Page 31 - Tzurba M'Rabanan Volume1

ןנברמ אברוצ ׳א הרז הדובע תוכלה · 29

Idolatrous Images Used for Beauty

Another topic of discussion found in the poskim with regard to the laws of avoda zara is whether one may use
coins, vessels and other items with signs of avoda zara on them, such as a cross.

a Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh Deah 141:1 א:אמק ד״וי | ע״וש . 16
All the images of idolatry found in villages are forbidden, since םיאצמנה םיבכוכ תדובע לש םימלצה לכ
they are presumed to have been made for idol worship. But those תדובע םשל אמתסד ,םירוסא ,םירפכב
found in cities are permissible, since they were certainly made for ,םירתומ ,םיכרכב םיאצמנהו .ושענ םיבכוכ
the sake of beauty, unless they stand at the entrance of the city, חתפ לע ןידמוע כ”אא ושענ יונל יאדוד
and an image of a staff or a bird or a ball or a sword or a diadem וא לקמ תרוצ הרוצה דיב היהו הנידמה
and ring is in the hand.
.תעבטו הרטע וא ףייס וא רודכ וא רופצ
Rema: The images that [idol worshipers] bow down to [i.e., a cross] ןידכ םניד ,םהל םיוחתשמש תורוצ :הגה
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have the status of an idol and are prohibited unless nullification
[takes place]. But [the items] that they hang around their necks as a ןתוא לבא .לוטיב אלב םירוסאו םלצה
remembrance are not considered idols and are permitted. .רתומו ,םלצ ירקמ אל ,ןורכזל ראוצב ןילותש

The Siftei Kohen (Shach) holds that the use of such items is permitted only where it is known that they were
not used for worship. He therefore concludes that a cross is always prohibited as it is generally used for worship.

a Shach, Yoreh Deah 141:6 ו:אמק | ד״וי ע״וש לע ך”ש . 17

But those that they hang around the neck as a remembrance – עודיב ונייה – ’וכ ראוצב ןילותש ןתוא לבא
That is to say, that it is known that one did not bow to it… but ערג אל יכה ואל אה …ול הוחתשה אלש
otherwise, it is no less serious than if one found an item with an תדובע תרוצ םהילעש םילכ אצמ םאמ
image of idolatry on it, in which case the item would be prohibited םידבוכמ םה םא םירוסא םילכהד ’יבכוכ
if it is of importance. For since this shape is generally worshipped, ןנישייח הרוצה התוא דובעל ךרדש ןויכד
we must be concerned lest it [this vessel] was actually worshiped… םחורי וניבר כ”כו …םילכה ודבענ אמש
Similarly, Rabbeinu Yerucham writes that… “these idolaters are
not steadfast in their worship, [and] all that they make with these ולא םיבכוכ ידבועד רשפאו …ד”ח ז”יתנ
images are only for beauty and one is permitted to derive benefit המ לכ םיבכוכ תדובעב םיקודא ןיאש
from all of them. However it is forbidden to keep them because םישוע םניא םילכב וללה תורוצב ןישועש
of chashad (suspicion) if they are very noticeable, and it is proper רוסאו םלכ האנהב םירתומו יונל אלא
to be strict with regard to an uncertain Torah prohibition.” And יוארו םיטלוב םה םא דשח םושמ ןתוהשהל
it is possible that according to everyone an actual cross would be רשפאו כ”ע הרות רוסיא קפסב רימחהל
prohibited, since they bow to it. ול םיוחתשמש ךרדש ןויכ ומצע הרוצב
:רוסא ע”כל

6. The original uncensored version of the text here uses the term sheti ve’eirev, which is the actual term used to refer to a cross.

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