Study Avodah Zarah folio 54A with parallel Hebrew-English text, traditional commentary, and modern study tools. Free access to Babylonian Talmud online.
Text Excerpt
אמר חזקיה: מאי קרא ״בשומו כל אבני מזבח כאבני גר מנפצות לא יקמו אשרים וחמנים״? אי איכא ״כאבני גיר מנופצות״ — לא יקומון אשרים וחמנים, אי לאו — יקומו.
Ḥizkiyya said: What is the verse from which this halakha is derived? It is derived from the verse: “By this should the iniquity of Jacob be expiated…when he makes all the stones of the altar as limestones [ke’avnei gir] that are beaten into pieces, so that the asherim and the sun images should rise no more” (Isaiah 27:9). This indicates that if the description “as limestones that are beaten into pieces” is fulfilled, then the statement “The asherim and the sun images should rise no more” also applies, and their status is revoked. If it is not fulfilled, then they should rise, meaning that their status is not revoked.
תנא: נעבד שלו אסור, ושל חבירו מותר. ורמינהי: איזהו נעבד? כל שעובדים אותו בין בשוגג ובין במזיד, בין באונס ובין ברצון. האי אונס היכי דמי? לאו כגון דאנס בהמת חבירו והשתחוה לה?
§ A baraita states: With regard to an item, e.g., an animal, that was worshipped by a certain person, if it is his item it is prohibited, but if it is another’s, it is permitted. The Talmud raises a contradiction from another baraita: What is considered an animal that was worshipped and is disqualified from being sacrificed in the Temple? It is any animal that is worshipped, whether unwittingly or intentionally, whether under duress or willingly. What are the circumstances of this case of an animal worshipped under duress? Isn’t it referring to a case where one forcibly took another’s animal and bowed to it, indicating that one who worships the animal of another renders it forbidden?
אמר רמי בר חמא: לא, כגון שאנסוהו גוים והשתחוה לבהמתו דידיה. מתקיף לה רבי זירא: אונס רחמנא פטריה, דכתיב ״ולנערה לא תעשה דבר״!
Rami bar Ḥama says: No, the baraita is referring to a case where non-Jews coerced someone and he bowed to his own animal. R' Zeira objects to this: God exempts a victim of circumstances beyond his control from punishment, as it is written with regard to a betrothed young woman who is raped: “But to the young woman you should do nothing, the young woman has no sin worthy of death, for as when a man rises against his neighbor, and slays him, so is this matter” (Deuteronomy 22:26).