3,438
edits
Avoda Zara: Difference between revisions
From Halachipedia
→Entering a Church
| (2 intermediate revisions by the same user not shown) | |||
| Line 10: | Line 10: | ||
# If a person who does maintenance on air conditioning units and is asked to fix one in a church and if he doesn't do so would lose a significant amount of money should not enter a church. He can hire a non-Jew to hire another non-Jew to enter in order to fix it.<ref>[http://halachayomit.co.il/he/default.aspx?HalachaID=681 halachayomit.co.il]. Rav Ovadia's footnotes printed in the new edition of Yabia Omer YD 2:11 makes this same point as well.</ref> | # If a person who does maintenance on air conditioning units and is asked to fix one in a church and if he doesn't do so would lose a significant amount of money should not enter a church. He can hire a non-Jew to hire another non-Jew to enter in order to fix it.<ref>[http://halachayomit.co.il/he/default.aspx?HalachaID=681 halachayomit.co.il]. Rav Ovadia's footnotes printed in the new edition of Yabia Omer YD 2:11 makes this same point as well.</ref> | ||
# It is permitted to enter a church to save one's life.<Ref>Shulchan Aruch Y.D. 157:3 following the Rosh as opposed to the Rashba.</ref> | # It is permitted to enter a church to save one's life.<Ref>Shulchan Aruch Y.D. 157:3 following the Rosh as opposed to the Rashba.</ref> | ||
# Some say that it is permitted to pray in a non-denominational prayer room.<ref>http://din.org.il/2017/08/22/%D7%91%D7%99%D7%AA-%D7%9B%D7%A0%D7%A1%D7%AA-%D7%94%D7%9E%D7%99%D7%95%D7%A2%D7%93-%D7%9C%D7%91%D7%A0%D7%99-%D7%9B%D7%9C-%D7%94%D7%93%D7%AA%D7%95%D7%AA/ argues that just like it is forbidden to enter a church it is forbidden to enter a non-denominational prayer room and the entire concept of having such a room is against the first two dibrot that religions are exclusive. Rav Moshe Feinstein in Mesoret Moshe v. 1 p. 46 is quoted by Rav Elimelech Bluth that it is permitted to pray in a non-denominational prayer room since it isn't designated for Christians specifically.</ref> | # Some say that it is permitted to pray in a non-denominational prayer room.<ref>Shevet Hakehati 6:83 forbids davening in an interfaith chapel in an airport. His proof is from Biur Halacha 154:11 s.v. nerot that once the place is used for avoda zara it may not be used for davening to Hashem. Also, http://din.org.il/2017/08/22/%D7%91%D7%99%D7%AA-%D7%9B%D7%A0%D7%A1%D7%AA-%D7%94%D7%9E%D7%99%D7%95%D7%A2%D7%93-%D7%9C%D7%91%D7%A0%D7%99-%D7%9B%D7%9C-%D7%94%D7%93%D7%AA%D7%95%D7%AA/ argues that just like it is forbidden to enter a church it is forbidden to enter a non-denominational prayer room and the entire concept of having such a room is against the first two dibrot that religions are exclusive. However, Rav Moshe Feinstein in Mesoret Moshe v. 1 p. 46 is quoted by Rav Elimelech Bluth that it is permitted to pray in a non-denominational prayer room since it isn't designated for Christians specifically.</ref> | ||
# It is permitted to sit or walk in the shade of a church.<ref>Shulchan Aruch Y.D. 142:10 writes that it is permitted to walk in the shade of a building of avoda zara but not inside or near the entrance. The Shach 142:22 explains that the building wasn't made for shade on the outside of the building so it is permitted. Shach adds that even sitting in the shade of a church is permitted.</ref> | # It is permitted to sit or walk in the shade of a church.<ref>Shulchan Aruch Y.D. 142:10 writes that it is permitted to walk in the shade of a building of avoda zara but not inside or near the entrance. The Shach 142:22 explains that the building wasn't made for shade on the outside of the building so it is permitted. Shach adds that even sitting in the shade of a church is permitted.</ref> | ||
| Line 20: | Line 20: | ||
