הלכות עבודה זרה וחוקות הגויים ז׳Foreign Worship and Customs of the Nations 7

Halacha 4ד׳

מַה בֵּין עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים שֶׁל עוֹבֵד כּוֹכָבִים לַעֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל. עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים שֶׁל עוֹבֵד כּוֹכָבִים אֲסוּרָה בַּהֲנָאָה מִיָּד שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים ז כה) "פְּסִילֵי אֱלֹהֵיהֶם תִּשְׂרְפוּן בָּאֵשׁ" מִשֶּׁפְּסָלוֹ נַעֲשָׂה לוֹ אֱלוֹהַּ. וְשֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל אֵינָהּ אֲסוּרָה בַּהֲנָאָה עַד שֶׁתֵּעֲבֵד שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים כז טו) "וְשָׂם בַּסָּתֶר" עַד שֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה לָהּ דְּבָרִים שֶׁבַּסֵּתֶר שֶׁהֵן עֲבוֹדָתָהּ. וּמְשַׁמְּשֵׁי עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים בֵּין שֶׁל עוֹבֵד כּוֹכָבִים בֵּין שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל אֵינָן אֲסוּרִין עַד שֶׁיִּשְׁתַּמְּשׁוּ בָּהֶן לַעֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים:

What are the distinctions between an idol belonging to an idolater and one belonging to an Israelite ? An idol belonging to an idolater is forthwith prohibited to be used: as it is said, "the graven images of their gods shall ye burn with fire" (Deut. 7:25); as soon as it has been made, it becomes his god. But an idol, the property of an Israelite, is not prohibited till it has been worshipped, as it is said, "and setteth it up in secret," (Deut. 27:15); that is, performs mysterious rites that constitute its mode of worship. Articles used in idolatrous worship, whether belonging to an idolater or to an Israelite, only become forbidden after they have been so used.

Halacha 5ה׳

הָעוֹשֶׂה עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים לַאֲחֵרִים אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהוּא לוֹקֶה שְׂכָרוֹ מֻתָּר וַאֲפִלּוּ עֲשָׂאָהּ לְעוֹבֵד כּוֹכָבִים שֶׁהִיא אֲסוּרָה מִיָּד. מִפְּנֵי שֶׁאֵינָהּ נֶאֱסֶרֶת עַד שֶׁתִּגָּמֵר וּמַכּוֹשׁ אַחֲרוֹן שֶׁגּוֹמְרָהּ אֵין בּוֹ שְׁוֵה פְּרוּטָה. הַלּוֹקֵחַ גְּרוּטָאוֹת מִן הָעוֹבֵד כּוֹכָבִים וּמָצָא בָּהֶן עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים. אִם נָתַן מָעוֹת וְלֹא מָשַׁךְ יַחֲזִירֵם לָעוֹבֵד כּוֹכָבִים. וְכֵן אִם מָשַׁךְ וְלֹא נָתַן מָעוֹת אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁמְּשִׁיכָה בְּעוֹבֵד כּוֹכָבִים קוֹנָה כְּמֶקַח טָעוּת הוּא. נָתַן מָעוֹת וּמָשַׁךְ יוֹלִיכֵם לְיָם הַמֶּלַח. וְכֵן עוֹבֵד כּוֹכָבִים וְגֵר שֶׁיָּרְשׁוּ אֶת אֲבִיהֶן עוֹבֵד כּוֹכָבִים יָכוֹל הַגֵּר לוֹמַר לְעוֹבֵד כּוֹכָבִים טֹל אַתָּה עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים וַאֲנִי מָעוֹת. טֹל אַתָּה יֵין נֶסֶךְ וַאֲנִי פֵּרוֹת. וְאִם מִשֶּׁבָּאוּ לִרְשׁוּת הַגֵּר אָסוּר:

Whoever makes an idol for others, although he is punished with stripes, is nevertheless permitted to use the remuneration for his labour—and this is so, even if he made the idol for an idolater, in which case it becomes forthwith prohibited. The reason is that an idol does not become forbidden till it is completed; and the last tap of the hammer is worth less than a perutah (the smallest coin). If one purchased broken metal from an idolater and found an idol among the pieces—even if the purchaser had already paid the price, provided that he has not yet taken possession of the article—he returns it to the idolater. The same is the rule if he had taken possession but had not paid the price; for, although taking possession affects transfer of property from a gentile, the case here is analogous to a purchase under error. If, however, he had paid the price and also taken possession, he should cast the idol into the Dead Sea. So where an idolater and a proselyte inherited the property of their father who had been an idolater, the proselyte may say to the idolater: "Do thou take the idol and I will take money; do thou take the prohibited wine and I will take fruit." Once, however, these (prohibited articles) have come into the proselyte's possession, they are forbidden to be used.