Talmidav Shel Aharon
24-5768: Mitzvah N-23-24-25-26
April 28, 2008
Negative Mitzvah 23 – This is a negative commandment: Do not entice a Jew to worship an idol.
Hafetz Hayim: For Scripture says, “If your brother… entices you secretly, saying, “Let us go and serve other gods” … Then all Israel shall hear and shall fear, and shall never again do any such wickedness as this.” (Deut. 13:7,12). If anyone entices a Jew to worship idols , whether he entices him speaking in the plural or in the singular, he is to be stoned to death, even if neither the entices nor the enticed person worshipped any idols. – but [he deserves death] only because he instructed him to worship An enticer needs no prior warning to warrant the death penalty. It is in force everywhere and at all times for both men and women.
Negative Mitzvah 24 – This is a negative commandment: Pay no attention to one who entices you to worship idols.
Hafetz Hayim: For Scripture says, “You shall not befriend him.” (Deut. 13:9).
Negative Mitzvah 25 – This is a negative commandment: You shall not quit hating the enticer
Hafetz Hayim: For Scripture says, “neither shall you listen to him.” (Deut. 13:9).
Negative Mitzvah 26 – This is a negative commandment: Do not rescue the enticer from danger.
Hafetz Hayim: For Scripture says, “nor shall your eye pity him.” (Deut. 13:9).
The Torah starts in a difficult position. Israelites are about to enter a new land that has been promised to their ancestors. The problem is that it is filled with idolaters. Many of these will be killed in the conquest. Some will flee the invading Israelite army. Some will join with the invaders and become a part of the religion of Israel. But there will be some who will stay and in their own personal way, continue to worship the traditional idols of the area. Remember, idols were particular to a neighborhood. One worshiped the local gods who knew the specific needs of those who lived there. These secret idolaters are good people; they work hard and try to earn a living for themselves and their families. Maybe they do better than others and the local Israelites ask what is the secret to his success. Maybe there is a drought, or a flood, or a fire or blight and the Israelites wonder why things have turned bad. What is a secret idolater to do? He calls aside a trusted friend and confides that the local gods are angry with the Israelites and if they just go up that mountain over there and put a small offering on the large rock under the tree, things will get better. Nobody has to know.
In many ways it is like sharing gardening tips with your neighbors except that these tips involve corrupting your religion. It means having to make a choice between being faithful or being successful. Judaism knows that this kind of a choice will undermine all that our faith stands for. It takes our reason and laws and begins the slow slide into superstition and magic.
Now we can understand why there can be no compromise with pagans. Their faith needs to be removed from the land and we must not show them any pity. For they sit in waiting for our faith to falter and then they begin to creep in and cause us to question what we believe. This is not the same as living in an open society and letting each one practice what they believe, this is about an insidious undermining of what Judaism stands for.
The list of negative commandments appears to be strong and the punishments are strict. Even if we agree that the death penalty is no longer in use in Judaism, it still creates a strong wall of separation that can not be crossed even if want to treat the pagan as a human being.
I prefer to see this entire series as a reminder that we can not let even the slightest trace of other gods into the realm of true religion. It is not so much about how we treat one who would entice us away from our faith, but about how strong we must be in the face of religions that have as their only good point the fact that they are part of a majority culture. Is paganism a majority culture today? Well, let’s just say that “American Idol” would not be the same show if it was about a competition to find the greatest educator or the finest poet. Perhaps these laws remind us that just because someone declares “This is your god!” doesn’t make them anything other than a call to suspend our logic and our power of reason. These are hard lessons for the human psyche. We must not give even a toehold to those who preach magic and superstition. Don’t have pity on them, just walk away.
Monday, April 28, 2008
Monday, April 14, 2008
23-5768: Mitzvah N-21-22
Talmidav Shel Aharon
23-5768: Mitzvah N-21-22
April 14, 2008
Negative Mitzvah 21 – This is a negative commandment: Do not follow the customs of the heathen.
Hafetz Hayim: For Scripture says, “And in their statutes you shall not walk” (Lev. 18:3). One is not to emulate them in any way of dress that is distinctive for them, nor let the locks of the hair grow. Neither is one to shave the hair at the sides, leaving the hair in the middle of the head, which is called a crest. Neither is one to shave the hair in apposition to the face, from ear to ear, leaving a long growth behind him. Whoever does any one of these, or anything similar, is to receive whiplashes. If someone is close to the ruling circles of government and he needs to dress in their kind of clothes and emulate them, he is permitted. It is in effect everywhere, at every time, for both men and women.
