Page 23 - Tzurba M'Rabanan Volume1

ןנברמ אברוצ ׳א הרז הדובע תוכלה · 21

Although the worship of pagan idolatry is not as widespread in more recent times as it was in the times of
Chazal, we nevertheless find much dispute among the poskim with regard to the halachic status of other
monotheistic religions, specifically Islam and Christianity, and whether they constitute avoda zara (idolatry).
As we will see, the poskim distinguish between these two religions and their halachic ramifications.

The Halachic Status of Islam

The Rishonim argue whether Islam has the status of idolatry. The Meiri first cites the opinions that Muslims
are considered monotheistic.

r Beit Habechira of the Meiri, | )יריאמ( הריחבה תיב 1 .
Masechet Avoda Zara 57a .זנ הרז הדובע תכסמ
[With regard to] The Ishmaelites: There is an opinion that holds םהילע רמואש ימ שי וללה םילאעמשי
that they are not considered idol worshipers and they have the full רגכ םתוא םינדו ז"ע ידבוע םניאש
status of one who is a ger toshav (a resident foreigner permitted to live לע ףאו האנהב רסוא םעגמ ןיאו בשות
in the Land of Israel), and their touching [of wine does not] prohibit לבקש לכ בשות רג והזיא ורמאש יפ
one from receiving benefit [from it]. Although they [the Sages] said: םירמוא םימכחו ז"ע דובעל אלש וילע
“Who is considered a ger toshav? One who accepts upon himself ינפל הלבקבו תוצמ עבש וילע לבקש לכ
not to worship idols, but the Rabbis said: Only one who accepts all
seven Noachide laws and does this in front of three chaverim,” and םהילע םילבקמ םניא ולאו םירבח השלש
these [Ishmaelites] do not accept this [the criteria of the Rabbis] ותויחהל איהה אינת יכ ורמא רבכ ךכ
upon themselves, [the Sages] have said that this [definition of a ger חא תרותמ ותויחהל וניוטצנ אלש רמולכ
toshav] was only referring to [the law that one is not obligated to] לכ האנהב וניי רוסיאל לבא הז ךרדב אלא
support him as a brother [as per Vayikra 25:35] unless he fits into …ןינמה ללכב היה אל ז"ע דבוע וניאש
this category. However, with regard to the prohibition of receiving וניצמ ירהש הב ןיקלוח דרפס ימכח מ"מו
benefit from the wine that he touched, as long as he does not worship תודובע ללכב הנומ אוהש ןושאר קרפב
idols he is not included in this prohibition… Nevertheless, the :איברעבש ארשיג תורז
Sefardic Sages disagree, since we have found in the first chapter [of
Masechet Avoda Zara, 11b] that [their worship] is listed within the
idol worship of “Gishra in Arabia.”

The Ran writes that although the Ishmaelites don’t make their “prophets” into deities, nevertheless they are
considered idolaters, similar to the second opinion in the Meiri.

r Chidushei HaRan, | ן”רה ישודיח 2 .
Masechet Sanhedrin 61b :אס ןירדהנס תכסמ

And we learn from this that regarding the saints of the gentiles as םגו םיתוכ לש םישדקהש ןאכמ ונדמלו
well as the deranged one of the Ishmaelites [Mohammed], although ןיאש יפ לע ףא םילאעמשיה לש עגושמה

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