Study Avodah Zarah folio 48A with parallel Hebrew-English text, traditional commentary, and modern study tools. Free access to Babylonian Talmud online.
Mishnah: There are 3 types of trees that were used as part of idolatrous rites [ashera]: A tree that one initially planted for the sake of idol worship is forbidden, and one may not derive benefit from any part of the tree. If one lopped off part of the trunk of a tree or trimmed its branches for
Talmud: The Mishnah teaches that if one lopped off or trimmed a tree’s branches for the sake of idol worship and it regrew, the tree is permitted upon the removal of the new growth. The rabbis of the school of R' Yannai say: And this is the halakha only when one sank the shoot of a vine into the gr
The Talmud asks: But didn’t we learn that if he lopped off part of the trunk or trimmed the tree’s branches, the growth is forbidden? In order to render a tree forbidden, according to the rabbis of the school of R' Yannai, the act dedicated to idol worship must be sinking or grafting, which are tant
The Talmud answers: Rather, when the statement of the rabbis of the school of R' Yannai was stated, it was stated with regard to the revocation of the idolatrous status. What they meant to say was that even if one sank the shoot of a vine into the ground or grafted onto the tree itself, effecting
Shmuel says: In the case of one who bows to a tree, its additional subsequent growth is forbidden. R' Elazar raises an objection from the Mishnah: If one lopped or trimmed the tree for the sake of idol worship and the tree’s trunk or limbs regrew, one removes that which has regrown and burns it. Th