Negative Mitzvah 22 – This is a negative commandment: Pay no heed a person prophesying in the name of an idol.
Hafetz Hayim: For Scripture says, “You shall not listen to the words of that prophet.” (Deut. 13:4). One should not get into any long discussion with him or ask for a sign or a wonder. If he performed a sign or a wonder, no attention is to be paid him. Whoever thinks of a sign of his that perhaps it is true, violates this prohibition. It is in effect everywhere, at every time, for both men and women.
In Mitzvah 21, the Hafetz Hayim is concerned that by mimicking the practices of pagans, we will come to follow their lure. Judaism was a minority religion and if we do not maintain or special practices, than it is so easy to slip away into the majority religion. Even last weeks lesson, which spoke of intermarriage, it was always assumed in pre-modern times, that the majority religion would eventually pull the Jew away from the Jewish faith. Many Jewish rituals are designed to keep Jews separate and apart from the rest of the world and to uphold the unique elements of our faith.
The thrust of this mitzvah is not to go around looking like a pagan. It is not about refraining from a “Mohawk haircut” but trying to look like something that you are not. We have evidence, in Greco-Roman times of Jews, wanting to participate in gymnastic games that were always performed nude. Such Jews were embarrassed by their circumcision and actually had “surgery” (a very crude plastic surgery) to make it look like they were not circumcised. That is how far they were prepared to go to look like everyone else. Many cults insist on certain types of clothing and haircuts to this day to help identify followers. Jewish history is filled with people who dressed like pagans because they had jobs that put them in contact with pagans everyday and they needed to look like those they served (the Talmud often mentions Barbers as wearing their hair in pagan styles). It was not forbidden, but the Sages always tried to get Jews to look like Jews.
This is not about fashion necessarily. Much of what is fashionable today may be a violation of modesty rules in Judaism, but would not constitute looking like a pagan. But note that many signs of royalty and government also use religious symbols and if that is part of the “job” of working for government, this could be of help to the Jewish people in a time of trouble (think Queen Esther) and it is permitted to dress like a pagan.
In Mitzvah 22, the issue that it raises for us today relates directly to cults. Signs and wonders are very interesting things to see. There is no prohibition of attending a magic show or a “wonders of Science” show. The trouble begins in the interpretation of the “wonder”. If the result is given a “religious” interpretation, it is a sign that Jews need to get away quick. Cults depend on such interpretations to gather in members, using these wonders to convince others of the importance of the cult and its leader. For a long time Jews seemed to be the primary targets of such cults, unable to see that the connection between wonder and explanation was at fault. It does no good at all to enter into the discussions over the merit of the wonder or not. And here it does not matter if we are talking about cults, missionaries, or anyone else trying to convince a Jew that this religion is better because of this wonder or sign. We are not to argue with them, or show them the error of their ways, we are to pay no attention and walk away. We are not even allowed to consider if the wonder may be true or not.
So does this leave us in the dark about modern discoveries in science and the natural world? Again, the issue is not the wonder, but the explanation of the wonder. As long as it does not demand that we give up our faith, we can study and learn. As soon as it is used to “prove” that they are right and we are wrong, it is prohibited.
23-5768: Mitzvah N-21-22
April 14, 2008
Negative Mitzvah 21 – This is a negative commandment: Do not follow the customs of the heathen.
Hafetz Hayim: For Scripture says, “And in their statutes you shall not walk” (Lev. 18:3). One is not to emulate them in any way of dress that is distinctive for them, nor let the locks of the hair grow. Neither is one to shave the hair at the sides, leaving the hair in the middle of the head, which is called a crest. Neither is one to shave the hair in apposition to the face, from ear to ear, leaving a long growth behind him. Whoever does any one of these, or anything similar, is to receive whiplashes. If someone is close to the ruling circles of government and he needs to dress in their kind of clothes and emulate them, he is permitted. It is in effect everywhere, at every time, for both men and women.
Negative Mitzvah 22 – This is a negative commandment: Pay no heed a person prophesying in the name of an idol.
Hafetz Hayim: For Scripture says, “You shall not listen to the words of that prophet.” (Deut. 13:4). One should not get into any long discussion with him or ask for a sign or a wonder. If he performed a sign or a wonder, no attention is to be paid him. Whoever thinks of a sign of his that perhaps it is true, violates this prohibition. It is in effect everywhere, at every time, for both men and women.
