Mishneh Torah, Foreign Worship and Customs of the Nations Chapter 6

Chapter 6

א הָעוֹשֶׂה אוֹב אוֹ יִדְּעֹנִי בִּרְצוֹנוֹ בְּזָדוֹן חַיָּב כָּרֵת וְאִם הָיוּ שָׁם עֵדִים וְהַתְרָאָה נִסְקָל. הָיָה שׁוֹגֵג מֵבִיא חַטָּאת קְבוּעָה. כֵּיצַד הוּא מַעֲשֵׂה הָאוֹב. זֶה שֶׁהוּא עוֹמֵד וּמַקְטִיר קְטֹרֶת יְדוּעָה וְאוֹחֵז שַׁרְבִיט שֶׁל הֲדַס בְּיָדוֹ וּמְנִיפוֹ וְהוּא מְדַבֵּר בַּלָּאט בִּדְבָרִים יְדוּעִים אֶצְלָם עַד שֶׁיִּשְׁמַע הַשּׁוֹאֵל כְּאִלּוּ אֶחָד מְדַבֵּר עִמּוֹ וּמְשִׁיבוֹ עַל מַה שֶּׁהוּא שׁוֹאֵל בִּדְבָרִים מִתַּחַת הָאָרֶץ בְּקוֹל נָמוּךְ עַד מְאֹד וּכְאִלּוּ אֵינוֹ נִכָּר לָאֹזֶן אֶלָּא בְּמַחֲשָׁבָה מַרְגִּישׁ בּוֹ. וְכֵן הַלּוֹקֵחַ גֻּלְגּלֶת הַמֵּת וּמַקְטִיר לָהּ וּמְנַחֵשׁ בָּהּ עַד שֶׁיִּשָּׁמַע כְּאִלּוּ קוֹל יוֹצֵא מִתַּחַת שֶׁחְיוֹ שָׁפָל עַד מְאֹד וּמְשִׁיבוֹ. כָּל אֵלּוּ מַעֲשֵׂה אוֹב הֵן וְהָעוֹשֶׂה אֶחָד מֵהֶן נִסְקָל:

1 He who practices enchantry or spiritualism of his own free will, wantonly, is guilty of a sin punishable by excision; if there be witnesses, and he received due warning, he is stoned. If he erred, he should offer a standard sin-offering. How is enchantry practiced? One stands and burns a kind of incense known to such practicioners, holding in his hand a myrtle-branch which he waves, the while uttering in a murmur words known to such practicioners, so that the supplicant thinks that he hears one conversing with him and answering his questions in words that appear to be coming from beneath the earth uttered in a very low voice, which is scarcely audible to the ear but rather perceptible to the mind. Or, one who holds a skull of a deceased person, and burns incense to it, and divines by it, so that it becomes evident as if an extremely low ventriloquous voice makes reply. All such are practices of enchantry, and whosoever practices one such, is stoned.

ב כֵּיצַד מַעֲשֵׂה הַיִּדְּעֹנִי. מֵנִיחַ עֶצֶם עוֹף שֶׁשְּׁמוֹ יָדוּעַ בְּפִיו וּמַקְטִיר וְעוֹשֶׂה מַעֲשִׂים אֲחֵרִים עַד שֶׁיִּפּל כְּנִכְפֶּה וִידַבֵּר בְּפִיו דְּבָרִים שֶׁעֲתִידִים לִהְיוֹת. וְכָל אֵלּוּ מִינֵי עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים הֵן וְאַזְהָרָה שֶׁלָּהֶן מִנַּיִן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא יט לא) "אַל תִּפְנוּ אֶל הָאֹבֹת" וְגוֹ':

2 How is spiritualism practiced? One puts a bone of a bird known to such practicioners in his mouth, burns incense and performs other manipulations until he falls into a fit resembling epilepsy, when he speaks out of his mouth happenings of the future. All such are forms of idolatry. Whencefrom is the warning against such practices derived? From what it is said: "Turn ye not unto the ghosts, nor unto familiar spirits" (Lev. 19.31)

