Jerusalem Talmud Sanhedrin 7.9

משנה: הָעוֹבֵד עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה אֶחָד הָעוֹבֵד וְאֶחָד הַזּוֹבֵחַ וְאֶחָד הַמְקַטֵּר וְאֶחָד הַמְנַסֵּךְ וְאֶחָד הַמִּשְׁתַּחֲוֶה וְהַמְקַבְּלוֹ עָלָיו לֶאֱלוֹהַּ וְהָאוֹמֵר לוֹ אֵלִי אַתָּה. אֲבָל הַמְגַפֵּף וְהַמְנַשֵּׁק וְהַמְכַבֵּד וְהַמַּרְבִּיץ הַמַּרְחִיץ הַסָּךְ הַמַּלְבִּישׁ וְהַמַּנְעִיל עוֹבֵר בְּלֹא תַעֲשֶׂה. הַנּוֹדֵר בִּשְׁמוֹ וְהַמְקַיֵּם בִּשְׁמוֹ עוֹבֵר בְּלֹא תַעֲשֶׂה. הַפּוֹעֵר עַצְמוֹ לְבַעַל פְּעוֹר זוֹ הִיא עֲבוֹדָתוֹ. הַזּוֹרֵק אֶבֶן לְמַרְקוּלִיס זוֹ הִיא עֲבוֹדָתוֹ:

MISHNAH: The worshipper of strange worship whether he worships, or sacrifices, or burns incense, or makes a libation, or prostrates himself; also one who accepts it as a god and says to it: you are my god. But one who embraces, or kisses, or sweeps clean, or sprinkles water; one who washes, rubs with oil, clothes, or puts shoes on it, violates a prohibition. He who makes a vow in its name or keeps one in its name violates a prohibition. One who defecates in front of Baal Pe`or follows its worship. One who throws a stone at a statue of Mercury follows its worship.

הלכה: הָעוֹבֵד עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה כול׳. אַזְהָרָה לָעוֹבֵד עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה מְנַיִין. לֹא תָעָבְדֵם. כָּרֵת מְנַיִין. אֶתִ יְי הוּא מְגַדֵּף וְנִכְרְתָה. וְלֹא מְגַדְּף כָּתוּב. כְּאָדָם שֶׁהוּא אוֹמֵר לַחֲבֶירוֹ. גִּידַּפְתָּה אֶת כָּל הַקְּעָרָה וְלֹא שִׁיַירְתָּה בָהּ כְּלוּם. מָשָׁל רִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָעְזָר אוֹמֵר. לִשְׁנַיִם שֶׁהָיוּ יוֹשְׁבִין וּקְעָרָה שֶׁלְגְּרִיסִין בֵּינֵיהוֹן. פָּשַׁט אֶחָד אַת יָדָו וְגִידֵּף אֶת כָּל הַקְּעָרָה וְלֹא שִׁיֵיר בָהּ כְּלוּם. כָּךְ הַמְגַדֵּף וְהָעוֹבֵד עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה אֵינוֹ מְשַׁיֵיר לְאַחֲרָיו מִצְוָה. עוֹנֶשׁ מְנַיִין. וְהוֹצֵאתָ הָאִישׁ הַהוּא אוֹ אֶת הָאִשָּׁה הַהִיא אֲשֶׁר עָשׂוּ אֶת הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה אֶל שְׁעָרֶיךָ וגו׳ עַד וּסְקַלְתֶּם אוֹתָם בָּאֲבָנִים וָמֵתוּ.

HALAKHAH: “The worshipper of strange worship,” etc. From where warning about strange worship? Do not worship them. Extirpation from where? He blasphemed the Eternal and will be extirpated. But is there not written “blasphemed”? As one would say to another, you scraped out the entire pot and did not leave anything; a parable which Rebbi Simeon ben Eleazar formulated: Two people were sitting with a pot of porridge between them. One of them stretched out his hand, scraped out the entire pot, and did not leave anything in it. So both the blasphemer and the worshipper of strange worship do not leave any commandment as residue. From where the punishment? You shall lead out that man, or that woman, who did this deed to your gates, etc., up to and stone them with stones until they die.