In Mitzvah 21, the Hafetz Hayim is concerned that by mimicking the practices of pagans, we will come to follow their lure. Judaism was a minority religion and if we do not maintain or special practices, than it is so easy to slip away into the majority religion. Even last weeks lesson, which spoke of intermarriage, it was always assumed in pre-modern times, that the majority religion would eventually pull the Jew away from the Jewish faith. Many Jewish rituals are designed to keep Jews separate and apart from the rest of the world and to uphold the unique elements of our faith.
The thrust of this mitzvah is not to go around looking like a pagan. It is not about refraining from a “Mohawk haircut” but trying to look like something that you are not. We have evidence, in Greco-Roman times of Jews, wanting to participate in gymnastic games that were always performed nude. Such Jews were embarrassed by their circumcision and actually had “surgery” (a very crude plastic surgery) to make it look like they were not circumcised. That is how far they were prepared to go to look like everyone else. Many cults insist on certain types of clothing and haircuts to this day to help identify followers. Jewish history is filled with people who dressed like pagans because they had jobs that put them in contact with pagans everyday and they needed to look like those they served (the Talmud often mentions Barbers as wearing their hair in pagan styles). It was not forbidden, but the Sages always tried to get Jews to look like Jews.
This is not about fashion necessarily. Much of what is fashionable today may be a violation of modesty rules in Judaism, but would not constitute looking like a pagan. But note that many signs of royalty and government also use religious symbols and if that is part of the “job” of working for government, this could be of help to the Jewish people in a time of trouble (think Queen Esther) and it is permitted to dress like a pagan.
In Mitzvah 22, the issue that it raises for us today relates directly to cults. Signs and wonders are very interesting things to see. There is no prohibition of attending a magic show or a “wonders of Science” show. The trouble begins in the interpretation of the “wonder”. If the result is given a “religious” interpretation, it is a sign that Jews need to get away quick. Cults depend on such interpretations to gather in members, using these wonders to convince others of the importance of the cult and its leader. For a long time Jews seemed to be the primary targets of such cults, unable to see that the connection between wonder and explanation was at fault. It does no good at all to enter into the discussions over the merit of the wonder or not. And here it does not matter if we are talking about cults, missionaries, or anyone else trying to convince a Jew that this religion is better because of this wonder or sign. We are not to argue with them, or show them the error of their ways, we are to pay no attention and walk away. We are not even allowed to consider if the wonder may be true or not.
So does this leave us in the dark about modern discoveries in science and the natural world? Again, the issue is not the wonder, but the explanation of the wonder. As long as it does not demand that we give up our faith, we can study and learn. As soon as it is used to “prove” that they are right and we are wrong, it is prohibited.
Monday, April 7, 2008
22-5768: Mitzvah N-19-20
Talmidav Shel Aharon
22-5768: Mitzvah N-19-20
April 7, 2008
Negative Mitzvah 19 – This is a negative commandment: Do not intermarry with a non-Jewish person.
Hafetz Hayim: For Scripture says, “Neither shall you make marriages with them.” (Deut. 7:3). It is in effect everywhere, at every time, for both men and women.
Negative Mitzvah 20 – This is a negative commandment: Have no mercy on idol-worshippers.
Hafetz Hayim: For Scripture says, “nor shall you show mercy to them.” (Deut. 7:2). If someone sees an idol-worshipper drowning, he is not to save him. In his illness, he is not to cure him. If he is afraid of him or there is the consideration of consequent enmity, let him cure him for a fee, but not for free. It is, however, forbidden to end the man’s life with one’s own hands or toe push him into a pit and so on, if the other makes no hostile attack against him. One is not to give him any free gift, nor is one to speak his praise, and all the more certainly not in praise of his actions. It is in effect everywhere, at every time, for both men and women.
The Hafetz Hayyim lets Mitzvah 19 go without comment because, for him, it is evident and plain to see that intermarriage leads to idolatry. It happened in the Torah, in Parshat Balak, and it happens in the rest of the Bible over and over again. A non-Jewish spouse leads one away from the faith of one’s ancestors. This is one of the main reasons that paganism was to be kept far away from Israel and from Jews. One can even claim that the laws of Shabbat and Kashrut were designed to keep Jews and non-Jews from mixing in social situations, whether they are of a religious nature or not. Judaism does not recognize marriages between Jews and non-Jews. This is why there is no reason to have a Rabbi perform an intermarriage. The entire wedding ceremony presumes a marriage between Jews. The wedding would have no meaning if one of the parties does not claim to be a part of the Jewish people.
