Avodah Zarah 52A

תנהו ענין לכלים, מכאן אמרו: עבודה זרה של נכרי אינה אסורה אלא עד שתעבד, ושל ישראל מיד.

Since the verse does not apply to places that were themselves worshipped, apply it to the matter of vessels that were used for idol worship. It is from here that the rabbis stated: A non-Jew’s object of idol worship is not prohibited until it is worshipped, but a Jew’s object of idol worship is forbidden immediately.

והא בכלים אוקימנא לה! אמר קרא: ״אשר אתם ירשים אתם את אלהיהם״, מקיש אלהיהם לכלים, מה כלים עד שיעבדו, אף אלהיהם נמי עד שיעבדו. ורבי עקיבא דלא מקיש, אמר לך: ״את״ הפסיק הענין.

The Talmud questions how the halakha with regard to an object of idol worship is derived from this verse. But didn’t we interpret this verse as being stated with regard to vessels used in idolatrous worship, and not to an object of idol worship? The Talmud answers: The verse states: “You should destroy all the places, where the nations that you are to dispossess served their gods” (Deuteronomy 12:2). The verse juxtaposes “their gods” to “the places,” i.e., the vessels used to serve them. Just as the vessels are not forbidden until they are used for worship, so too their gods, the idols, are also not forbidden until they are worshipped. And R' Akiva, who does not consider the terms juxtaposed, he could say to you that the word “et,” written in the verse before the term “their gods,” separates the matter of their gods from the matter of the vessels.

ורבי ישמעאל, אשכחן עבודה זרה של נכרי דאין אסורה עד שתעבד, דישראל דאסורה מיד מנא ליה? סברא הוא, מדנכרי עד שתעבד, דישראל אסורה מיד. אימא: דישראל כלל וכלל לא! השתא גניזה בעיא, איתסורי לא מיתסרא?

The Talmud asks: And as for the opinion of R' Yishmael, we found a source for the halakha that a non-Jew’s object of idol worship is not prohibited until it is worshipped. From where does he derive that a Jew’s object of idol worship is prohibited immediately? The Talmud answers: It is based on logical reasoning. From the fact that a non-Jew’s idol is not forbidden until it is worshipped, it stands to reason that a Jew’s idol is prohibited immediately. The Talmud asks: Why not say that a Jew’s idol is not forbidden at all? The Talmud answers: Now, the status of a Jew’s idol cannot be revoked and the idol requires interment. Is it possible that it does not become prohibited?