173. An Idolator's Wedding Feast

Avodas Kochavim 9:14

The flutes of idolators may not be used in Jewish mourning. One may attend an idolators’ fair and purchase animals, servants, houses, fields, and vineyards. One may draw up a bill of sale in accordance with local secular law because doing so redeems these things from idolators. This applies to buying from a private seller who does not have to pay tax to the idol. One may not purchase from a merchant because the merchant must pay a tax that will be used to benefit the idol.

Let’s say that a person violated the law and did purchase such things from a merchant. In the case of animals, the hooves should be cut off from below the ankle. Clothes and other things should be left to rot. Money and metal utensils should be brought to the Dead Sea (i.e., destroyed). If one purchased a servant from an idolator, he may not be rescued from a pit, but he may also not be pushed into one.

Avodas Kochavim 9:15

If an idolator makes a wedding for his child, a Jew is not permitted to derive benefit from the party. He may not even eat and drink his own food there because he would still be eating it at a celebration of idolators. It is prohibited to eat an idolator's food starting when he begins to prepare the wedding feast, for the entire duration of the feast, and for thirty days after. If the idolator throws another party to celebrate the wedding - even after thirty days - it becomes prohibited to eat his food for twelve months. This stringency was enacted in the case of idolatry, based on Exodus 34:15-16, “He will call you to eat from his sacrifices and you will choose from his daughters for your sons. His daughters will stray after their gods and they will lead your sons to stray after these gods.”