ג הַנּוֹתֵן מִזַּרְעוֹ לַמּלֶךְ בִּרְצוֹנוֹ וּבְזָדוֹן חַיָּב כָּרֵת. בְּשׁוֹגֵג מֵבִיא חַטָּאת קְבוּעָה. וְאִם עָשָׂה בְּעֵדִים וְהַתְרָאָה נִסְקָל שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא כ ב) "אֲשֶׁר יִתֵּן מִזַּרְעוֹ לַמּלֶךְ מוֹת יוּמָת" וְגוֹ'. וְאַזְהָרָה שֶׁלּוֹ מִנַּיִן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא יח כא) "וּמִזַּרְעֲךָ לֹא תִתֵּן לְהַעֲבִיר לַמּלֶךְ" וּלְהַלָּן הוּא אוֹמֵר (דברים יח י) "לֹא יִמָּצֵא בְךָ מַעֲבִיר בְּנוֹ וּבִתּוֹ בָּאֵשׁ". כֵּיצַד הָיוּ עוֹשִׂים. מַדְלִיק אֵשׁ גְּדוֹלָה וְלוֹקֵחַ מִקְצָת זַרְעוֹ וּמוֹסְרוֹ לְכֹהֲנֵיהֶם עוֹבְדֵי הָאֵשׁ. וְאוֹתָן הַכֹּהֲנִים נוֹתְנִין הַבֵּן לְאָבִיו אַחַר שֶׁנִּמְסַר בְּיָדָן לְהַעֲבִירוֹ בָּאֵשׁ בִּרְשׁוּתוֹ וַאֲבִי הַבֵּן הוּא שֶׁמַּעֲבִיר בְּנוֹ עַל הָאֵשׁ בִּרְשׁוּת הַכֹּהֲנִים וּמַעֲבִירוֹ בְּרַגְלָיו מִצַּד זֶה לְצַד אַחֵר בְּתוֹךְ הַשַּׁלְהֶבֶת. לֹא שֶׁהוּא שׂוֹרְפוֹ לַמּלֶךְ כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁשּׂוֹרְפִין בְּנֵיהֶם וּבְנוֹתֵיהֶם לַעֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים אַחֶרֶת אֶלָּא בְּהַעֲבָרָה בִּלְבַד הָיְתָה עֲבוֹדָה זוֹ שֶׁשְּׁמָהּ מלֶךְ. לְפִיכָךְ הָעוֹשֶׂה עֲבוֹדָה זוֹ לַעֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים אַחֶרֶת חוּץ מִמּלֶךְ פָּטוּר:

3 He who gives of his children to Molech of his own free will, wantonly, is guilty of an offense punishable by excision. If he erred, he should offer a standard sin-offering. But if he did not in the presence of witnesses, and was given due warning, his punishment is stoning; for, it is said: "Whosoever… that giveth of his seed unto Molech; he shall surely be put to death" (Lev. 20.2). Whencefrom is the warning against him derived? From what it is said: "And thou shalt not give any of thy seed to set them apart to Molech" (Ibid. 18.21); and it is further said: "There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire" (Deut. 18.10). How was the practice thereof? One builds a big fire, and takes a part of his children and turns them over to the fire-worshiping priests; those priests, after a child had been turned over to them by the father to pass him through the fire by the father's consent, return the child back to the father, and it is the father of the child who passes his child through the fire by the consent of the priests, and the passing through thereof is by walking the victim from one side to the other in the midst of the flame. The practice was not to burn children to Molech outright after the manner of those who burned their sons and daughters to another kind of idolatry, but only by passing through the flame was the service of this idol which is called Molech. Therefore, he who performs such service to another idol, save Molech, is not guilty of worshiping Molech.

ד אֵינוֹ חַיָּב כָּרֵת אוֹ סְקִילָה עַד שֶׁיִּמְסֹר בְּנוֹ לַמּלֶךְ וְיַעֲבִירוֹ בְּרַגְלָיו בָּאֵשׁ דֶּרֶךְ הַעֲבָרָה. מָסַר וְלֹא הֶעֱבִיר הֶעֱבִיר וְלֹא מָסַר. אוֹ שֶׁמָּסַר וְהֶעֱבִיר שֶׁלֹּא בְּדֶרֶךְ הַעֲבָרָה פָּטוּר. וְאֵינוֹ חַיָּב עַד שֶׁיִּמְסֹר מִקְצָת זַרְעוֹ וְיָנִיחַ מִקְצָת שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא כ ג) "כִּי מִזַּרְעוֹ נָתַן לַמּלֶךְ" מִקְצָתוֹ וְלֹא כֻּלּוֹ:

4 He is not guilty of either excision or stoning, unless he handed over his child to Molech, and led him through the flame walking on his feet. If he handed him over and led him not through, or if he led him through and did not hand him over before, or if he handed him over but led him over not after the manner of leading, he is not guilty, Neither is he guilty unless he hands over only part of his children and leaves behind the rest; for, it is said: "Because he hath given of his seed unto Molech— of his seed, but not all of his seed.

