Avoda sara (mixed natractate)

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Avoda sara ( Hebrew עבודה זרה "foreign service", idolatry ) is the eighth treatise in the Mishnah in the order of Nesiqin (injuries). He has a Tosefta and a Gemara in both Talmudim .

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The treatise Avoda sara regulates the dealings between Jews and non-Jews. The focus here is on avoiding actions that could be interpreted as "idolatry". Since Jews in ancient times also lived in Eretz-Jisra'el in a predominantly pagan environment, such regulations affected all areas of daily life. There were quite different opinions among the various schools about the degree of isolation required. A famous story can be found in the treatise:

“Proclus ben Philosopher asked Rabban Gamliel in Akko when he was bathing in Aphrodite's bath . He said to him: "It is written in your Torah: There should be nothing on your hand of the banished (Deut 13:18). Why are you bathing in Aphrodite's bath?" He said to him: "You don't answer in Aphrodite's bath. And when he went out, he said to him: I did not come into her area, she came into my area. They don't say: Let's make a bath for Aphrodite, but She, Aphrodite, is made to adorn the bathroom. Another thing: If you were given a lot of money, would you go into your idol house after ejaculating at night and urinate in front of her? But she stands at the drain of the urinal and all the people urinate in front of her We are only talking about "their gods" - something towards which one behaves as towards something divine is forbidden. Something towards which one does not behave as towards something divine is permitted. "

- mAvoda sara 3.4

The following questions are dealt with in detail:

  • Chapters I and II discuss how to deal with pagan festivals, which goods are suitable for trade with non-Jews and which goods of non-Jewish origin are suitable for usufruct or for consumption. The calendar , the Saturnalia , the takeover and the birthday of the emperor are mentioned at public festivals . Various private celebrations are also mentioned.
  • Chapter III and the first part of IV deal with potential idols and other pagan cult objects. Since the country was largely penetrated by non-Jewish cults, the Mishnah tendency here is very generous in the sense of the above quote: What counts as an idol remains a question of interpretation.
  • The second half of Chapter IV and Chapter V deal with provisions relating to wine. It is subject to special purity regulations and precautionary measures, since it could potentially be used as a libation sacrifice .

Function of the term

A golden image of the worshiped body of Christ on the cross in the middle - called "Avoda sara" in Judaism; Sainte-Madeleine Church, Lamadelaine, Luxembourg.

The Hebrew term Avoda sara means " idolatry ", literally "foreign service" or "wrong service". The core of Gentile Christian faith traditions , the doctrine of the Incarnation of God , is a violation of the Ten Commandments in Judaism . The Christian belief in the Incarnation of God is clearly condemned as Avoda sara and viewed as incompatible with Judaism. Likewise, depictions of gods and Christian images or statues of God, Jesus, Mary, the saints and the Holy Spirit as well as crucifixes and icons are condemned as violations of the ten commandments and as Avoda sara . Among the Poskim , however, it is controversial whether Christians are to be classified as idolaters, since there is an assumption that non-Jews are only considered idolaters if they completely reject the existence of God.

See also

literature

Web links

Remarks

  1. ↑ In the opinion of Rabban Gamliel, it is not appropriate to discuss words of the Torah in the naked state and in this environment.
  2. ↑ There is actually evidence of a coin from Akko that depicts an Aphrodite figure at that point in a bathhouse, cf. Krupp, 'Avoda Sara, 18.
  3. ↑ This refers to the annually celebrated day of remembrance of Octavian's victory over Antony and Cleopatra at Actium .
  4. ↑ Rabbi Simchah Roth: Tractate Avodah ZARAH . In: BET MIDRASH VIRTUALI . Rabbinical Assembly in Israel and the Masorti Movement. Retrieved May 31, 2013.
  5. ↑ a b Rabbi Doniel Neustadt: Visiting a Church or a Mosque - Avodah Zarah . In: The Weekly Halacha Discussion . Retrieved May 31, 2013.
  6. ^ Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz: Introduction - Masechet Avodah Zarah . In: The Coming Week's Daf Yomi . Retrieved May 31, 2013.