''Avodah Zarah'' (

Hebrew Hebrew (; ; ) is a Northwest Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Historically, it is one of the spoken languages of the Israelites and their longest-surviving descendants, the Jews and Samaritans. It was largely preserved ...

: , or "foreign worship", meaning "

idolatry Idolatry is the worship of a cult image or "idol" as though it were God. In Abrahamic religions (namely Judaism, Samaritanism, Christianity, the Baháʼí Faith, and Islam) idolatry connotes the worship of something or someone other than the ...

" or "strange service") is the name of a tractate of the

Talmud The Talmud (; he, , Talmūḏ) is the central text of Rabbinic Judaism and the primary source of Jewish religious law ('' halakha'') and Jewish theology. Until the advent of modernity, in nearly all Jewish communities, the Talmud was the ce ...

, located in ''

Nezikin ''Nezikin'' ( he, נזיקין ''Neziqin'', "Damages") or ''Seder Nezikin'' (, "The Order of Damages") is the fourth Order of the Mishna (also the Tosefta and Talmud). It deals largely with Jewish criminal and civil law and the Jewish court s ...

'', the fourth Order of the Talmud dealing with

damages At common law, damages are a remedy in the form of a monetary award to be paid to a claimant as compensation for loss or injury. To warrant the award, the claimant must show that a breach of duty has caused foreseeable loss. To be recognised at ...

. The main topic of the tractate is laws pertaining to Jews living amongst

Gentile Gentile () is a word that usually means "someone who is not a Jew". Other groups that claim Israelite heritage, notably Mormons, sometimes use the term ''gentile'' to describe outsiders. More rarely, the term is generally used as a synonym fo ...

s, including regulations about the interaction between Jews and "avodei ha kochavim", which literally interpreted is "Worshipers of the stars", but is most often translated as "idolaters", "pagans", or "heathen."

Mishna

The tractate consists of five chapters. The number of

mishnayot The Mishnah or the Mishna (; he, מִשְׁנָה, "study by repetition", from the verb ''shanah'' , or "to study and review", also "secondary") is the first major written collection of the Jewish oral traditions which is known as the Oral Torah ...

is according to the standard numbering; however, different versions split up the individual mishnayot, or combine them, and the chapter breaks may vary, as well. Chapter One (nine mishnayot) deals with the prohibition of trade with idolaters around their festivals, such as

Saturnalia Saturnalia is an ancient Roman festival and holiday in honour of the god Saturn, held on 17 December of the Julian calendar and later expanded with festivities through to 23 December. The holiday was celebrated with a sacrifice at the Temple ...

and Kalenda (so as not to be complicit in the festive idolatry) and with the items that are forbidden to be sold to idolaters (which is basically any item that the idolater is likely to offer in an idolatrous service or commit an immoral act with). Thus, the main biblical commandment explored in the chapter is '' lifnei iver'', "before the blind, thou shalt not lay a stumbling block". A Jew who helps a gentile to worship idols is facilitating sin. Chapter Two (seven mishnayot) deals with precautions against the violence and immorality of idolaters, and the items that are forbidden/permitted to be bought from idolaters. These include categories of objects that may be by-products of idolatrous services, as well as foods with a difficulty in identifying their

kashrut (also or , ) is a set of dietary laws dealing with the foods that Jewish people are permitted to eat and how those foods must be prepared according to Jewish law. Food that may be consumed is deemed kosher ( in English, yi, כּשר), fr ...

status, such as cheese produced by Gentiles in skin-bottles of animals that had been improperly butchered, or else curdled with

rennet Rennet () is a complex set of enzymes produced in the stomachs of ruminant mammals. Chymosin, its key component, is a protease enzyme that curdles the casein in milk. In addition to chymosin, rennet contains other enzymes, such as pepsin an ...

from a carcass; or fish stock produced by Gentiles and which may contain unclean fish. This chapter also deals with the prohibition against a Jew helping to deliver or nurse a gentile child, so as to not bring an idol-worshiper into the world. This prohibition can be eased in cases where refusal would cause enmity towards Jews, unless an excuse to refuse can be made. Chapter Three (ten mishnayot) deals with the laws of various images/idols and the

asherah Asherah (; he, אֲשֵׁרָה, translit=Ăšērā; uga, 𐎀𐎘𐎗𐎚, translit=ʾAṯiratu; akk, 𒀀𒅆𒋥, translit=Aširat; Qatabanian: ') in ancient Semitic religion, is a fertility goddess who appears in a number of ancient ...