לֹא תָעָבְדֵם. הָיִיתִי אוֹמֵר. עַד שֶׁיַּעֲבוֹד כָּל עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם. תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר לֹא תִשְׁתַּחֲוֶה לָהֶם. הִשְׁתַּחֲוָיָה בִּכְלָל הָיְתָה וְלָמָּה יָצָאת. לְהַקִּישׁ אֵלֶיהָ. אֶלָּא מַה הִשְׁתַּחֲוָיָה מְיוּחֶדֶת מַעֲשֶׂה יָחִיד וְחַיָיבִין עָלֶיהָ בִפְנֵי עַצְמָהּ. אַף אֲנִי אַרְבֶּה כָּל מַעֲשֶׂה וּמַעֲשֶׂה שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהּ חַיָיבִין עָלָיו בִּפְנֵי עַצְמוֹ. אַף עַל גַּב דְּרִבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָעְזָר אָמַר. זִיבֵּחַ וְקִיטֵּר וְנִיסַּךְ בְּהֶעֱלֶם אֶחָד אֵינוֹ חַיָיב אֶלָּא אַחַת. מוֹדֶה שֶׁאִם עָבְדָהּ בַּעֲבוֹדָתָהּ בַּעֲבוֹדַת הָגָּבוֹהַּ בַּעֲבוֹדַת הִשְׁתַּחֲוָיָה שֶׁהוּא חַיָיב עַל כַּל אַחַת וְאַחַת. כְּדָמַר רִבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בְּשֵׁם רִבִּי זְעִירָא. וְלֹא יִזְבְּחוּ עוֹד אֶת זִבְחֵיהֶם לַשְּׂעִירִים. אָמְרוּ לֵיהּ. מַטִּי תָּנָהּ לַקָּדָשִׁים.

Do not worship them. Should I say, not unless he worshipped every single strange worship in the world? The verse says, do not prostrate yourself before them. Prostration was included; why is it mentioned separately? To tie to it: Prostration is special in that it is the act of a single person and is punishable separately, so I am adding any single act that one is liable for separately. Even though Rebbi Simeon ben Eleazar said, if one sacrificed, and burned incense, and poured a libation in one forgetting he is liable only for one; he agrees that if one worshipped it in its proper worship which is identical with the worship of Heaven like prostrating, he is liable for each single action. As Rebbi Samuel said in the name of Rebbi Zeˋira: They should not continue to offer their sacrifices to spirits. They said to him, turn and refer it to sacrifices.

רִבִּי יָסָא בְשֵׁם רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן. זִיבֵּחַ לָהּ טָלֶה בַעַל מוּם חַיָיב. מַאי כְדוֹן. כַּיי דָּמַר רִבִּי הִילָא. לֹא תַעֲשׂוּן כֵּן לַיי אֱלֹהֵיכֶם. כָּל לַיי אֱלֹהֵיכֶם לֹא תַעֲשׂוּן כֵּן.

Rebbi Yasa in the name of Rebbi Joḥanan: If he sacrificed a defective lamb to it, he is guilty. From where this? As Rebbi Hila said, do not do such to the Eternal, your God. Anything that you might do for the Eternal, your God, you may not do in this case.