For the Hafetz Hayim, a Jew who married a non-Jew was lost to the Jewish people. Whatever Jewish customs they might maintain would almost certainly be lost in the next generation.
Today, there are families that intermarry and choose to maintain ties to Judaism. It is often a very difficult road and statistically, the next generation has a much less connection to Judaism. This, of course, does not apply if one person converts to Judaism. In this case, it is a marriage between two Jews and does not fall under the prohibition above. We live in a world where people do what they feel they need to do but living in a home where there are two religions is hard for the couple and hard on their children. We find that homes should have one faith to raise the children and the time to address this is before the marriage. As I said, it is not impossible for intermarriage to work, it is just very hard and one faith or the other will fade into the background, as the other becomes a larger part of family life. The vast majority of the literature on dual faith families is that children raised with two faiths, will, in the end, practice none.
Mitzvah 20 is complex for the Hafetz Hayim but far less for us. Jewish History is filled with Jews who worked on behalf of ancient and modern empires and faiths and did not follow the strict, almost bigoted, rules above. The Talmud states that one is to treat every non-Jew as one would treat a Jew if, for no other reason than “for the sake of peace” a topic the Hafetz Hayim touches on briefly in the explanation of the Mitzvah. If they are drowning, let me make this clear, we rescue them (as long as we do not endanger our own lives in the process; we are not allowed to save any other person, Jew or non-Jew if we endanger our own life). We treat the non-Jew and the Jew the same way when it comes to medicine and healing (The State of Israel heals Palestinian sick every day, ignoring borders and family connections). We treat the property of the non-Jew as if it was our own property and we return lost animals to non-Jews as we would return the lost animal of a Jew.
Also, it is forbidden to kill any human being for any reason or to endanger their lives in any way. All human beings are created in G-d’s image and all life must be treated as holy. We cannot be best friends with an idolater nor can we join them socially, but we do have to act to them as human beings who deserve basic human rights and privileges. This is not Conservative Judaism but all found in basic Jewish texts. There has always bee this trend in Judaism to favor Jews and reject all contact with non-Jews. It is always a minority opinion and the majority of Jewish sources insist that we treat all people fairly and with justice. Also, I remind everyone again, that Christianity and Islam are not considered pagan in Jewish legal circles.
In our interfaith world, we can learn about the faiths of others as long as they do not try to convert us to their faith by enticement or by force. Short of proselytizing, a non-Jew must be treated as we would a Jew in every other basic civic situation.
22-5768: Mitzvah N-19-20
April 7, 2008
Negative Mitzvah 19 – This is a negative commandment: Do not intermarry with a non-Jewish person.
Hafetz Hayim: For Scripture says, “Neither shall you make marriages with them.” (Deut. 7:3). It is in effect everywhere, at every time, for both men and women.
Negative Mitzvah 20 – This is a negative commandment: Have no mercy on idol-worshippers.
Hafetz Hayim: For Scripture says, “nor shall you show mercy to them.” (Deut. 7:2). If someone sees an idol-worshipper drowning, he is not to save him. In his illness, he is not to cure him. If he is afraid of him or there is the consideration of consequent enmity, let him cure him for a fee, but not for free. It is, however, forbidden to end the man’s life with one’s own hands or toe push him into a pit and so on, if the other makes no hostile attack against him. One is not to give him any free gift, nor is one to speak his praise, and all the more certainly not in praise of his actions. It is in effect everywhere, at every time, for both men and women.
The Hafetz Hayyim lets Mitzvah 19 go without comment because, for him, it is evident and plain to see that intermarriage leads to idolatry. It happened in the Torah, in Parshat Balak, and it happens in the rest of the Bible over and over again. A non-Jewish spouse leads one away from the faith of one’s ancestors. This is one of the main reasons that paganism was to be kept far away from Israel and from Jews. One can even claim that the laws of Shabbat and Kashrut were designed to keep Jews and non-Jews from mixing in social situations, whether they are of a religious nature or not. Judaism does not recognize marriages between Jews and non-Jews. This is why there is no reason to have a Rabbi perform an intermarriage. The entire wedding ceremony presumes a marriage between Jews. The wedding would have no meaning if one of the parties does not claim to be a part of the Jewish people.