(idolatrous tree). Thus, it details the distinctions between forbidden and permitted use of various aspects and states of idolatrous items. Chapter Four (twelve mishnayot) deals with benefit from the auxiliary items of a markulis (Mercury, a Roman deity consisting of a heap of stones whereby worship consisted of throwing stones, and thus adding to the heap) and other idols, the nullification of an idol (effected by an idolater deliberately defacing his/her idol), and the laws detailing the prohibition of the use and benefit of Yayin Nesech (gentile wine suspected of being used in idol worship). Chapter Five (twelve mishnayot) continues detailing the prohibitions on yayin nesech, libations. This forms the basis for rabbinic commands governing

kosher wine Kosher wine () is wine that is produced in accordance with ''halakha'', and more specifically ''kashrut'', such that Jews will be permitted to pronounce blessings over and drink it. This is an important issue, since wine is used in several Jewi ...

. It includes instructions on the kashering of utensils used by idolaters.

Tosefta

An edition of the

Tosefta The Tosefta ( Jewish Babylonian Aramaic: תוספתא "supplement, addition") is a compilation of the Jewish oral law from the late 2nd century, the period of the Mishnah. Overview In many ways, the Tosefta acts as a supplement to the Mishnah ( ...

of Avodah Zarah was published in 1970 edited by M. S. Zuckermandel, M. S. It relied on the Erfurt and Vienna Codices.

Jerusalem Talmud

An edition of the

Jerusalem Talmud The Jerusalem Talmud ( he, תַּלְמוּד יְרוּשַׁלְמִי, translit=Talmud Yerushalmi, often for short), also known as the Palestinian Talmud or Talmud of the Land of Israel, is a collection of rabbinic notes on the second-century ...

on Avodah Zarah was published in 1969 based on the first edition of the work published in

Venice Venice ( ; it, Venezia ; vec, Venesia or ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400 ...

in 1523. Another edition of the Jerusalem Talmud was edited by Schäfer, Peter, and Hans-Jürgen Becker in 1995. This was followed by an edition by Sussman in 2001.

Talmud Bavli

This

Gemara The Gemara (also transliterated Gemarah, or in Yiddish Gemo(r)re; from Aramaic , from the Semitic root ג-מ-ר ''gamar'', to finish or complete) is the component of the Talmud comprising rabbinical analysis of and commentary on the Mishnah ...

on Avodah Zarah was a frequent target of controversy and criticism. Of all the texts in Rabbinic Judaism, this is probably the one in which it is most difficult to obtain an "authentic" version, as almost all the pages have had censorship imposed. In the standard Vilna edition of the Talmud, the tractate has 76 folios. In terms of the actual length of the Gemara, Avodah Zarah is fairly close to the middle, being an "average" length tractate. A brief list of major topics in each chapter follows. Since the chief aim in the

is to explain and comment on the

Mishnah The Mishnah or the Mishna (; he, מִשְׁנָה, "study by repetition", from the verb ''shanah'' , or "to study and review", also "secondary") is the first major written collection of the Jewish oral traditions which is known as the Oral Tor ...

, this is implied, and the topics mentioned will be ones that aren't directly about the Mishna (as a commentary is extremely difficult to summarize in a few lines). Folio references in parentheses are approximate and without a side (i.e. ''a'' or ''b''). Chapter One (folios 2-22) The tractate jumps almost straight into a long series of

aggadah Aggadah ( he, ''ʾAggāḏā'' or ''Haggāḏā''; Jewish Babylonian Aramaic: אַגָּדְתָא ''ʾAggāḏəṯāʾ''; "tales, fairytale, lore") is the non-legalistic exegesis which appears in the classical rabbinic literature of Judaism ...

, and abounds in aggadic material such as the plight of the nations in the

World to Come The world to come, age to come, heaven on Earth, and the Kingdom of God are eschatological phrases reflecting the belief that the current world or current age is flawed or cursed and will be replaced in the future by a better world, age, or ...

