What is the process for purifying your home if you believe it may have been previously used for pagan...












4















Locations of foreign worship are typically of concern. You're not supposed to enter a church for this very reason.



My question relates to the idea that one finds out their home was previously used for foreign worship. Say they discovered that they live in a home that was previously used by a pagan of some sort.



Assuming that moving wasn't an option, what would be the process of purifying the space as a Jewish home? Would simply living a Jewish life and restructuring the location for Jewish worship be enough?




Clarification:



In the example I'm giving, the house itself was not built specifically for idol worship or used as a formal location of idol
worship. That being said, in the same way a Christian might light
candles at a shrine in their home, the house would have had foreign
worship occur within it. That was the context of the example I was
giving.











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  • 1





    Was the house itself worshipped? Was it built for idol worship? Or was it just a regular house and someone decided to bring an idol into it? The Halacha is different in each of these cases.

    – DonielF
    9 hours ago











  • @DonielF Just clarified the example. That being said, I'd be interested in the context of each situation.

    – Avri
    8 hours ago











  • Congrats on HNQ

    – DonielF
    4 mins ago
















4















Locations of foreign worship are typically of concern. You're not supposed to enter a church for this very reason.



My question relates to the idea that one finds out their home was previously used for foreign worship. Say they discovered that they live in a home that was previously used by a pagan of some sort.



Assuming that moving wasn't an option, what would be the process of purifying the space as a Jewish home? Would simply living a Jewish life and restructuring the location for Jewish worship be enough?




Clarification:



In the example I'm giving, the house itself was not built specifically for idol worship or used as a formal location of idol
worship. That being said, in the same way a Christian might light
candles at a shrine in their home, the house would have had foreign
worship occur within it. That was the context of the example I was
giving.











share|improve this question




















  • 1





    Was the house itself worshipped? Was it built for idol worship? Or was it just a regular house and someone decided to bring an idol into it? The Halacha is different in each of these cases.

    – DonielF
    9 hours ago











  • @DonielF Just clarified the example. That being said, I'd be interested in the context of each situation.

    – Avri
    8 hours ago











  • Congrats on HNQ

    – DonielF
    4 mins ago














4












4








4








Locations of foreign worship are typically of concern. You're not supposed to enter a church for this very reason.



My question relates to the idea that one finds out their home was previously used for foreign worship. Say they discovered that they live in a home that was previously used by a pagan of some sort.



Assuming that moving wasn't an option, what would be the process of purifying the space as a Jewish home? Would simply living a Jewish life and restructuring the location for Jewish worship be enough?




Clarification:



In the example I'm giving, the house itself was not built specifically for idol worship or used as a formal location of idol
worship. That being said, in the same way a Christian might light
candles at a shrine in their home, the house would have had foreign
worship occur within it. That was the context of the example I was
giving.











share|improve this question
















Locations of foreign worship are typically of concern. You're not supposed to enter a church for this very reason.



My question relates to the idea that one finds out their home was previously used for foreign worship. Say they discovered that they live in a home that was previously used by a pagan of some sort.



Assuming that moving wasn't an option, what would be the process of purifying the space as a Jewish home? Would simply living a Jewish life and restructuring the location for Jewish worship be enough?




Clarification:



In the example I'm giving, the house itself was not built specifically for idol worship or used as a formal location of idol
worship. That being said, in the same way a Christian might light
candles at a shrine in their home, the house would have had foreign
worship occur within it. That was the context of the example I was
giving.








avodah-zarah sin tamei-tahor-ritual-purity home-house evil-resha






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edited 8 hours ago







Avri

















asked 10 hours ago









AvriAvri

1,053112




1,053112








  • 1





    Was the house itself worshipped? Was it built for idol worship? Or was it just a regular house and someone decided to bring an idol into it? The Halacha is different in each of these cases.

    – DonielF
    9 hours ago











  • @DonielF Just clarified the example. That being said, I'd be interested in the context of each situation.

    – Avri
    8 hours ago











  • Congrats on HNQ

    – DonielF
    4 mins ago














  • 1





    Was the house itself worshipped? Was it built for idol worship? Or was it just a regular house and someone decided to bring an idol into it? The Halacha is different in each of these cases.

    – DonielF
    9 hours ago











  • @DonielF Just clarified the example. That being said, I'd be interested in the context of each situation.

    – Avri
    8 hours ago











  • Congrats on HNQ

    – DonielF
    4 mins ago








1




1





Was the house itself worshipped? Was it built for idol worship? Or was it just a regular house and someone decided to bring an idol into it? The Halacha is different in each of these cases.

– DonielF
9 hours ago





Was the house itself worshipped? Was it built for idol worship? Or was it just a regular house and someone decided to bring an idol into it? The Halacha is different in each of these cases.

– DonielF
9 hours ago













@DonielF Just clarified the example. That being said, I'd be interested in the context of each situation.

– Avri
8 hours ago





@DonielF Just clarified the example. That being said, I'd be interested in the context of each situation.

