Halakhah su Deuteronomio 7:25

Another explanation (based on Rav Elchanan Samet Iyunim B’farshee’ot Hashavua 2:311-313) is that Hashem sought to limit the challenge we faced upon entering Eretz Yisrael. We were faced with the enormous difficulty of eliminating the avodah zarah (idolatry) which was at times quite valuable (see Devarim 7:25 which states that some of the Canaaim’s idols were made of gold and silver). Eretz Yisrael when controlled by the seven nations was awash with avodah zarah as Devarim 12:1-3 demonstrates. It was an enormous challenge for our ancestors (and can be today as well if valuable avodah zarah falls into our hands from sources such as the estate of a non-observant relative or a gift from a business partner) to destroy avodah zarah that sometimes can be worth a fortune.

To not covet: To not bring up to our thoughts to do a machination to take for ourselves that which is someone else's of our brothers, as it is stated (Exodus 20:14), "You shall not covet the house of your neighbor, etc." And they, may their memory be blessed, have already proven (Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 20:14:3) from a different verse [in which] it is written (Deuteronomy 7:25), "do not covet, etc. and you shall take for yourself," that the negative commandment of "you shall not covet" is not completed until he acts upon it. And even if he gives money to his fellow for the object [that he coveted], he [still] transgresses the negative commandment of "you shall not covet." As the negative commandment of "you shall not covet" is not rectified by the giving of money, so long as he took it from him coercively. Such is the true explanation of our Rabbis, may their memory be blessed.

Its laws are, for example, that which they, may their memory be blessed, said (Mishneh Torah, Laws of Foreign Worship and Customs of the Nations 7:4; Avodah Zarah 51b), "What is [the difference] between [an idol] of an Israelite and [the idol] of a gentile? The [idol] of a gentile is immediately forbidden to benefit from, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 7:25), 'The statues of their gods shall you burn with fire, etc.' - from when they became statues, it becomes a god for him. But for the Israelite, it does not become forbidden to benefit from until it is worshiped, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 27:15), 'and places [it] secretly' - until he does things to it secretly, which are its worship. But the auxiliaries of idolatry - whether of a gentile or whether of an Israelite are not forbidden until they use them for idolatry. And the wage of the one who makes [the idol] is permissible, even though he is lashed - and even if he makes it for a gentile, such that it is forbidden when it is finished even before it is worshiped. Nonetheless, it is not forbidden until it is finished, and the last hammer-blow is not worth the value of a small coin (such that all the tangible value was invested before it was forbidden)." [These] and the rest of its many details are in Tractate Avodah Zarah (see Tur, Yoreh Deah 141).