A Popular Dictionary of Judaism
The worship of idols. Idolatry is unequivocally forbidden in the *Torah (see *TEN COMMANDMENTS) and idolatry, together wrath, *murder and *incest are sins that should not be committed even to save life.
Idol worship, however, persisted in Ancient *Israel; the cults of *Baal and Asherah were condemned by the *prophets and the *Bible gives instances of child *sacrifice to Moloch (II*Kings), star worship (*Amos 5:26) and sacred prostitution (*Ezekiel 16:17). The reforms of King Hezekiah and *Josiah must be seen in this context. The *sages forbade any contact with idolaters; food may not be shared with idol worshippers and no houses in the land of *Israel may be leased or sold to an idolator.
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