Babylonian Talmud: Tractate ‘Abodah Zarah

Folio 45a

MISHNAH. IF IDOLATERS WORSHIP MOUNTAINS AND HILLS THESE ARE PERMITTED;¹  BUT WHAT IS UPON THEM²  IS PROHIBITED, AS IT IS SAID, THOU SHALT NOT COVET THE SILVER OR THE GOLD THAT IS ON THEM.³  R. JOSE THE GALILEAN SAYS: [IT IS STATED] THEIR GODS UP ON THE HIGH MOUNTAINS,⁴  NOT THEIR MOUNTAINS WHICH ARE THEIR GODS, AND THEIR GODS UPON THE HILLS, NOT THEIR HILLS WHICH ARE THEIR GODS.⁵  BUT WHY IS AN ASHERAH PROHIBITED?⁶  BECAUSE THERE WAS MANUAL LABOUR CONNECTED WITH IT,⁷  AND WHATEVER HAS MANUAL LABOUR CONNECTED WITH IT IS PROHIBITED. R. AKIBA SAID: LET ME EXPOUND AND DECIDE [THE INTERPRETATION] BEFORE YOU: WHEREVER YOU FIND A HIGH MOUNTAIN OR ELEVATED HILL OR GREEN TREE, KNOW THAT AN IDOLATROUS OBJECT IS THERE.⁸

GEMARA. But R. Jose the Galilean holds the same opinion as the first teacher [in the Mishnah]!⁹  — Rami b. Hama said in the name of R. Simeon b. Lakish: The issue between them is whether the covering on a mountain is identical with the mountain. The first Tanna holds that the covering on a mountain is not identical with the mountain and is prohibited, whereas R. Jose the Galilean holds that the covering on a mountain is identical with the mountain [and is permitted]. R. Shesheth said: All agree that the covering on a mountain is not identical with the mountain,

1. E.g., to quarry there or use the plants which grow on the slopes.
2. If they had been adorned with precious metals.
3. Deut. VII, 25.
4. Ibid. XII, 2.
5. He therefore holds that the mountains and hills are permitted.
6. The text continues, and under every green tree, and R. Jose would not argue under the tree and not the tree itself!
7. It had been planted by somebody for idolatrous worship, whereas mountains are the work of nature.
8. I.e., neither the mountains nor what is upon them are prohibited, but only the object which is actually worshipped, as the passage is intended only to tell the people where they were likely to find the idols which they were commanded to destroy.
9. Why, then, is his view separately expressed?

R. Jose son of R. Judah likewise holds that a tree which had been planted and was subsequently worshipped is prohibited; for it has been taught: R. Jose son of R. Judah says: Since it is stated, Their gods upon the high mountains — and not the mountains which are their gods, Their gods upon the hills — and not the hills which are their gods, I might have [similarly] understood, Their gods under every green tree — and not the green tree itself which is their god, therefore there is a text to state, And burnt their Asherim with fire.²  Why, then, is there need for the phrase, under every green tree? — This is required in accordance with the teaching of R. Akiba; for R. Akiba said: LET ME EXPOUND AND DECIDE [THE INTERPRETATION] BEFORE YOU: — WHEREVER YOU FIND A HIGH MOUNTAIN OR ELEVATED HILL OR GREEN TREE, KNOW THAT AN IDOLATROUS OBJECT IS THERE.³

What do the Rabbis make of, 'and burn their Asherim with fire'?⁴  — It is required to cover the case of a tree which had been planted in the first instance for idolatry.⁵  And does not R. Jose son of R. Judah likewise require the same text for this rule? — Indeed so. Whence then does he derive his teaching that a tree which had been planted and was subsequently worshipped [is prohibited]? — He derives it from, and hew dawn their Asherim,⁶  Which tree has its later growth⁷  prohibited while its root is permitted? Answer that it is a tree which had been planted and was subsequently worshipped. But surely the teaching uses the phrase, 'and burn their Asherim with fire'!⁸  — He employs the argument 'if it had not been stated' as follows: If it had not been stated, 'and burn their Asherim with fire', I would have said that, 'and hew dawn their Asherim', refers to a tree which had been originally planted for idolatry; but since it is written, 'and burn their Asherim with fire', the phrase, 'and hew dawn their Asherim', is superfluous; [so it must be employed] to refer to a tree which had been planted and was subsequently worshipped.

What do the Rabbis make of the phrase, 'and hew down their Asherim'? — [They explain it] according to the view of R. Joshua b. Levi; for R. Joshua b. Levi said: The felling of idolatrous trees takes precedence of the conquest of the land of Israel,⁹  but the conquest of the land of Israel takes precedence of the burning of idolatrous trees. For R. Joseph learned: Ye shall break dawn their altars¹⁰  — and leave them,¹¹  and dash in pieces their pillars — and leave them. Can it enter your mind that they are to be left?¹²  They must be burnt! — R. Huna said: [The meaning is,] Pursue [the enemy after breaking the altars and pillars] and then burn them [immediately afterwards]. Whence does R. Jose son of R. Judah derive this rule?¹³  He derives it from, ye shall surely destroy¹⁴  — destroy [by breaking them] and after [conquering the land] ye shall destroy [the Asherim by burning them]. How do the Rabbis [explain this phrase]? — They require it for the rule that when one destroys an idol he must eradicate every trace of it, Whence does R. Jose son of R. Judah [derive the rule] that he must eradicate every trace of it? — He derives it from, and ye shall destroy their name out of that place.¹⁵  And how do the Rabbis [explain that phrase]? — That the idol must be renamed;¹⁶  for it has been taught: R. Eliezer says: Whence is it that when one destroys an idol he must eradicate every trace of it? — There is a text to state, And ye shall destroy their name.

1. Not as an idol but to produce fruit.
2. Deut, XII, 3.
3. [This proves that R. Jose b. R. Judah prohibits the use of a tree that had been planted and subsequently worshipped, for otherwise he could have explained the phrase, 'under' every green tree as teaching that 'the green tree itself which is their god', if it had not been originally planted as an idol, is permitted.]
4. Since they permit the trees that had not been planted for idolatrous worship.
5. This, they agree, must not be used.
6. Ibid. VII, 5, i.e., the tree must be cut down and not used, but its root is permitted.
7. After the trunk bad been felled,
8. To deduce the prohibition by R. Jose b. R. Judah of such a tree.
9. As the Israelites marched through Canaan they must cut down these trees and leave the trunks to be burnt after the campaign was over.
10. Deut. VII, 5.
11. The Torah does not add: and burn them.
12. They might be put together and worshipped!
13. Since he applies this verse to a tree which had been planted and then worshipped.
14. Ibid. XII, 2, lit., 'destroy ye shall destroy.'
15. Ibid. 3.
16. When its name is attached to a shrine.