160. When Nature is Worshipped Idolatrously

Avodas Kochavim 7:19

One may derive benefit from animals slaughtered with a knife used for idolatry because doing so decreases the animal’s value. If the animal was likely to die, it is forbidden to derive benefit because slaughtering it enhanced its value; this would then constitute benefitting from an accessory of idolatry. Similarly, one may not cut meat with a knife used for idolatry because he is enhancing its value. If he cut in a destructive fashion, causing a loss, the meat remains permitted.

Avodas Kochavim 8:1

One may derive benefit from anything that was not made by man or manipulated by man even if it was worshipped idolatrously. Therefore, we may benefit from mountains, hills, trees that were planted for their fruit, springs of water and animals, even if they were worshipped idolatrously. One may eat fruits that were worshipped on the tree and an animal that was worshipped. Certainly one may eat an animal that was designated to be offered as a sacrifice to an idol.

An animal becomes prohibited when something was done with it for the service of the idol. For example, if someone cut the animal’s windpipe of esophagus for the idol, one may no longer benefit from it. If the animal was exchanged for an idol, it is likewise prohibited. It is also prohibited if the animal was exchanged for some object that was exchanged for an idol, because then the animal was exchanged for the wages of an idol.

All this applies to one’s own animal. If a person slaughtered someone else’s animal to an idol, or if he exchanged it for an idol, it does not become forbidden. This is because one person cannot prohibited something that belongs to another person.

When a person bows down on the ground, he does not cause it to become prohibited. If he digs cisterns, canals or caverns for an idol, he does cause it to become prohibited.