Halakhah su Deuteronomio 12:30

We are not permitted to follow the ways of the gentiles, nor adopt their styles in dress or in hair style or similar things, as it is said: "You shall not follow the ways of the gentile."³Leviticus 20:33. It is [also] said: "In their ways you shall not follow"⁴Leviticus 18:3. It is [also] said: "Guard yourself lest you be ensnared to follow them."⁵Deuteronomy 12:30. You should not wear a garment which is specifically worn by them as a symbol of ostentation, such as a garment of high-ranking officers. For example, the Talmud states:⁶Maseches Sanhedrin 74a. that it is forbidden for a Jew to be similar to them even in regard to shoelaces; if their practice was to tie one way and the practice of Jews to tie another way, or if their practice was to wear red shoelaces and Jews wear black shoelaces because the color black indicates humility, submissiveness and modesty. [In all such instances] it is forbidden for a Jew to deviate. From these examples everyone should learn how to apply these standards to his time and place. A garment designed for showiness or immodesty must not be worn by a Jew, but rather his clothing should be made in a style which suggests humility and modesty. The following is mentioned in Sifrei: You should not say that since they go out with scarlet I shall go out with scarlet, since they go out with kulsin (the word kulsin meaning weaponry) I also shall go out with kulsin, because these practices are indicative of arrogance and haughtiness which are not the heritage of Jacob. Rather, our heritage demands of us to be modest and humble, and not be influenced by the haughty. Similarly, any custom or statute of which there is a suspicion of idolatrous intent or background should be avoided by Jews. Similarly, you should not cut your hair or style your hair as they do, but rather you should be distinct, in your clothing and speech and all other endeavors just as you are distinct in your perspectives and concepts. Similarly, it is said: "I have set you apart from the nations."⁷Leviticus 20:26.

That He prohibited us from bowing to an idol. And that is His, may He be blessed, saying, "You shall not bow to them" (Exodus 20:5). And it is clear that by our saying, idol, we mean anything worshipped besides God. And the intention is not only bowing, and nothing else. Indeed, He mentioned one of the ways of worship - meaning to say, bowing - but we are also prohibited from sacrificing to them, offering libations and burning incense [to them]. And one who has transgressed one of these and bowed, sacrificed, offered libations or burned incense is liable for stoning. And the language of the Mekhilta (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 22:19) is, "'One who sacrifices to gods shall be proscribed' (Exodus 22:19) - we have [thus] heard the punishment. From where [do we know] the prohibition? [Hence] we learn to say, 'You shall not bow to them and you shall not worship them.' Sacrifice was included (in serving), and it was singled out to teach [that] just as sacrificing is distinctive, in that we worship the Heavens in a similar way and one is liable for it, whether he worships it or he does not not worship it - so too, one is liable for all the ways that are similar to how we worship the Heavens, whether he worships it or he does not not worship it." And the content of this statement is that these four types of worship - being bowing, sacrificing, offering libations and burning incense - through which we have been commanded that we worship God, may He be blessed: Anyone who worships an idol through one of them is liable for stoning, even if this is not one of the ways of worshipping this thing that was worshipped. And that is what is called, not in the way of its worship. [Yet] since he worshipped in one of these ways, he is liable for stoning if he was volitional; excision if the court did not know about him or they did not execute the punishment; or to bring a sacrifice if he was inadvertent. And likewise when one accepts something as a god in a way of accepting. And this prohibition has already been repeated - meaning to say, the prohibition of their worship through one of these four ways, and even [when] it is not in its way. And that is His, may He be exalted, saying, "And that they may offer their sacrifices no more to the goats" (Leviticus 17:7). And the language of the Sifra (Sifra, Acharei Mot, Chapter 9:8) is, "'Goats,' is nothing other than demons." And in the Gemara, Zevachim (Zevachim 106a), it is explained, however, that this negative commandment is with slaughtering to the idol, even if the slaughtering is not the way of its worship. They said, "From where [do we know about] one who slaughters an animal as an offering to Mercury, that he is liable (even though this is not its way of worship)? As it is stated, 'And that they may offer their sacrifices no more.' If its content is not [applied to] in its way [of worship], as [that is already derived from] its being written, 'How do these nations serve' (Deuteronomy 12:30); then apply its content to [worshipping] not in its way." And one who transgresses it volitionally [gets] excision and stoning - as we said - and must bring a sacrifice if it was inadvertent. And the language of Scripture is, "One who sacrifices to gods shall be proscribed." And the laws of this commandment have already been explained in the seventh chapter of Sanhedrin. (See Parashat Yitro; Mishneh Torah, Foreign Worship and Customs of the Nations 3.)

That He prohibited us from worshipping an idol, even besides the four ways that preceded; but on condition that the worship be according to its way - meaning to say, that one serves it in the way that this worshipped thing is worshipped, such as to expose oneself to Peor, or to cast a stone at Mercury. And that is His, may He be exalted, saying in prohibition of this, "you shall not worship them" (Exodus 20:5). And the language of the Mekhilta (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 20:5:1) is, "'You shall not bow to them and you shall not worship them' - to make liable for the worship separately." And hence one who casts a stone at Peor or exposes himself to Mercury is not liable, for it is not its worship - as He, may He be blessed, said, "How do [these nations] serve" (Deuteronomy 12:30). And one who transgresses this negative commandment is liable for stoning or excision when volitional; and a sacrifice when inadvertent. And the regulations of this commandment have already been explained in Tractate Sanhedrin. And there (Sanhedrin 64b), they said, "There are three exicisions for idolatry: One according to its way; one that is not according to its way; and one that is to Molekh." [This] means to say: That one who worships any idol that it may be through one of the ways of worship is surely liable for excision, but on condition that he worships it according to its way, like exposing himself to Peor or casting a stone at Mercury or passing his hair to Khamosh; likewise one who worshipped any worshipped thing that it may be through one of the four ways of worship is liable for excision, even if this is not the way of its worship, such as if one sacrificed to Peor or bowed to Mercury - and that is not according to its way; and the third excision is for one who passes some of his offspring to Molekh, as I will explain (in the next commandment). (See Parashat Yitro; Mishneh Torah, Foreign Worship and Customs of the Nations 3.)