Page 24 - Tzurba M'Rabanan Volume1

22 · Hilchot Avoda Zara I Tzurba M’Rabanan

they [the gentiles] don’t err after them to turn them into ליאוה תוהלא ןתושעל םהירחא ןיעוט
deities; nevertheless since they bow down to them in a לש רוסא רבד האוחתשה םהינפל םיוחתשמו
religious manner, this is considered idol worship with regard םיוחתשמ םה דבל רודהב אלש םילילא תדובע
to all aspects of the prohibition of idolatry. For they do not הדובע ןינעכ אלא םיתמל רודה ןיאש םהינפ
bow rather their service is similar to one of deification.
:ןתדובע איה תוהלא לש

RABBEINU NISSIM BEN REUVEN OF GERONA – THE RAN (1320–1380)
Rabbeinu Nissim ben Reuven of Gerona, commonly known as the Ran, was born in Barcelona in 1320 and died in 1380. He was widely
considered the posek hador (supreme halachic authority of the generation) during his lifetime, as his student the Rivash testifies. His
main work was his commentary on the Rif, which had become the most learned text in the Jewish world. The Ran argued with many of
the Rishonim that preceded him, including Rashi, Rambam, and Rabbeinu Tam. Yet when it came to practical halacha, he often humbly
deferred to earlier poskim. The Ran was also a philosopher and authored the work Derashot HaRan, which deals with many topics of faith
that are basic tenets of Judaism. His main students were the Rivash and Rav Chasdai Kreskas.

However, the Rambam, who was well acquainted with the Muslim world, holds that they do not have the
status of idol worshipers, as he explains that their religion believes in one G-d.

r Responsa of the Rambam 448 חמת ןמיס | ם”במרה ת”וש 3 .

The Ishmaelites are not idol worshippers at all. This ,ללכ הרז הדובע ידבוע םניא םילאעמשיה ולא
has already been removed from their lips and hearts לאל םידחימ םהו םבלמו םהיפמ התרכנ רבכו
and they recognize G-d’s unity properly, a unity that has םאו …יפוד וב ןיאש דוחי יוארכ דוחי הלעתי
no defect… And if one argues that the house that they תיב ותוא ןיסלקמ םהש תיבהש םדא רמאי
praise [in Mecca] is a house of idol worship, and there התוא ןידבוע ויהש וכותב הנופצ ז”עו אוה ז”ע
1
are idols hidden inside, which their forefathers used to ודגנכ םיוחתשמה ולא .ךכב המ םהיתובא
worship; this makes no difference, as the worshippers
who bow to it today – their intentions are to heaven… ל”זר ושריפ רבכו… .םימשל אלא םבל ןיא םויה
The Sages have already explained (Sanhedrin 61b) that if one ז”ע תיבל םדא הוחתשה םאש ):אס( ןירדהנסב
bows to a house of idolatry thinking it is a synagogue, his רוסמ ובל ירה תסנכה תיב אוהש רובס ]אוהו[
heart is towards Heaven… similarly the Ishmaelites of today ףט םלוכ םויה םילאעמשיה ולא ןכו .םימשל
– everyone, including women and children, have removed any םתושפטו םתועטו םהיפמ ז”ע התרכנ םישנו
semblance of idolatry; and their mistake and foolishness is in הלעתי םשה דוחיב לבא …איה םירחא םירבדב
other areas… However, regarding the unity of G-d they םילאעמשיל היהש תמאבו ללכ תועט םהל ןיא
have not erred at all. It is true that in earlier generations, the ז”ע ינימ השלש תומוקמה םתואב םדוקמ
Ishmaelites in those places had three types of idol worship; לע ףא רבד לש וללכ …שומכו סילוקרמו רועפ
Peor, Markulis, and Kemosh… the bottom line is that although םלועב םדא ןיא ז”על םדוסי םירבדה רקיעש יפ
these things were founded on idolatry, no one throws stones,
or bows down to that place or does any other action for the ותואל הוחתשמ אלו םינבאה םתוא ךילשמ
sake of idol worship, not in their mouths nor in their hearts. ז”ע םשל םירבדה לכמ רבד השוע אלו םוקמה
Rather, their hearts are intended towards Heaven. .םימשל רוסמ םבל אלא ובלב אלו ויפב אל

1. The Rambam here is referring to the edifice known as the “Kaaba” (and the broken stone within it), which is found in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. This was
an ancient temple for the idolaters of the Arabian Peninsula, where many people came to visit on a yearly basis, an established practice before the
rise of Islam. When the supporters of Mohammed conquered the area and killed many of the locals, including three groups of Jews who refused to
convert, Mohammed retained the “Kaaba” as a place of worship, as it was already entrenched culturally as a house of worship in the entire area. He
did so in order to try and lessen the resistance to the new religion. Henceforth, the “Kaaba” became known as a holy site of Islam, built by Avraham
and Yishmael.

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