ה אֶחָד זֶרַע כָּשֵׁר וְאֶחָד זֶרַע פָּסוּל אֶחָד בָּנָיו וּבְנוֹתָיו בְּנֵיהֶם וּבְנֵי בְּנֵיהֶם עַל כָּל יוֹצְאֵי יְרֵכוֹ הוּא חַיָּב מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהֵן זַרְעוֹ. אֲבָל אִם הֶעֱבִיר אֶחָיו אוֹ אַחְיוֹתָיו אוֹ אֲבוֹתָיו אוֹ שֶׁהֶעֱבִיר עַצְמוֹ פָּטוּר. הֶעֱבִיר אֶחָד מִזַּרְעוֹ וְהוּא יָשֵׁן אוֹ שֶׁהָיָה סוּמָא פָּטוּר:

5 Whether the seed be lawful or illicit, whether his own sons and daughters or their children and grandchildren, even all that come forth out of his loins, because they are his seed, he is guilty; but if he led through his brothers, or his sisters, or his parents, or he permitted himself to be let through, he is not guilty. If he led through one of his children who was asleep, or blind, he is not guilty.

ו מַצֵּבָה שֶׁאָסְרָה תּוֹרָה הִיא בִּנְיָן שֶׁהַכּל מִתְקַבְּצִין אֶצְלָהּ וַאֲפִלּוּ לַעֲבֹד אֶת ה' שֶׁכֵּן הָיָה דֶּרֶךְ עוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים. שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים טז כב) "וְלֹא תָקִים לְךָ מַצֵּבָה". וְכָל הַמֵּקִים מַצֵּבָה לוֹקֶה. וְכֵן אֶבֶן מַשְׂכִּית הָאֲמוּרָה בַּתּוֹרָה אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהוּא מִשְׁתַּחֲוֶה עָלֶיהָ לַשֵּׁם לוֹקֶה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא כו א) "וְאֶבֶן מַשְׂכִּית לֹא תִתְּנוּ בְּאַרְצְכֶם לְהִשְׁתַּחֲוֹת עָלֶיהָ" מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהָיָה דֶּרֶךְ עוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים לְהַנִּיחַ אֶבֶן לְפָנֶיהָ לְהִשְׁתַּחֲוֹת עָלֶיהָ. לְפִיכָךְ אֵין עוֹשִׂין כֵּן לַה'. וְאֵינוֹ לוֹקֶה עַד שֶׁיִּפְשֹׁט יָדָיו וְרַגְלָיו עַל הָאֶבֶן וְנִמְצָא כֻּלּוֹ מֻטָּל עָלֶיהָ שֶׁזּוֹ הִיא הִשְׁתַּחֲוָיָה הָאֲמוּרָה בַּתּוֹרָה:

6 The pillar forbidden by the Torah, is a building where everybody assembles, even to serve God therein is forbidden, for in such manner was idolatry worshiped; for, it is said: "Neither shalt thou set thee up a pillar" (Deut. 16.22). And, whosoever sets up a pillar is lashed. The same applies to a figured stone spoken of in the Torah, although one bows down to it for the sake of God, he is lashed; for, it is said: "Neither shall ye place any figured stone in your land, to bow down unto it" (Lev. 26.1), because such was the practice of idolaters, to deposit a stone before it, upon which to bow down to it; therefore, shall it not be so in the worship of God. But he is not lashed, unless he spread his hands and feet upon the stone, so that he be bodily lying on it, for such is the kind of bowing down spoken of in the Torah.

ז בַּמֶּה דְּבָרִים אֲמוּרִים בִּשְׁאָר (הָאֲרָצוֹת) אֲבָל בַּמִּקְדָּשׁ מֻתָּר לְהִשְׁתַּחֲווֹת עַל הָאֲבָנִים שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא כו א) "בְּאַרְצְכֶם", בְּאַרְצְכֶם אִי אַתֶּם מִשְׁתַּחֲוִים עַל הָאֲבָנִים אֲבָל אַתֶּם מִשְׁתַּחֲוִים עַל הָאֲבָנִים הַמְפֻצָּלוֹת בַּמִּקְדָּשׁ. וּמִפְּנֵי זֶה נָהֲגוּ כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל לְהַצִּיעַ מַחְצְלָאוֹת בְּבָתֵּי כְּנֵסִיּוֹת הָרְצוּפוֹת בַּאֲבָנִים אוֹ מִינֵי קַשׁ וְתֶבֶן לְהַבְדִּיל בֵּין פְּנֵיהֶם וּבֵין הָאֲבָנִים. וְאִם לֹא מָצָא דָּבָר מַבְדִּיל בֵּינוֹ וּבֵין הָאֶבֶן הוֹלֵךְ לְמָקוֹם אַחֵר וּמִשְׁתַּחֲוֶה אוֹ שׁוֹחֶה עַל צִדּוֹ וּמַטֶּה כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יַדְבִּיק פָּנָיו בָּאֶבֶן:

