Avodah Zarah Involving Non Ordinary Methods

There are modes of worship that ordinarily would not constitute an act of avodah zarah, except when done for a specific idol or deity, which that act is a unique form of worship, such as:

• ha-po'er atzmo le-ba'al pe'or - someone who relieves himself in front of the idol Pe'or.
• ha-nosain mezeiro le-Molech – someone presents his child to an idol Molech and the child would then be passed through a fire.
• ha-zorek even le-markolis - someone who throws a stone to the idol Markolis.
• Asheirah is a tree that serves as a form of Avodah Zarah. (Asheirah was a popular fertility goddess in the Near East, identified with Astarte [Ashtaros] and Aphrodite.) An Asheirah tree must be cut down or annulled. No benefit can be derived from it. The Mishnah (A.Z. 48a) lists three types of Asheirah trees:
  1. A tree that the owner originally planted in order to worship, it as Avodah Zarah;
  2. A tree that the owner stripped bare of any branches, shoots and the like, either with the intention of serving as an Avodah Zarah the entire tree or only the new growth;
  3. A tree under which the owner placed an Avodah Zarah.

Categories of Items Related to an Idol

1. The idol itself, or parts of it that have become separated from it naturally: Such items are prohibited in regards to any benefit. However, an idol belonging to a non-Jew can become permitted if a pagan idolater nullifies it. An idol belonging to a Jew can never be nullified.
2. Items that are placed on or near the idol in order to beautify it (נוי של ע"ז): One may take into account the nature of the items and the circumstances of their placement. Bona fide adornments are prohibited but can become permitted through nullification.
3. Items such as oil, wine, flour, and meat that are offered to idols (תקרובות): This category includes items that are customarily offered to this specific idol as well as items that parallel the offerings in the Beis HaMikdash. Offerings before an idol are more stringent that the other categories in that they can never be nullified and remain prohibited forever.
4. Items used as vessels in the service of idols (משמשי ע"ז): This category includes goblets, bowls, fire pans. The legal status of these utensils is similar to that of category #2.
5. Items that are said to belong to an idol in the same way that Temple property belongs to G-d: These items are permitted since the act of designating an object as the property of an idol is halachically meaningless, except in the case of תקרובות.

Any item that does not fit any of these categories is permitted even if it is direct contact with the idol.

Markolis is the name given by the Sages for the Roman god Mercurius, who was also known as the Greek deity, Hermes. Among his many responsibilities, Mercurius was the patron of the highways and travelers. This position led many to erect statues of him on crossroads. Oftentimes, these representations presented just the head of the idol and passersby would place stones at the foot of the statue. On occasion the representation was simply a pile of rocks, and travelers who passed by the pile would toss their own stone on it as an offering to the god.