For the Hafetz Hayim, a Jew who married a non-Jew was lost to the Jewish people. Whatever Jewish customs they might maintain would almost certainly be lost in the next generation.
Today, there are families that intermarry and choose to maintain ties to Judaism. It is often a very difficult road and statistically, the next generation has a much less connection to Judaism. This, of course, does not apply if one person converts to Judaism. In this case, it is a marriage between two Jews and does not fall under the prohibition above. We live in a world where people do what they feel they need to do but living in a home where there are two religions is hard for the couple and hard on their children. We find that homes should have one faith to raise the children and the time to address this is before the marriage. As I said, it is not impossible for intermarriage to work, it is just very hard and one faith or the other will fade into the background, as the other becomes a larger part of family life. The vast majority of the literature on dual faith families is that children raised with two faiths, will, in the end, practice none.
Mitzvah 20 is complex for the Hafetz Hayim but far less for us. Jewish History is filled with Jews who worked on behalf of ancient and modern empires and faiths and did not follow the strict, almost bigoted, rules above. The Talmud states that one is to treat every non-Jew as one would treat a Jew if, for no other reason than “for the sake of peace” a topic the Hafetz Hayim touches on briefly in the explanation of the Mitzvah. If they are drowning, let me make this clear, we rescue them (as long as we do not endanger our own lives in the process; we are not allowed to save any other person, Jew or non-Jew if we endanger our own life). We treat the non-Jew and the Jew the same way when it comes to medicine and healing (The State of Israel heals Palestinian sick every day, ignoring borders and family connections). We treat the property of the non-Jew as if it was our own property and we return lost animals to non-Jews as we would return the lost animal of a Jew.
Also, it is forbidden to kill any human being for any reason or to endanger their lives in any way. All human beings are created in G-d’s image and all life must be treated as holy. We cannot be best friends with an idolater nor can we join them socially, but we do have to act to them as human beings who deserve basic human rights and privileges. This is not Conservative Judaism but all found in basic Jewish texts. There has always bee this trend in Judaism to favor Jews and reject all contact with non-Jews. It is always a minority opinion and the majority of Jewish sources insist that we treat all people fairly and with justice. Also, I remind everyone again, that Christianity and Islam are not considered pagan in Jewish legal circles.
In our interfaith world, we can learn about the faiths of others as long as they do not try to convert us to their faith by enticement or by force. Short of proselytizing, a non-Jew must be treated as we would a Jew in every other basic civic situation.
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
21-5768: Mitzvah N-17-18
Talmidav Shel Aharon
21-5768: Mitzvah N-17-18
March 31, 2008
Negative Mitzvah 17 – This is a negative commandment: Take no benefit from any decoration of an idol or from its ornaments.
Hafetz Hayim: For Scripture says, “you shall not covet the silver or the gold that is on them and take it for yourself.” (Deut. 7:25). It is in effect everywhere, at every time, for both men and women.
Negative Mitzvah 18 – This is a negative commandment: Take no benefit from an idol, form its offerings or its attendants, or anything done on its behalf.
Hafetz Hayim: For Scripture says, “you shall not bring an abomination into your house.” (Deut. 7:26). And it further says, “and nothing of the banned, proscribed matter shall cling to your hand” (Deut. 13:19) If a person derives any benefit from any of these, he violates these two prohibitions. Any object of idol-worship that was not made by human hands, such as a hill or a tree that was planted originally for bearing fruit and not for idolatry, or a domestic animal to which no act was done for the purpose of idolatry – it is permissible to have benefit from all of them; but from what is upon them, it is forbidden to benefit. It is in effect everywhere, at every time, for both men and women.
Just in case you were wondering if there was ANYTHING at all that could be recycled from use for idolatry, you are WRONG! The object of idol worship, the things that hold it up, that are used with it, that are placed upon it, that decorate it, that are connected to the religion in any way, that was offered to it, that did the offering to it or was used to prepare any of the offerings to it, it is all forbidden to have, hold, possess or even derive any benefit from (including money from the sale of these objects). Nothing at all that is connected to idol worship can be connected to anyone who is Jewish.
