Idolatry in Judaism - in Classical Rabbinic Literature

In Classical Rabbinic Literature

Avodah Zarah is a tractate of the Talmud which discusses idolatry as well as relations with gentiles. The subject is also raised in many other passages of the Talmud.

In ancient times, there were many practices of the pagan Greeks and Romans which the Jews considered idolatry. For example, they objected to Roman troops entering their territory with flags, or the stamping of portraits of the Caesars on coins, or the Roman worship of their emperors as divine. To reduce exposure to idolatry, intimate association with non-Jews was strongly disapproved.

On the other hand, many pagans labeled Jews as atheists and anti-social because of their refusal to worship other gods. "Whosoever denies idols is called a Jew" (Talmud Megilah 13). To statements such as this the Jew responded: "Whosoever recognizes idols has denied the entire Torah; and whosoever denies idols has recognized the entire Torah" (Midrash Sifre, Deut. 54 and parallel passages). "As soon as one departs from the words of the Torah, it is as though he attached himself to the worship of idols" (Midrash Sifre, Numbers 43).

Although Jews were forbidden to mock anything deemed holy by Judaism, it was a merit to deride idols (Talmud Meg. 25b). It was forbidden to look upon images (Tosefta to Talmud Shabbat (Talmud) 17.1), and even thinking of idolatrous worship was prohibited (Talmud Berakhot 12b); if one saw a place where an idol had once stood, he was commanded to utter a special prayer (Talmud Ber. 61a). Sacrifice to an idol or anything which in any way might be associated with idolatry was forbidden. It was even insufficient to reduce an idol to powder and scatter it to the winds, since it would fall to earth and become a fertilizer; but the image must be sunk in the Dead Sea, whence it could never emerge (Talmud Avodah Zarah 3.3); nor might the wood of the "asherah" be used for purposes of healing (Talmud Pesachim 25a). Among the three cardinal sins for which the penalty was death, idolatry stood first (Talmud Pes. 25a and parallels).