(2), the

Noahide Covenant In Judaism, the Seven Laws of Noah ( he, שבע מצוות בני נח, ''Sheva Mitzvot B'nei Noach''), otherwise referred to as the Noahide Laws or the Noachian Laws (from the Hebrew pronunciation of " Noah"), are a set of universal moral la ...

and God's laughter (3), God's anger and punishment methodologies for both the Jews and Gentiles (4), the

sin of the Golden Calf According to the Bible, the golden calf (עֵגֶל הַזָּהָב '' ‘ēgel hazzāhāv'') was an idol (a cult image) made by the Israelites when Moses went up to Mount Sinai. In Hebrew, the incident is known as ''ḥēṭə’ hā‘ēgel' ...

and its relation to immortality (5), an exposition of Jewish history relative to the

destruction of the Second Temple The siege of Jerusalem of 70 CE was the decisive event of the First Jewish–Roman War (66–73 CE), in which the Roman army led by future emperor Titus besieged Jerusalem, the center of Jewish rebel resistance in the Roman province of Ju ...

(8-9), the nature of heresy and the stories of the martyrdom of some eminent Rabbis in the Roman persecution (16-18), and a detailed exposition of

Psalm 1 Psalm 1 is the first psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in the English King James Version: "Blessed is the man", and forming "an appropriate prologue" to the whole collection.Kirkpatrick, A. F. (1906)Cambridge Bible for Schools and Collegeson ...

(19).

Halakhic ''Halakha'' (; he, הֲלָכָה, ), also transliterated as ''halacha'', ''halakhah'', and ''halocho'' ( ), is the collective body of Jewish religious laws which is derived from the written and Oral Torah. Halakha is based on biblical comman ...

material related to the immediate subject matter of the tractate includes the laws of attending an idolater's wedding (8), performing an act that looks like idolatry (12), benefiting idolatry (13), and selling weapons to idolaters (15). Halakhic material less related to the main subject matter includes praying for oneself (7), dating documents (10), what can be burnt at a Jewish king's funeral (11), causing a blemish on an animal before and after the Temple's destruction (13), and selling materials to someone suspected of flouting the

Sabbatical Year A sabbatical (from the Hebrew: (i.e., Sabbath); in Latin ; Greek: ) is a rest or break from work. The concept of the sabbatical is based on the Biblical practice of ''shmita'' (sabbatical year), which is related to agriculture. According to ...

laws (15). Chapter Two (folios 22–40) This chapter is similar to the last in being long and containing diverse material. Halakhic material related to the tractate includes the laws of buying an animal from an idolater for a sacrifice (23-24), circumcisions performed by idolaters (27), the status of Gentile beer (31), the dung of an ox intended for idolatry (34), and the prohibition of intercourse with Gentiles (36). Halakhic material less related to the tractate includes the laws of a Jewish apostate (26-27), a unique section outlining in detail many medicinal remedies from the Talmudic era (28-29), the safety/contamination issues in leaving water/wine uncovered (30), the process of overruling a previous Rabbinic court (37), and the finer details of recognising

kosher (also or , ) is a set of dietary laws dealing with the foods that Jewish people are permitted to eat and how those foods must be prepared according to Jewish law. Food that may be consumed is deemed kosher ( in English, yi, כּשר), fro ...

fish (39-40). There is some aggadic material describing the return of the Ark after its capture by the

Philistines The Philistines ( he, פְּלִשְׁתִּים, Pəlīštīm; Koine Greek ( LXX): Φυλιστιείμ, romanized: ''Phulistieím'') were an ancient people who lived on the south coast of Canaan from the 12th century BC until 604 BC, whe ...

(24) and the sun standing still for

Joshua Joshua () or Yehoshua ( ''Yəhōšuaʿ'', Tiberian: ''Yŏhōšuaʿ,'' lit. 'Yahweh is salvation') ''Yēšūaʿ''; syr, ܝܫܘܥ ܒܪ ܢܘܢ ''Yəšūʿ bar Nōn''; el, Ἰησοῦς, ar , يُوشَعُ ٱبْنُ نُونٍ '' Yūšaʿ ...

