If an idol is worshipped with a stick, what acts that one would do with the stick would be considered worship? What would make that stick be considered a “tikrovet” – an offering? If one sacrifices to an idol when the typical method of worship is not sacrifice, is it forbidden? Items that are found next to the idol or on the idol, how does one determine if they are forbidden to derive benefit from them?
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If one finds rocks beside the idol Markolis (Mercury), in what case should one assume that the rocks came from the idol and would be forbidden to benefit from them? If roads are paved by non-Jews who took rocks from there, can we walk on those roads as the rocks were canceled out by the non-Jews who paved the roads with them or are these rocks considered “tikrovet avoda zara” – something used for worship which then can never be canceled? The criteria for what can be considered a tikrovet is discussed. The gemara goes off on a tangent about types of work in the field that can/can’t be done in the shemita year and on Chol Hamoed.
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Sponsored in memory of David ben Refael.
Rabbi Yosi and the rabbis debate in the mishna whether one needs to be concerned about the benefit gained from leaves falling from an ashera tree that will fertilize the crops. This is understood to be part of a broader debate about when something grows/is created from something forbidden and something permitted together, is the item created forbidden or permitted? The problem is that Rabbi Yosi’s opinion, as well as the rabbi’s opinion, doesn’t match their opinions in other situations regarding this same concept. The gemara tries to reconcile these varying sources. One cannot gain benefit from items created using wood from an ashera tree, but if one accidentally made something using this wood, could one redeem the item? How does “cancelling” out idols work? If an item breaks, do the pieces need cancelling also?
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Different aspects of the forbidden nature of the asheira tree are discussed.
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Can one benefit from a tree that was originally planted not for the purposes of idol worshipped but later used for idol worship? What about rocks that fall from a mountain – are they like the mountain and it is permitted to benefit from them or not? Items that are permitted – can one use them in the Beit Hamikdash?
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