Rabbi Yirmiya explains that slaughtering was specified in the verse in the Torah to teach you that anyone who worships other gods in ways that God is worshiped in the temple, whether it’s the typical way of worshiping that god or not, one is obligated in the death penalty. Then bowing is specified to teach that bowing has the same law (even though it is not one of the ways Jews worship God) as the others but all other methods of worshiping idols is only if they are done in the way that that idol is typically worshiped. Rava bar Rav Natan questions Rabbi Yirmiya and suggests the opposite – that one should learn from bowing that any act of worshiping idols is forbidden even if not done in the typical way or worship. Various difficulties with Rava’s suggestion are brought. Rav Hamnuna is asked a question about contradictory mishnayot – one indicates that only worship is forbidden but not saying I will worship. The other says that saying “I will worship idols” is enough to obligate one. SEveral answers are brought to explain the contradiction. Is one obligated if one worships idols out of love or fear for another?
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