# It is forbidden to sit in the shade of avoda zara. If one is walking without intending to benefit from the shade it is permissible to pass by in the shade.<ref>Ran Avoda Zara 21a cited by Bet Yosef, Rama Y.D. 142:9</ref> | # It is forbidden to sit in the shade of avoda zara. If one is walking without intending to benefit from the shade it is permissible to pass by in the shade.<ref>Ran Avoda Zara 21a cited by Bet Yosef, Rama Y.D. 142:9</ref> | ||
#It is forbidden to look at icons of avoda zara.<ref>Rivevot Efraim 3:497 based on Zohar 3:84 and Vayikra 19:4. He ponders whether it is permitted even to look at a picture of an icon of avoda zara found in a history book or encyclopedia.</ref> | #It is forbidden to look at icons of avoda zara.<ref>Rivevot Efraim 3:497 based on Zohar 3:84 and Vayikra 19:4. He ponders whether it is permitted even to look at a picture of an icon of avoda zara found in a history book or encyclopedia.</ref> | ||
# It is forbidden to look at and benefit from anything artistic or decorative that is meant to beatify avoda zara. If a person is passing by such art or decorations and one does not intend to look to benefit from it he may pass that way.<ref>Shulchan Aruch Y.D. 142:15, Shach 142:34</ref> Some say that he needs to actually close his eyes while walking there.<ref>Chachmat Adam 84:16 understands the Rosh Pesachim 2:2 to mean that indeed the person needs to actually close his eyes from seeing the decorations of avoda zara since otherwise it is a pesik reisha that he'll benefit from it. Halichot Shlomo (Nissan 14:12 p. 80) favors this approach rather than that of the [https://www.sefaria.org/Chofetz_Chaim%2C_Part_One%2C_The_Prohibition_Against_Lashon_Hara%2C_Principle_6.5.3?lang=bi&with=Be%27er%20Mayim%20Chaim&lang2=en Chafetz Chaim (Lashon Hara 6:14)] who permits leaving one's eyes open.</ref> | # It is forbidden to look at and benefit from anything artistic or decorative that is meant to beatify avoda zara. If a person is passing by such art or decorations and one does not intend to look to benefit from it he may pass that way.<ref>Shulchan Aruch Y.D. 142:15, Shach 142:34</ref> Some say that he needs to actually close his eyes while walking there.<ref>Chachmat Adam 84:16 understands the Rosh Pesachim 2:2 to mean that indeed the person needs to actually close his eyes from seeing the decorations of avoda zara since otherwise it is a pesik reisha that he'll benefit from it. Halichot Shlomo (Nissan 14:12 p. 80) favors this approach rather than that of the [https://www.sefaria.org/Chofetz_Chaim%2C_Part_One%2C_The_Prohibition_Against_Lashon_Hara%2C_Principle_6.5.3?lang=bi&with=Be%27er%20Mayim%20Chaim&lang2=en Chafetz Chaim (Lashon Hara 6:14)] who permits leaving one's eyes open. Moadim Uzmanim 7:204 questions the Chafetz Chaim but has another approach to be lenient for other prohibitions besides avoda zara. See Shalmei Chayim Pesachim ch. 9 who explains this Chafetz Chaim. See Ritva Yoma 39a s.v. vim and Tosfot Yeshanim Yoma 39a s.v. hanashim who quote a dispute that seems to be relevant to this question.</ref> | ||
==To Save Your Life== | ==To Save Your Life== | ||
| Line 27: | Line 27: | ||
See further [[Violating_Torah_to_Save_Your_Life#The_Big_Three]]. | See further [[Violating_Torah_to_Save_Your_Life#The_Big_Three]]. | ||
==Using a Name of Avoda Zara== | |||
#It is forbidden to use the name of an Avoda Zara whether there is or isn't a specific need.<ref>Shulchan Aruch Y.D. 147:1. See Chavot Yair 1 hasaga 11-12</ref> | |||
# It is permitted to use the name of a Saint or another person who was defied since it was originally a mundane name that was then used for Avoda Zara. However, it is only permitted to do so not the same way non-Jews call that individual, which ascribes that individual honor. For example, it is permitted to say Nicholas but not Saint Nicholas.<Ref>Shulchan Aruch Y.D. 147:2 quoting Rabbenu Yerucham</ref> Practically, some poskim permit saying a place that begins San, Sao, or Saint since it refers to a place and not the Avoda Zara itself.<Ref>Rav Yakov Yisrael Fisher in Umka Dparsha 5770 p. 172 and Banei Banim 3:35:4</ref> | |||
==Owning Symbols of Other Religions== | ==Owning Symbols of Other Religions== | ||
See [[Drawing_or_Sculpting_Forbidden_Images]] | See [[Drawing_or_Sculpting_Forbidden_Images]] | ||