רִבִּי בּוּן בַּר חִיָיה בְּעָא קוֹמֵי רִבִּי זְעִירָה. לֹא תָעָבְדֵם כְּלָל. לֹא תִשְׁתַּחֲוֶה לֶהֶם פְּרָט. כִּי לֹא תִשְׁתַּחֲוֶה לְאֵל אַחֵר חָזַר וְכָלַל. כְּלָל וּפְרָט וּכְלָל אֵין בִּכְלָל אֶלָּא מַה שֶׁבִּפְרָט. רִבִּי בּוּן בַּר כָּהֲנָא בְעָא קוֹמֵי רִבִּי הִילָא. לֹא תַעֲשׂוּן כֵּן כְּלָל. זוֹבֵחַ לָאֱלֹהִים יָחֳרָם פְּרָט. בִּלְתִּי לַיי לְבַדּוֹ. חָזַר וָכָלַל. כְּלָל וּפְרָט וּכְלָל וְהַכֹּל בִּכְלָל. וְרִיבָה אֶת הַמְגַפֵּף וְהַמְנַשֵּׁק. אָמַר לֵיהּ. לְאֵי זֶה דָּבָר נֶאֶמְרָה הִשְׁתַּחֲוָיָה. לֹא לְלַמֵּד עַל עַצְמוֹ שֶׁהוּא מַעֲשֶׂה. הַמְגַפֵּף וְהַמִּשְׁתַּחֲוֶה שֶׁאֵינָן מַעֲשֶׂה.

Rebbi Abun bar Ḥiyya asked before Rebbi Zeˋira: Do not worship them, a principle. Do not prostrate yourself before them, a detail. For you shall not prostrate yourself before another god; He again stated the principle. Principle, detail, and principle: is nothing covered but the detail? Rebbi Abun bar Cahana asked before Rebbi Hila: Do not do such, a principle. One who sacrifices to gods shall be banned, a detail. Only for the Eternal alone, He again stated the principle. Principle, detail, and principle; is not everything included? Does it not add one who embraces and one who kisses? He told him, why is prostrating mentioned? Not to infer from it that it is an action? He who embraces and he who (prostrates himself) do not exemplify actions.

מְנַיִין לָאוֹמֵר לוֹ. אֵלִי אַתָּה. רַב אָבוּן בְּשֵׁם רַבָּנִין דְּתַמָּן. וַיִּשְׁתַּחֲווּ לוֹ וַיִּזְבְּחוּ לוֹ וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֵלֶּה אֱלֹהֶיךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל וגו׳. מֵעַתָּה אֵינוֹ מִתְחַיֵיב עַד שֶׁיִּזְבַּח וִיקַטֵּר וָיֹאמַר. אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי. לֹא בָא הַכָּתוּב לְהַזְכִּיר אֶלָּא גְּנָיָין שֶׁלְּיִשְׂרָאֵל. וַיִּשְׁתַּחֲווּ לוֹ לֹא לַגָּבוֹהַּ. וַיִּזְבְּחוּ לוֹ לֹא לַגָּבוֹהַּ. וַיֹּאמְרוּ לוֹ. לֹא לַגָּבוֹהַּ. מַאי כְדוֹן. נֶאֱמַר כָּאן אֲמִירָה וְנֶאֶמְרָה אֲמִירָה בַּמֵּסִית. מָה אֲמִירָה הָאֲמוּרָה בַמֵּסִית עָשָׂה בָהּ אֲמִירָה כְמַעֲשֶׂה. אַף אֲמִירָה הָאֲמוּרָה כָאן נַעֲשֶׂה בָהּ אֲמִירָה כְמַעֲשֶׂה.

From where about him who says, “you are my god”? Rav Abun in the name of the rabbis there: They prostrated themselves before it, and sacrificed to it, and said, these are your gods, Israel. Then he should not be guilty unless he sacrifice, burn incense, and declare. Rebbi Yose said, the verse is written only for the disgrace of Israel. They prostrated themselves before it, not before Heaven. And sacrificed to it, not to Heaven. And said, not to Heaven. What about this? Saying is mentioned here and saying is said about one who leads astray. Since for saying mentioned about one who leads astray, saying is equated with acting, also for the saying mentioned here, we have to equate saying with acting.