I remind everyone here that Judaism had a running battle with idolatry for thousands of years. The Sages knew full well that it only took one small token of idolatry to bring back the superstition and immorality that was paganism. Think about it. We keep souvenirs of a trip to remind us of where we have been. We don’t believe in the power of paganism so we bring back from a visit a replica of the god’s favorite bird. We were told that it was a symbol of good luck. We put it in a prime location so that the “luck” will fill our home. Maybe a storm comes and we admit that we were lucky our home was spared damage. A friend comes over and sees the bird and says that when he visited the same place they told him to really be lucky, you have to put the bird to the right of the door. So you move it, after all, what could it hurt? And then the cat knocks it off the shelf and you get mad at the cat. And then something goes wrong and (you never know!) you adjust it on the shelf for better luck and, well you get the picture. All of this from people who don’t believe in superstition.
The exception to this refusal to have anything to do with idolatry is related to those things that are not fashioned by human hands. Just because some pagans worship a hill, does not mean you can’t go climbing on it if you need to or if you want to. If pagans worship a tree, that does not mean you can’t collect its branches and start a fire with them. G-d made these things for everyone to use. If a rock is worshipped and you sit under its shade, that is not a sin, but if pagans carve or paint a face or markings into the stone, you can have nothing to do with it any more, and you can’t use any of the decorations they attach to that rock.
From all of this we understand without any question whatsoever, Jews should have nothing at all to do with idolatry or with idolaters.
21-5768: Mitzvah N-17-18
March 31, 2008
Negative Mitzvah 17 – This is a negative commandment: Take no benefit from any decoration of an idol or from its ornaments.
Hafetz Hayim: For Scripture says, “you shall not covet the silver or the gold that is on them and take it for yourself.” (Deut. 7:25). It is in effect everywhere, at every time, for both men and women.
Negative Mitzvah 18 – This is a negative commandment: Take no benefit from an idol, form its offerings or its attendants, or anything done on its behalf.
Hafetz Hayim: For Scripture says, “you shall not bring an abomination into your house.” (Deut. 7:26). And it further says, “and nothing of the banned, proscribed matter shall cling to your hand” (Deut. 13:19) If a person derives any benefit from any of these, he violates these two prohibitions. Any object of idol-worship that was not made by human hands, such as a hill or a tree that was planted originally for bearing fruit and not for idolatry, or a domestic animal to which no act was done for the purpose of idolatry – it is permissible to have benefit from all of them; but from what is upon them, it is forbidden to benefit. It is in effect everywhere, at every time, for both men and women.
Just in case you were wondering if there was ANYTHING at all that could be recycled from use for idolatry, you are WRONG! The object of idol worship, the things that hold it up, that are used with it, that are placed upon it, that decorate it, that are connected to the religion in any way, that was offered to it, that did the offering to it or was used to prepare any of the offerings to it, it is all forbidden to have, hold, possess or even derive any benefit from (including money from the sale of these objects). Nothing at all that is connected to idol worship can be connected to anyone who is Jewish.
I remind everyone here that Judaism had a running battle with idolatry for thousands of years. The Sages knew full well that it only took one small token of idolatry to bring back the superstition and immorality that was paganism. Think about it. We keep souvenirs of a trip to remind us of where we have been. We don’t believe in the power of paganism so we bring back from a visit a replica of the god’s favorite bird. We were told that it was a symbol of good luck. We put it in a prime location so that the “luck” will fill our home. Maybe a storm comes and we admit that we were lucky our home was spared damage. A friend comes over and sees the bird and says that when he visited the same place they told him to really be lucky, you have to put the bird to the right of the door. So you move it, after all, what could it hurt? And then the cat knocks it off the shelf and you get mad at the cat. And then something goes wrong and (you never know!) you adjust it on the shelf for better luck and, well you get the picture. All of this from people who don’t believe in superstition.
The exception to this refusal to have anything to do with idolatry is related to those things that are not fashioned by human hands. Just because some pagans worship a hill, does not mean you can’t go climbing on it if you need to or if you want to. If pagans worship a tree, that does not mean you can’t collect its branches and start a fire with them. G-d made these things for everyone to use. If a rock is worshipped and you sit under its shade, that is not a sin, but if pagans carve or paint a face or markings into the stone, you can have nothing to do with it any more, and you can’t use any of the decorations they attach to that rock.
From all of this we understand without any question whatsoever, Jews should have nothing at all to do with idolatry or with idolaters.
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