– Avri
8 hours ago













Congrats on HNQ

– DonielF
4 mins ago





Congrats on HNQ

– DonielF
4 mins ago










1 Answer
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active

oldest

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5














This is explicitly addressed in Avodah Zarah 3:7:




שְׁלשָׁה בָתִּים הֵן. בַּיִת שֶׁבָּנוּי מִתְּחִלָּה לַעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, הֲרֵי זֶה אָסוּר. סִיְּדוֹ וְכִיְּרוֹ לַעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה וְחִדֵּשׁ, נוֹטֵל מַה שֶּׁחִדֵּשׁ. הִכְנִיס לְתוֹכָה עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה וְהוֹצִיאָהּ, הֲרֵי זֶה מֻתָּר.



There are three houses: (1) A house which was initially built for idolatry, this is forbidden. (2) It was painted or plastered for idolatry, or [otherwise] it was renewed, he removes that which is new. (3) He brought an idol into it and removed it; this is permitted.




This Mishnah is accepted at face value by the Gemara (AZ 47b only adds that if the house itself was served, it's no different than a house built for idolatry), and we accordingly pasken like it (Rambam, Hil. Avodah Zarah 8:4; Tur, YD 145; Shulchan Aruch, YD 145:3).



Therefore, in your case, where the house was not built for idolatry, merely that idol worship occurred inside it, so long as the idols are removed, the house is permissible.






share|improve this answer
























  • As a corollary, since we're not permitted to derive benefit from idol worship, would it be forbidden to sell a house that had been worshipped/built for idol worship? Would breaking even/selling at a loss make a difference?

    – Josh K
    6 mins ago






  • 1





    @JoshK Pretty sure the answer is "no," but I don't have a hard source for that off th top of my head. Why don't you ask it separately, and I'll see if I can dig up the relevant halachos in the morning, B"N?

    – DonielF
    5 mins ago



















1 Answer
1






active

oldest

votes








1 Answer
1






active

oldest

votes









active

oldest

votes






active

oldest

votes









5














This is explicitly addressed in Avodah Zarah 3:7:




שְׁלשָׁה בָתִּים הֵן. בַּיִת שֶׁבָּנוּי מִתְּחִלָּה לַעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, הֲרֵי זֶה אָסוּר. סִיְּדוֹ וְכִיְּרוֹ לַעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה וְחִדֵּשׁ, נוֹטֵל מַה שֶּׁחִדֵּשׁ. הִכְנִיס לְתוֹכָה עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה וְהוֹצִיאָהּ, הֲרֵי זֶה מֻתָּר.



There are three houses: (1) A house which was initially built for idolatry, this is forbidden. (2) It was painted or plastered for idolatry, or [otherwise] it was renewed, he removes that which is new. (3) He brought an idol into it and removed it; this is permitted.




This Mishnah is accepted at face value by the Gemara (AZ 47b only adds that if the house itself was served, it's no different than a house built for idolatry), and we accordingly pasken like it (Rambam, Hil. Avodah Zarah 8:4; Tur, YD 145; Shulchan Aruch, YD 145:3).



Therefore, in your case, where the house was not built for idolatry, merely that idol worship occurred inside it, so long as the idols are removed, the house is permissible.






share|improve this answer
























  • As a corollary, since we're not permitted to derive benefit from idol worship, would it be forbidden to sell a house that had been worshipped/built for idol worship? Would breaking even/selling at a loss make a difference?

    – Josh K
    6 mins ago






  • 1





    @JoshK Pretty sure the answer is "no," but I don't have a hard source for that off th top of my head. Why don't you ask it separately, and I'll see if I can dig up the relevant halachos in the morning, B"N?

    – DonielF
    5 mins ago
















5














This is explicitly addressed in Avodah Zarah 3:7:




שְׁלשָׁה בָתִּים הֵן. בַּיִת שֶׁבָּנוּי מִתְּחִלָּה לַעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, הֲרֵי זֶה אָסוּר. סִיְּדוֹ וְכִיְּרוֹ לַעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה וְחִדֵּשׁ, נוֹטֵל מַה שֶּׁחִדֵּשׁ. הִכְנִיס לְתוֹכָה עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה וְהוֹצִיאָהּ, הֲרֵי זֶה מֻתָּר.



There are three houses: (1) A house which was initially built for idolatry, this is forbidden. (2) It was painted or plastered for idolatry, or [otherwise] it was renewed, he removes that which is new. (3) He brought an idol into it and removed it; this is permitted.




This Mishnah is accepted at face value by the Gemara (AZ 47b only adds that if the house itself was served, it's no different than a house built for idolatry), and we accordingly pasken like it (Rambam, Hil. Avodah Zarah 8:4; Tur, YD 145; Shulchan Aruch, YD 145:3).



