en, but the
idol of Israel is not forbidden until it be served.

4. An idolater may desecrate his own idol, or the idol of his companion.
But Israel must not desecrate the idol of an idolater. In desecrating the
idol he desecrates what appertains to it. "Has he desecrated what
appertains to it?" "What appertains to it is allowed, but the idol itself
is forbidden."

5. "How is it to be desecrated?" "He cuts off the lobe of its ear, the tip
of its nose, the end of its finger--he deforms even though he does not
diminish it--it is desecrated." "He spits before it, he drags it, and
throws dirt upon it?" "It is not desecrated." "Has he sold it or pledged
it?" Rabbi says, "it is desecrated." But the Sages say, "it is not
desecrated."

6. The idol, the service of which is abandoned in the time of peace, is
allowed. "But if its service be abandoned in time of war?" "It is
forbidden."(459) The royal pedestals(460) are forbidden, because they are
erected at the time when kings are travelling.

7. The elders were asked in Rome, "If God has no pleasure in idolatry, why
does He not destroy it?" They replied to the Romans, "If the idolaters
were serving a thing which was not necessary to the world, He would
destroy it, but they serve the sun-disk, and the moon, and the stars, and
the signs of the zodiac. Shall he destroy his world on account of the
fools?" They replied to them, "If so He can destroy the object which is
not wanted for the world, and leave that which the world wants." They
replied to them, "even we should be strengthening the hands of the
worshippers of such objects; they would say, there is a proof that they
are gods, because they are not destroyed."

8. One may buy a wine-press pressed by an idolater, even though he take
_grapes_ with his hand and lay them on the heap of grapes, as it is not
made the wine of idolatrous libation till it runs into the vat. "Has it
run into the vat?" "That which is in the vat is forbidden, but the
remainder is allowed." One may tread with an idolater in the wine-press,
but one must not gather grapes with him. One must not tread or gather
grapes with an Israelite who works in a state of defilement. But one may
carry with him empty barrels to the press and bring them away with him
from the press. One must not knead nor prepare with the baker who works in
(a state of) legal defilement, but one may carry the bread with him to the
dealer in bread.

9. "If an idolater be found standing