כָּתוּב וַיֵּלֶךְ וַיַּעֲבֹד אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים וַיִּשְׁתַּחֲווּ לָהֶם וְלַשֶּׁמֶשׁ אוֹ לַיָּרֵחַ. אָמַר רִבִּי זְעוּרָה. לַשֶּׁמֶשׁ אֵין כָּתוּב כָּאן אֶלָּא וְלַשֶּׁמֶשׁ. אֵין כָּאן כְּלָל וּפְרָט אֶלָּא רִיבּוּיִים. הָתִיב רִבִּי אַבָּא בַּר זְמִינָא קוֹמֵי רִבִּי זְעוּרָה. וְהָא כָתוּב כֹּל אֲשֶׁר לוֹ סְנַפִּיר וְקַשְׂקֶשֶׂת וְכֹל אֲשֶׁר אֵין לוֹ סְנַפִּיר וְקַשְׂקֶשֶׂת. מֵעַתָּה אֵין כָּאן כְּלָל וּפְרָט אֶלָּא רִיבּוּיִים. אֶלָּא בְגִין דְּכָתַב וָי״ו. אָמַר רַב יוֹחָנָן בַּר מַרְיָיא. כָּל הֵן דַּאֲנָא מַשְׁכַּח וָי״ו אֲנָא מְחִיק לֵיהּ. אָמַר רִבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר אֶבוּדֵּמָא. הָיִיתִי אוֹמֵר. מַה שֶׁבַּיָּמִים יְהוּ אֲסוּרִין וּמַה שֶׁבַּגִּיגִּיּוֹת וְשֶׁבַּבֵיבָרִים יְהוּ מוּתָּרִין. תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר וְכָל אֲשֶׁר בַּמָּיִם. רִיבָה.

It is written: He went and worshipped other powers and prostrated himself before them, and to the sun, and to the moon. Rebbi Zeˋira said, it is not said to the sun but and to the sun. That is not principle and detail but addition. Rebbi Abba bar Zemina objected before Rebbi Ze`ura; is it not written any which have fins and scales, and any which do not have fins and scales? Then this is not principle and detail but additions since there is written and? Rebbi Joḥanan bar Marius said, anywhere I am encountering and, I am deleting it. Rebbi Samuel ben Eudaimon said, I would have said that anything in the oceans is forbidden, what is in barrels and vivaria should be permitted. The verse says, and anything which lives in water, an addition.

רִבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָנִי בְשֵׁם רִבִּי הוֹשַׁעְיָה. הָאוֹמֵר לוֹ. אֵלִי אַתָּה. מַחֲלוֹקֶת רִבִּי וַחֲכָמִים. הִשְׁתַּחֲוֶה לָהּ מָהוּ. רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן אָמַר. דִּבְרֵי הַכֹּל מוֹדִין בִּכְפִיפַת קוֹמָה שֶׁהוּא חַיָיב. מַה בֵין הַמַּעֲלֶה וְהַמּוֹרִיד קוֹמָתוֹ מַה בֵין הַמַּעֲלֶה וְהַמּוֹרִיד שִׂפְתוֹתָיו. רִבִּי יוֹחָנָן אָמַר. כַּמַּחֲלוֹקֶת. וְרֵישׁ לָקִישׁ אָמַר. כַּמַּחֲלוֹקֶת. אָמַר רִבִּי זְעִירָא. קִרְיָיא מְסַיֵיעַ לְרֵישׁ לָקִישׁ. תּוֹרָה אַחַת יִהְיֶה לָכֶם לָעוֹשֶׂה בִּשְׁגָגָה. אֵין לִי אֶלָּא דָבָר שֶׁהוּא מַעֲשֶׂה. הַמְגַדֵּף וְהַמִּשְׁתַּחֲוֶה שֶׁאֵינָן מַעֲשֶׂה מְנַיִין.

Rebbi Samuel bar Naḥmani in the name of Rebbi Hoshaia: If one says to it, you are my god, there is disagreement between Rebbi and the Sages. If he (prostrated himself), what is the rule? Rebbi Joḥanan said, everybody agrees that if he lowered his body, he is guilty. What is the difference between raising and lowering his body, and raising and lowering his lips? Rebbi Joḥanan said, following disagreement. Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish said, following the distinction. Rebbi Zeˋira said, a verse supports Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish: One rule should be for you, for the one acting in error. This only refers to what represents an action. The one who embraces (and who prostrates himself), which are not action, from where?