Sifrei Mitzvot untuk Imamat 19:4

All images found in villages are forbidden because there is uncertainty. Idols are prohibited, and it is assumed they were made for idolatry. And those found in cities are permitted, as they are presumed to be for decoration. Unless they are standing at the entrance of the city and in their hand is a staff, or a bird, or a ball, or a sword, as these are made for idols. One who finds discarded fragments of images or within fragments of copper, or even fragments of the idol itself, they are permitted. But if one finds a form of a hand or a foot and it is standing on its base, it is forbidden because it is clear that it was originally made in this way to be worshipped. Maimonides wrote that one who finds the hand of an idol, or a foot, or a limb from its limbs discarded, it is forbidden to benefit from. This does not seem to be correct because the Gemara states it must be standing on its base, as I explained. One who finds vessels with the form of the sun or the moon or a dragon that resembles a snake and has something like fins between the vertebrae in its neck, if the vessels are valuable, they are forbidden because they were certainly made for idols. But if they are inferior, they are permitted because they were only made for decoration. What are the valuable ones? the valuable ones are those on silks and rings and jewels, and the inferior ones are those on pots, kettles, and bathing vessels, whether they are below or above the water. And it appears that the same applies to cups used for drinking, they are considered inferior. Some say that those on silk and embroidery clothing are considered inferior since they are worn, and they interpret "shiraim" to mean bracelets. But Rashbam [some versions say Rambam] considers them valuable, and it is good to be stringent. And all of this is in the general case, but if it is known that they are not worshipped, even those on the valuable ones are permitted. And forms of other constellations and all other forms, even a human form, if one finds them, they are permitted unless there is evidence that they were made for idolatry, such as a human form standing at the entrance of the city with a staff, or a bird, or a ball, or a sword, and those found in villages. But all of them are forbidden to be made, whether those in the dwelling of the Shechina such as the four faces together, or those in the upper dwelling such as chayos, seraphim, ofanim, and ministering angels, or those in the lower dwelling such as the sun, moon, stars, and constellations, or just the shape of a person all are forbidden. And likewise, the vessels of the Temple are forbidden to make exact replicas unless they differ slightly in height or length, as it is taught: A person should not make a house in the form of the Temple with the same height and length and width, or a portico like the porch, or a courtyard like the Temple courtyard, or a table like the Temple table, or a lampstand like the Temple lampstand, but one can make a lampstand with five branches or six or eight, but not with seven, even from other metals. And forms of seas and hills are permitted to be made. And the form of a dragon is forbidden for someone who finds it to keep it, but it is permitted to make it. All the forms that are forbidden to make for oneself are also forbidden to make for a non-Jew. And if a non-Jew made them for him, it is forbidden to keep them. This applies to raised forms, but sunken forms like those woven into a garment or painted on a wall are permitted to make, as it is taught: A ring whose seal is raised, meaning the form on it is raised, it is forbidden to keep but permitted to seal with, as the form becomes sunken in the wax. If the seal is sunken, it is permitted to keep but forbidden to seal with. And it appears that all those forms forbidden to find are also forbidden if they are sunken, because we suspect they were made for idols. Even in raised forms, we only forbid them to an individual because of suspicion that people might think he intends to worship it [this applies when a non jew made it for him]. Therefore, for public use where suspicion does not apply, or even for an individual if it is made in parts or made for learning purposes, it is permitted. But Rabbi Alfasi [the RYF] only permits if it is for learning, but if not for learning, even for public use and in parts, it is forbidden. The same is written by Rammah, and my master my father, the Rosh of blessed memory, holds the first opinion. And Rabbeinu Tam wrote that regarding the form of the sun and moon, stars, and constellations, there is no difference between protruding and sunken for there is no difference between protruding and sunken except in other forms and figures but all these are forbidden in any case, whether to make them or to keep them and the Ramban added also the form of a person and all the celestial bodies that are forbidden whether protruding or sunken and we do not distinguish between sunken and protruding except in other forms because the reason is due to suspicion, therefore they are not forbidden except when protruding, for there is suspicion but when sunken, since there is no suspicion, it is permitted. But those whose prohibition is due to "You shall not make with Me," there is no distinction. And it appears that they only forbade in other forms on rings and the like that are dignified but on undignified ones it is permitted to form other images, whether sunken or protruding, for there is no suspicion. And what was taught that it is forbidden to seal with it, it refers to dignified ones like silk garments and rings but on undignified ones it is permitted, end quote [of Ramban]. The Rashba wrote that the forms of celestial bodies that are forbidden to make, there is no distinction between dignified and undignified for it is only relevant to distinguish between dignified and undignified in those that have suspicion of idolatry, in dignified ones there is suspicion of idolatry, but not in undignified ones; but in those whose prohibition is due to "You shall not make with Me," there is no distinction, end quote. And what we forbade in the form of a person and dragon is specifically in a complete form with all its limbs but the form of a head or a body without a head has no prohibition, neither in finding it nor in making it.