Therefore, in your case, where the house was not built for idolatry, merely that idol worship occurred inside it, so long as the idols are removed, the house is permissible.






share|improve this answer
























  • As a corollary, since we're not permitted to derive benefit from idol worship, would it be forbidden to sell a house that had been worshipped/built for idol worship? Would breaking even/selling at a loss make a difference?

    – Josh K
    6 mins ago






  • 1





    @JoshK Pretty sure the answer is "no," but I don't have a hard source for that off th top of my head. Why don't you ask it separately, and I'll see if I can dig up the relevant halachos in the morning, B"N?

    – DonielF
    5 mins ago














5












5








5







This is explicitly addressed in Avodah Zarah 3:7:




שְׁלשָׁה בָתִּים הֵן. בַּיִת שֶׁבָּנוּי מִתְּחִלָּה לַעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, הֲרֵי זֶה אָסוּר. סִיְּדוֹ וְכִיְּרוֹ לַעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה וְחִדֵּשׁ, נוֹטֵל מַה שֶּׁחִדֵּשׁ. הִכְנִיס לְתוֹכָה עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה וְהוֹצִיאָהּ, הֲרֵי זֶה מֻתָּר.



There are three houses: (1) A house which was initially built for idolatry, this is forbidden. (2) It was painted or plastered for idolatry, or [otherwise] it was renewed, he removes that which is new. (3) He brought an idol into it and removed it; this is permitted.




This Mishnah is accepted at face value by the Gemara (AZ 47b only adds that if the house itself was served, it's no different than a house built for idolatry), and we accordingly pasken like it (Rambam, Hil. Avodah Zarah 8:4; Tur, YD 145; Shulchan Aruch, YD 145:3).



Therefore, in your case, where the house was not built for idolatry, merely that idol worship occurred inside it, so long as the idols are removed, the house is permissible.






share|improve this answer













This is explicitly addressed in Avodah Zarah 3:7:




שְׁלשָׁה בָתִּים הֵן. בַּיִת שֶׁבָּנוּי מִתְּחִלָּה לַעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, הֲרֵי זֶה אָסוּר. סִיְּדוֹ וְכִיְּרוֹ לַעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה וְחִדֵּשׁ, נוֹטֵל מַה שֶּׁחִדֵּשׁ. הִכְנִיס לְתוֹכָה עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה וְהוֹצִיאָהּ, הֲרֵי זֶה מֻתָּר.



There are three houses: (1) A house which was initially built for idolatry, this is forbidden. (2) It was painted or plastered for idolatry, or [otherwise] it was renewed, he removes that which is new. (3) He brought an idol into it and removed it; this is permitted.




This Mishnah is accepted at face value by the Gemara (AZ 47b only adds that if the house itself was served, it's no different than a house built for idolatry), and we accordingly pasken like it (Rambam, Hil. Avodah Zarah 8:4; Tur, YD 145; Shulchan Aruch, YD 145:3).



Therefore, in your case, where the house was not built for idolatry, merely that idol worship occurred inside it, so long as the idols are removed, the house is permissible.







share|improve this answer












share|improve this answer



share|improve this answer










answered 7 hours ago









DonielFDonielF

16.5k12586




16.5k12586













  • As a corollary, since we're not permitted to derive benefit from idol worship, would it be forbidden to sell a house that had been worshipped/built for idol worship? Would breaking even/selling at a loss make a difference?

    – Josh K
    6 mins ago






  • 1





    @JoshK Pretty sure the answer is "no," but I don't have a hard source for that off th top of my head. Why don't you ask it separately, and I'll see if I can dig up the relevant halachos in the morning, B"N?

    – DonielF
    5 mins ago



















  • As a corollary, since we're not permitted to derive benefit from idol worship, would it be forbidden to sell a house that had been worshipped/built for idol worship? Would breaking even/selling at a loss make a difference?

    – Josh K
    6 mins ago






  • 1





    @JoshK Pretty sure the answer is "no," but I don't have a hard source for that off th top of my head. Why don't you ask it separately, and I'll see if I can dig up the relevant halachos in the morning, B"N?

    – DonielF
    5 mins ago

















As a corollary, since we're not permitted to derive benefit from idol worship, would it be forbidden to sell a house that had been worshipped/built for idol worship? Would breaking even/selling at a loss make a difference?

– Josh K
6 mins ago





As a corollary, since we're not permitted to derive benefit from idol worship, would it be forbidden to sell a house that had been worshipped/built for idol worship? Would breaking even/selling at a loss make a difference?

– Josh K
6 mins ago




1




1





@JoshK Pretty sure the answer is "no," but I don't have a hard source for that off th top of my head. Why don't you ask it separately, and I'll see if I can dig up the relevant halachos in the morning, B"N?

– DonielF
5 mins ago





@JoshK Pretty sure the answer is "no," but I don't have a hard source for that off th top of my head. Why don't you ask it separately, and I'll see if I can dig up the relevant halachos in the morning, B"N?

– DonielF
5 mins ago



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