Avodah Zarah

Sara Avoda (Hebrew עבודה זרה "foreign service ", idolatry ) is the eighth tractate in the Mishnah in order Nesiqin / נזיקין (Eng. " damage "). He has a Tosefta and a Gemara in both Talmuds.

Content

The tractate Avodah sara regulates the handling of Jews with non-Jews. The focus here is on avoiding actions that could be interpreted as " idolatry ". Since Jews lived in ancient times and in Eretz - Jisra'el in a predominantly pagan environment, related to such regulations all areas of daily life. Via the degree of separation necessary, among the various schools quite different opinions. A famous story about it can be found in the treatise:

"It asked Proclus ben Philo Sophos Rabban Gamliel in Akko, than that bathed in the Baths of Aphrodite. He said to him, "It is written in your Torah. ? There is nothing in your hand stick from the accursed (Deut. 13:18) Why you bathe in the bath of Aphrodite " He said to him: " It does not reply in the Baths of Aphrodite And when he came out, he said to him. I was not in their area, they came into my area It does not say. , Let us make a bath for Aphrodite, but they, Aphrodite is made ​​for decoration for the bathroom another thing: ., if you would have given you a lot of money, you trätest in your idol house after an overnight ejaculation and would urinate in front of her but those stands on the spout of the urinal and all the people urinated before? ! you are talking only of " their gods ." - something, in contrast to behave as towards something divine is prohibited something contrast, one does not perform as compared to something divine, is allowed ".

Specifically, the following questions are addressed:

• Chapters I and II discuss dealing with pagan festivals which goods are suitable for trade with non-Jews as well as what goods are not of Jewish origin for enjoyment or for consumption are suitable. In public feasts the Kalends, the Saturnalia, the seizure of power and the birthday of the emperor be mentioned. In addition, various private functions are called.
• Chapters III and IV of the first part deal with potential idols and other pagan cult objects. Since the penetration of the country with non-Jewish cults was very largely, the tendency of the Mishnah is very generous in terms of the above quote: What counts as an idol, a question of interpretation remains.
• The second half of Chapter IV and Chapter V dealing with provisions for wine. He is subject to special rules or precautions purity, as it could potentially be used as Libationsopfer.

Function of the term

The Hebrew term " Avoda sara " means idolatry, literally " foreign service ". The core ( pagans ) of Christian faith traditions, the doctrine of the " Incarnation ," in Judaism is a violation of the Ten Commandments dar. The Christian belief in the " incarnation of God " becomes clear as Avoda sara (literally false service, hebrew: idolatry ) condemned and regarded as incompatible with Judaism. Similarly, representations of gods and Christian figures and statues of God, Jesus, Mary, the saints and the Holy Spirit, as well as crucifixes and icons are condemned as a violation of the Ten Commandments and as Avoda sara.