Halakhah sa Deuteronomio 7:5: Mishneh Torah, Eruvin, Mishneh Torah, Foreign Worship and Customs & Sefer HaChinukh

[If] there was a tree on the side of the wall and one made it into a ladder for the wall, they may [also] make one eruv, if they wanted — for it is [only] a rabbinic Shabbat decree that causes one not to climb the tree. [But] if they made a tree-god (asherah) into a ladder for the wall, they may not make one eruv because it is forbidden by the Torah to climb upon it — as it is surely forbidden to benefit [from it].

It is a mandatory commandment to destroy idolatry, and everything used in its service, and everything that is made for its sake, even as it is said: "Ye shall surely destroy all the places" (Deut. 12.2), and it is, moreover, said: "But thus shall ye deal with them" (Ibid. 7.5). Within the boundaries of Eretz Yisrael it is mandatory to pursue it, until we destroy it from the whole of our land; but outside of Eretz Yisrael we are not commanded to pursue it, save that any place which we may conquer we should destroy idolatry therefrom, even as it is said: "And ye shall destroy their name out of that place" (Ibid. 12.3)—in Eretz Yisrael thou art commanded to pursue them, but thou art not commanded to pursue them without Eretz Yisrael.¹Sanhedrin, 89a; Makkot, 22b. G.

If an Israelite placed a brick erect to bow down to it but did not bow down to it, and then came an idolater and did bow down to it, he made it forbidden property, as placing it erect is an overt act. Likewise if he place an egg erect and an idolator came and bowed down to it, he made it forbidden property. If he cut a pumpkin, or its like, and bowed down to it, he made it forbidden property. If he bowed down to one half of a pumpkin and the other half is connected thereto even that half is forbidden property, because of the peradventure, lest this half serves as a base for the half which is the object of worship. A tree which was originally planted to be worshiped, is forbidden property; of such is the Asherah mentioned in the Torah. If a planted tree was cut down and dedicated to the name of idolatry, though he propagated its trunk by grafting and crossing and it budded and branches grew upon it, he merely cuts off the branches, which are forbidden property, but the rest of the tree is permissive property. Likewise is a tree worshiped by an individual, although its trunk did not become forbidden property, all branches, leaves, boughs and fruit which it brings forth as long as it is worshiped are forbidden property. A tree, the fruit of which was guarded by idolaters, saying that they are preparing to make thereof strong drink for a given house of idolatry, and they do make strong drink thereof and drink it on their holiday, is forbidden property, because it is plain that it is an Asherah, for they therefore treat its fruit in such manner, as that is the method of the Asherah.⁶Hullin, 128b; Abodah Zarah, 48a; Ibid. 47a–b. C.G.