7 Whereat are these words directed? At other places, but in the Temple it is permitted to bow down on the stones, even as it is said: "In your land" (Deut. 26.1)—in your land you shall not bow down upon the stones, but you do bow down upon the cut stones of the Temple. Because of this, it became the custom throughout Israel to spread matts, or straw, or stubble on the stone-laid flooring of the synagogues so as to separate their countenance, when they bow down, from the stone. If there could be found no substance to form a separation between himself and the stone, he should either go to another place and bow down, or bow sidewise, with his face turned away, so as not to connect his countenance with the stone.

ח כָּל הַמִּשְׁתַּחֲוֶה לַה' עַל הָאֲבָנִים הַמְפֻצָּלוֹת בְּלֹא פִּשּׁוּט יָדַיִם וְרַגְלַיִם אֵינוֹ לוֹקֶה אֶלָּא מַכִּין אוֹתוֹ מַכַּת מַרְדּוּת. אֲבָל לַעֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים אֶחָד הִשְׁתַּחֲוָיָה בְּפִשּׁוּט יָדַיִם וְרַגְלַיִם אוֹ בְּלֹא פִּשּׁוּט יָדַיִם וְרַגְלַיִם מִשָּׁעָה שֶׁיִּכְבּשׁ פָּנָיו בַּקַּרְקַע נִסְקָל:

8 Whosoever bows down to God upon the cut stones, without, however, spreading his hands and feet thereon, is not striped, but is lashed as a rebel; whereas idolatry, whether he bows down with spreading hands and feet or whether without spreading hands and feet, as long as he touches his countenance on the ground he is stoned.

ט הַנּוֹטֵעַ אִילָן אֵצֶל הַמִּזְבֵּחַ אוֹ בְּכָל הָעֲזָרָה בֵּין אִילַן סְרָק בֵּין אִילַן מַאֲכָל אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁעֲשָׂאוֹ לְנוֹי לַמִּקְדָּשׁ וְיֹפִי לוֹ הֲרֵי זֶה לוֹקֶה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים טז כא) "לֹא תִטַּע לְךָ אֲשֵׁרָה כָּל עֵץ אֵצֶל מִזְבַּח ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ". מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהָיָה זֶה דֶּרֶךְ עוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים נוֹטְעִין אִילָנוֹת בְּצַד מִזְבֵּחַ שֶׁלָּהּ כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּתְקַבְּצוּ שָׁם הָעָם:

9 He who plants a tree near the altar, or anywhere in the entire Court, whether a bare tree or a fruit tree, although he did it to adorn the Temple and beautify it, even such as he shall be striped; for, it is said: "Thou shalt not plant thee an Asherah of any kind of tree beside the altar of the Lord thy God" (Deut. 16.21), because this is the custom of idolaters; they plant trees beside the altar of the idol so as to attract the people to congregate there.

י אָסוּר לַעֲשׂוֹת אַכְסַדְרָאוֹת שֶׁל עֵץ בַּמִּקְדָּשׁ כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁעוֹשִׂין בַּחֲצֵרוֹת, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהוּא בְּבִנְיָן וְאֵינוֹ עֵץ נָטוּעַ הַרְחָקָה יְתֵרָה הִיא שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים טז כא) "כָּל עֵץ". אֶלָּא כָּל הָאַכְסַדְרָאוֹת וְהַסְּבָכוֹת הַיּוֹצְאוֹת מִן הַכְּתָלִים שֶׁהָיוּ בַּמִּקְדָּשׁ שֶׁל אֶבֶן הָיוּ לֹא שֶׁל עֵץ:

10 It is forbidden to make wooden entrance-passages in the Temple, such as are made in courtyards, the wood being built in and not planted, and the removal from the forbidden appearing to be overmuch, notwithstanding, because it is said: "Any kind of tree"(Ibid.). But all corridors and cornices which were protruding from the walls of the Temple were of stone, not of wood.

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