Avodah Zarah 41A

אמר רבה: מחלוקת בשל כפרים, אבל בשל כרכים ⁠— דברי הכל מותרין, מאי טעמא? לנוי עבדי להו.

Rabba says: The dispute between R' Meir and the Rabbis is only with regard to statues that are erected in villages. But with regard to those that are erected in cities, all agree that they are permitted, i.e., that it is permitted to derive benefit from them. What is the reason? It is because they were fashioned for ornamental purposes and not for worship.

ודכפרים, מי איכא למאן דאמר לנוי קעבדי להו? דכפרים ודאי למיפלחינהו עבדי להו!

The Talmud asks: But with regard to those erected in villages, is there anyone who says that they are fashioned for ornamental purposes? Those in villages were certainly fashioned for idol worship. How, then, can the Rabbis maintain that such statues are permitted?

אלא אי אתמר, הכי אתמר: אמר רבה: מחלוקת בשל כרכים, אבל בשל כפרים ⁠— דברי הכל אסורים.

The Talmud answers: Rather, if such a distinction was stated, this is what was stated: Rabba says that the dispute between R' Meir and the Rabbis is only with regard to statues that are erected in cities, where they may have been fashioned simply for ornamental purposes. But with regard to those erected in villages, all agree that they are used for idol worship and are therefore forbidden.

וחכמים אומרים: אינן אסורין וכו׳. מקל ⁠— שרודה את עצמו תחת כל העולם כולו כמקל, צפור ⁠— שתופש את עצמו תחת כל העולם כולו כצפור, כדור ⁠— שתופש את עצמו תחת כל העולם כולו ככדור.

§ The Mishnah teaches: And the Rabbis say: The only statues that are forbidden are: Any statue that has in its hand a staff, or a bird, or an orb, as these are indications that this statue is designated for idolatry. The Talmud explains that each of these items symbolizes the statue’s supposed divinity, indicating its dominion over the world: A staff symbolizes dominion as the idol rules itself under the entire world, i.e., it rules the entire world, like one rules over an animal with a staff. A bird symbolizes dominion as the idol grasps itself under the entire world, i.e., it grasps the entire world, as one grasps a bird in his hand. An orb symbolizes dominion as the idol grasps itself under the entire world, i.e., it grasps the entire world, as one grasps a ball in his hand.