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90 · Hilchot Chukot Hagoyim Tzurba M’Rabanan

There are other pesukim in the Torah that also reiterate this prohibition:

t Vayikra 20:23 גכ:כ | ארקיו 4 .
And you must not follow the ways of the nations that I am sending away ַ ח ֵּ ל ַ ׁש ְ מ יִנ ֲ א ר ֶ ׁש ֲ א יֹוּג ַ ה תֹ ּ ק ֻ ח ְּ ב ּוכ ְ ל ֵ ת אלֹ ְ ו
before you, for they did these things and I was disgusted with them. :ם ָּ ב ץ ֻ ק ָ א ָ ו ּוׂש ָ ע ה ֶּ ל ֵ א ל ָּ כ ת ֶ א י ִּ כ ם ֶ כיֵנ ְּ פ ִ מ

t Devarim 12:30 ל:בי | םירבד 5 .
ָ
Beware for yourself, lest you be attracted after them after they have י ֵ ר ֲ ח ַ א ם ֶ הי ֵ ר ֲ ח ַ א ׁש ֵ קָּנ ִּ ת ן ֶּ פ ך ְ ל ר ֶ מ ָ ׁ ּ ש ִ ה
ָ
been destroyed before you, and lest you seek out their gods saying, ם ֶ הי ֵ הלֹא ֵ ל ׁשֹר ְ ד ִּ ת ן ֶ פּו ךיֶנ ָּ פ ִ מ ם ָ ד ְ מ ָ ׁ ּ ש ִ ה
“how did these nations worship their gods, and so will I do the same.” ת ֶ א ה ֶּ ל ֵ א ָ ה םִיֹוּג ַ ה ּוד ְ ב ַ עַי ה ָ כי ֵ א רֹמא ֵ ל
:יִנ ָ א ם ַּג ן ֵּ כ ה ֶ ׂש ֱ ע ֶ א ְ ו ם ֶ הי ֵ הלֹ ֱ א
t Shemot 23:24 דכ:גכ | תומש 6 .

Do not prostrate yourselves to their gods, nor serve them, and you ם ֵ ד ְ ב ָ ע ָ ת אלֹ ְ ו ם ֶ הי ֵ הלֹא ֵ ל ה ֶ ו ֲ ח ַּ ת ְ ׁש ִ ת אלֹ
must not perform their practices; but you must destroy (their gods) ם ֵ ס ְ ר ָ ה ְּ ת ס ֵ ר ָ ה י ִּ כ ם ֶ הי ֵ ׂש ֲ ע ַ מ ְּ כ ה ֶ ׂש ֲ ע ַ ת אלֹ ְ ו
and break their idol statues. :ם ֶ הי ֵ תֹב ֵּ צ ַ מ ר ֵּ ב ַ ׁש ְּ ת ר ֵּ ב ַ ׁש ְ ו

r Ramban, Commentary on the Torah, ibid. םש | ן"במר 7 .

And you must not perform their practices – This is possibly an איהש ןכתי – םהישעמכ השעת אלו
admonition against following the “ways of the Emorites” that the םימכח ונמש ירומאה יכרדמ הרהזא
Sages mentioned (Shabbat 67a), as the Torah has warned elsewhere, רחא םוקמב ריהזהש ומכ ,).זס תבש(
“do not follow their statutes,” which the Sages explained as “the ,)ג:חי ארקיו( וכלת אל םהיתוקחבו
practices of the Emorites [darkei ha’emori].”
ירומאה יכרד ולא )םש ארפסב( ורמאו
.םימכח ונמש

they served as part of the idolatrous worship of the Greek gods, and participants would begin the tournament by bowing and swearing to a statue of
the gods in the stadium. It should be noted that each city would sponsor the cost of the participants in the festivities as well as tickets for those who
could not afford them. This practice illustrates the importance of these festivities in Greek culture. In addition, this was a time dedicated to giving
honor to the gods and all that were sentenced to death were spared that month. Moreover, cease‑fires were pronounced in order to allow people
to attend. The cease‑fires were also important because the guests and participants were considered holy in the eyes of society and it was forbidden
to harm them. This, in turn, resulted in the institution of a prohibition to bring any weapons into the city. Against this background, it is readily
understandable why Chazal included such practices as chukot hagoyim.

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