץ,

2. העשירו —

   1. עשאום של כסף,

3. חזרו והעשירו —

   1. עשאום של זהב.

The Rabbis said to R’ Yosei bar Yehuda:

Do you seek to cite a proof from there, i.e., from the Hasmonean era, that a candelabrum fashioned of wood is fit for the Temple?!

1. During that era the branches of the Candelabrum were fashioned from spits [shappudin] of iron,

   1. and they covered them with tin⁶

2. Later, when they grew richer and could afford a Candelabrum of higher-quality material,

   1. they fashioned the Candelabrum from silver.

3. When they grew even richer,

   1. they fashioned the Candelabrum from gold.

In any event, Abaye proves from this baraita that the prohibition against forming a figure applies only to items that can be reconstructed in an accurate manner. Since this is not possible in the case of the moon, Rabban Gamliel’s figures were permitted.

ושמשין שאי אפשר לעשות כמותן מי שרי?

והתניא:

״לא תעשון אתי״

לא תעשון כדמות שמשי המשמשים לפני במרום

The Talmud asks:

And is it actually permitted to fashion figures of those attendants of God concerning which it is impossible to reproduce their likeness?

But isn’t it taught in a baraita that the verse:

“You shall not make with Me gods of silver” (Exodus 20:20),

is interpreted to mean: You shall not make figures of My attendants who serve before Me on high (מרום)

Apparently, this includes the sun and the moon.

Abaye - The Torah only prohibits fashioning the combined four-faced form of the creatures of the Divine Chariot - Ezekiel 1:10

אמר אביי:

לא אסרה תורה אלא בדמות ארבעה פנים בהדי הדדי.

Abaye said:

This does not include the sun and the moon, as the Torah prohibits the fashioning only of a figure of all 4 faces of the creatures of the Divine Chariot together (see Ezekiel 1:10).

All other figures, which are not in the likeness of the ministering angels, are permitted.

אלא מעתה,

פרצוף אדם לחודיה תשתרי!

אלמה תניא:

כל הפרצופות מותרין,

חוץ מפרצוף אדם?

The Talmud raises a difficulty:

If that is so,

let the fashioning of a figure of a human face alone be permitted.

Why then is it taught in a baraita:⁷

Figures of all faces are permitted,

except for the human face?

Rav Yehuda b. Yehoshua, citing R’ Yehoshua - The prohibition of a human image derives from reading “with Me (=God)” as “Me”: one may not make God’s image, ie the human form - Exodus 20:20; Genesis 1:27

אמר רב יהודה בריה דרב יהושע:

מפרקיה דרבי יהושע שמיע לי,

״לא תעשון אתי״

לא תעשון אותי,

אבל שאר שמשין שרי.

Rav Yehuda, son of Rav Yehoshua, said:

I heard in a lecture of R’ Yehoshua that there is a different reason why one may not fashion a figure of a human face;

the verse states: “You shall not make with Me [iti]” (Exodus 20:20).

This can be read as: “You shall not make Me [oti].”

Since the human being was created in the image of God (see Genesis 1:27), it is prohibited to fashion an image of a human being.

But fashioning figures of other attendants of God is permitted.

Baraita - One may not fashion images of God’s upper celestial attendants, such as ofanim, seraphim, sacred hayyot, and ministering angels - Exodus 20:20

ושאר שמשין מי שרי?

והתניא:

״לא תעשון אתי״

לא תעשון כדמות שמשי המשמשין לפני במרום,

כגון

1. אופנים

2. ושרפים

3. וחיות הקדש

4. ומלאכי השרת

The Talmud asks:

And is it permitted to fashion figures of other attendants of God?

But isn’t it taught in another baraita that

the verse: “You shall not make with Me gods of silver” (Exodus 20:20),

is interpreted to mean that you shall not make figures of My attendants who serve before Me on high,

For example:

1. ofanim,

2. and seraphim,

3. and the sacred ḥayyot,

4. and the ministering angels

Abaye - The fashioning prohibition applies specifically to attendants in the upper heavenly realm

אמר אביי:

לא אסרה תורה אלא שמשין שבמדור העליון.

Abaye said:

The Torah prohibits fashioning figures of only those attendants that are in the upper heaven⁸

1. ציצין.

On this word, see Jastrow (modernized), entry “צִיץ II”, sense #3:

3) filament, thread, thread-like shred, fringe.

• Ibid. 131a Manuscript Munich:, see צוּץ.

Plural: as above

• Ibid. 94b; Tosefta ibid. IX (X), 12 צפורן … וצ׳ וכ׳ a nail, and shreds (of skin) the largest portions of which are severed from the body.

• Mishnah Shabbat 19:6 ציצין המעכבין וכ׳ shreds of the corona which make the circumcision invalid.

• Yerushalmi ibid. 19, 17a;

• and frequently.

• Tosefta Avodah Zarah 5 (Tosefta Avodah Zarah 6:2 (describing a scarab or dragon used as an emblem of idolatry, see דְּרָקוֹן) כל שהצ׳ יוצאין מצוארו from whose neck fringes come forth;

• Yerushalmi ibid. 3, 42d top;

• Bavli Avodah Zarah 43a:6

2. סרטיא - from Latin strata, cognate with modern English street.

3. פלטיא - from Greek plăteîă, cognate with modern English plaza and place.

4. טבלא - from Latin.

5. hedyotot - from Greek.

6. בעץ - ba’atz.

On this word, see Jastrow (modernized), entry “בַּעַץ”:

(compare בּוּץ, see עבץ and אבצא)

tin, plumbum album.

• Mishnah Kelim 30:3 עשאו בין בב׳ if he mended it either with etc.

• Bava Batra 89b:4 (different fromאבר, and גיסטרא, cassiterum, see Smith, ‘Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities’ under the word Plumbum).

• Menachot 28b:4;

• and frequently.

7. Quoted earlier in the sugya, in Part 1, section “Rav Sheshet, consolidating baraitot - Among constellations, all images are permitted except the sun and moon; among faces, all except the human face; among other forms, all except the dragon“.

8. מדור.

Steinsaltz explains:

i.e., the supreme angels in the highest firmament, but it does not prohibit fashioning the celestial bodies, e.g., the sun and the moon, despite the fact that they too are located in heaven.

On the different levels of heaven, and what’s contained in each heaven, see my three-part series: “Talmudic Cosmology (Ma’aseh Bereshit): Earth’s Foundations, the Seven Heavens, and Cosmic Dimensions (Chagigah 12b-13a)”, final part: Pt3.