(25). Chapter Three (folios 40–49) This chapter mainly deals with just the Mishna and other laws relating to idolatry, including the status of an idol shattered by accident (41) and the consequences of worshipping various objects (46-47). There is a small aggadic paragraph on the crown

King David David (; , "beloved one") (traditional spelling), , ''Dāwūd''; grc-koi, Δαυΐδ, Dauíd; la, Davidus, David; gez , ዳዊት, ''Dawit''; xcl, Դաւիթ, ''Dawitʿ''; cu, Давíдъ, ''Davidŭ''; possibly meaning "beloved one". w ...

wore (44). Chapter Four (folios 49–61) This chapter is

halakhic ''Halakha'' (; he, הֲלָכָה, ), also transliterated as ''halacha'', ''halakhah'', and ''halocho'' ( ), is the collective body of Jewish religious laws which is derived from the written and Oral Torah. Halakha is based on biblical comman ...

, dealing mainly with the Mishna. Other laws to do with idolatry discussed include sacrificing to an idol (51), food and vessels associated with idolatry (52), the exchange for an idol (54), and the status of a Gentile child in rendering idolatrous wine (57). Extraneous halakhic material includes the activities allowed and forbidden in the Sabbatical Year and cases of Rabbis making rulings for specific communities following their own opinion (59). Chapter Five (folios 62–76) This chapter is halakhic, dealing with the Mishna and a large number of related topics of Gentile wine. Some of these are small, and many of the folios are made up of a great deal of logical units that are difficult to summarize. A selection of halakhic material to do with idolatry and idolatrous wine includes the forcible opening of wine by idolaters (70) and the stream created when pouring wine (72). Other halakhic material includes the laws of a

harlot Prostitution is the business or practice of engaging in sexual activity in exchange for payment. The definition of "sexual activity" varies, and is often defined as an activity requiring physical contact (e.g., sexual intercourse, non-penet ...

's wage (62-63), the definition of a Ger Toshav (64), acquisition of property by a Gentile (71-72), and settling a price in negotiations (72). There is one aggadic paragraph where a rabbi explains the merits of the World to Come to a Gentile friend.

Relationship with Christianity

According to Rabbi

Avrohom Yeshaya Karelitz Avraham Yeshaya Karelitz (7 November 1878 – 24 October 1953), also known as the Chazon Ish () after his magnum opus, was a Belarusian-born Orthodox rabbi who later became one of the leaders of Haredi Judaism in Israel, where he spent his ...

, the tractate does include Christianity as a form of idolatry:

Even medieval Jews understood very well that Christianity is ''avodah zarah'' of a special type. The tosafists assert that although a Christian pronouncing the name of Jesus in an oath would be taking the name of "another god," it is nonetheless the case that when Christians say the word "God," they have in mind the Creator of heaven and earth. Some later authorities took the continuation of that ''Tosafot'' to mean that this special type of avodah zarah is forbidden to Jews but permissible to gentiles, so that a non-Jew who engages in Christian worship commits no sin."Dabru Emet - Some Reservations"
by David Berger (2002).

An Aggadic legend from tractate Avodah Zarah 8a contains contemporary observations regarding the Roman mid-winter holidays

and Calenda and, a talmudic hypothesis about the pre-historic origin of the

winter solstice The winter solstice, also called the hibernal solstice, occurs when either of Earth's poles reaches its maximum tilt away from the Sun. This happens twice yearly, once in each hemisphere (Northern and Southern). For that hemisphere, the winter ...

festival, that would later become the day of

Sol Invictus Sol Invictus (, "Unconquered Sun"), sometimes simply known as Helios, was long considered to be the official sun god of the later Roman Empire. In recent years, however, the scholarly community has become divided on Sol between traditionalists ...

and

Christmas Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world. A feast central to the Christian liturgical year ...

. In the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire ...

, the entire tractate was expunged from many European editions by Christian censors, and it was considerably difficult to obtain a copy.

References

External links

Avodah Zarah
(Sefaria)
Avodah Zarah
(Jewish Encyclopedia) {{mishnah Mishnah Talmud Oral Torah