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Avodah Zarah 53b

עבודה זרה נ״ג ע״ב

Learn Avodah Zarah 53b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Nullifying a גוי's idol, the brick law learned from the אשרות and the עגל, abandoned idols, and kings' platforms

Overview

The amud opens with the end of a ברייתא: a גוי's idol is not nullified when the owners leave it but plan to return, like the nations in יהושע's war. The גמרא explains why all four cases in that ברייתא had to be listed: borrowing against the idol, a rockslide covering it, robbers stealing it, and owners leaving it behind and going overseas. It then asks why the war of יהושע is mentioned at all. It answers that this hints to רב's law: a גוי who bows to a brick a Jew set up for worship makes it forbidden. The source is the burning of the אשרות in ארץ ישראל, and the reason given is that after the עגל the gentiles' worship counted as done on the Jews' behalf. A new משנה follows: an idol abandoned in peacetime is permitted, one abandoned in wartime is forbidden, and kings' platforms are permitted. רב applies the peacetime rule to בית נמרוד, and רבי יוחנן explains the reason given for the platforms. The amud ends with עולא sitting on a damaged platform. רבי יוחנן and ריש לקיש permit a damaged platform, but a damaged altar stays forbidden until most of it is destroyed.

Opening lines

אִם עֲתִידִין לַחְזוֹר

If they are going to return

כְּמִלְחֶמֶת יְהוֹשֻׁעַ

as in the war of Joshua

אֵינָהּ בְּטֵילָה.

it is not nullified.

וּצְרִיכָא,

And it is necessary

The steps (31)

  1. StatementIf the owners plan to come back, the idol keeps its status
  2. StatementWhy the rockslide case is needed after the borrowing case
  3. StatementWhy the robbery case is needed after the rockslide case
  4. ConclusionWhy the overseas case is needed after the robbery case
  5. ChallengeDid anyone return after the war of יהושע?
  6. ResolutionThe ברייתא is making a comparison
  7. QuestionWhy mention the war of יהושע at all?
  8. ResponseA side lesson: a גוי can forbid a Jew's brick
  9. QuestionWhat is the source for the brick law?
  10. Responseרבי אלעזר: learn it from the אשרות in ארץ ישראל
  11. RejectionThe trees worshipped before the land was given don't explain the verse
  12. ResolutionThe Golden Calf made later gentile worship count as the Jews' worship
  13. ResponseApplying the same logic to the Jew's brick
  14. ChallengeMaybe they only wanted the Calf
  15. ResolutionThe verse says 'gods' in plural
  16. ChallengeMaybe only trees worshipped at the time of the Calf are forbidden
  17. ResolutionNo one can tell which trees were worshipped when
  18. StatementAn idol left behind in peace or in war
  19. StatementKings' platforms are permitted
  20. Statementבית נמרוד Is Like an Idol Abandoned in Peacetime
  21. ResolutionWhy the Scattering at Babel Still Counts as Peacetime
  22. ChallengeQuestioning the משנה's Reason for Permitting Kings' Platforms
  23. ResolutionThe Kings Sometimes Skip the Platform Entirely
  24. Statementעולא Sits on a Damaged Platform
  25. Challengeרב יהודה Objects: A Damaged Platform Is Forbidden
  26. ChallengeThe 'No Worship of Fragments' Idea Does Not Help for Platforms
  27. Resolutionעולא relies on רבי יוחנן and ריש לקיש
  28. ResolutionWhy a broken platform is different from a broken idol
  29. ProofA ברייתא supports רבי יוחנן and ריש לקיש
  30. QuestionWhat is a platform and what is an altar?
  31. ResponseOne stone versus many stones