July 3, 2026 Categories: In Print / Halacha & Hashkafa
Daf Yomi
Our Turn ‘A Gentile Nullifies His Idolatrous Relic...’ (Avodah Zarah 52b)
The Mishna on our daf states that a gentile has the ability to effect nullification of his avodah zarah – his idolatrous relic. This is even more far-reaching than the halacha stated in the earlier Mishna (47b) that if a gentile removes [all] avodah zarah graven images from a building, use of that building is permitted to a Jew. Rashi (s.v. “avodas kochavim”) explains that the house itself was never intended [by the gentile] to be used for purposes of worship; rather he used it for temporary storage of the objects.
The halachic ramifications are of great relevance in our day and age. People are now constantly on the move. In fact the average time a person remains in a house or apartment in the United States has been estimated to be less than four years. Thus, neighborhoods are quite often subject to new demographics. As such, neighborhoods that were formerly overwhelmingly Jewish often lose significant Jewish population and become mostly non-Jewish. The opposite is the case as well and it happens often that a predominately gentile neighborhood experiences an influx of Jews.
Converting A Church To A Synagogue
Of course, over time a community will create an entire infrastructure, and among them are certain to be houses of worship. Very often the departing population moves so far away that they no longer have any need for these edifices. The question that arises: Is it permitted to purchase a church and convert it to a synagogue? As we have seen this actually done, upon whose opinion do those who have done so rely? Especially since these structures were not merely used for storage purposes, as Rashi notes, but rather for the purpose of worship.
Worship Of A Building?
Magen Avraham (Orach Chayyim 154:sk 17) cites Teshuvos Re’em who rules that it is permitted to purchase a church building and convert it into a synagogue. His view is based on the fact that the building itself is not the object of worship, and when those selling the building remove all their objects, their sale constitutes an act of bittul – nullification – thus permitting the use of the building. Reinforcing this view is our Mishna, which states that a gentile may nullify his idolatrous relic.The opposing view is that of Eliyahu Rabba, who would prohibit using a former church as a permanent synagogue. He postulates that even after the removal of all objects, the building may only be used for mundane purposes (a community center such as a “Y” comes to mind).
A Matter Of Denomination
The Mishna Berurah (ad loc. in his Biur Halacha commentary) suggests that the Re’em, in his leniency, was referring to a specific type of church – one which had no graven images therein, such as those of most of the Protestant denominations. However, many are of the opinion that a Catholic (Anglican, Episcopalian, or Orthodox as well) church, which almost always contains religious relics that serve as objects of worship, might present more of a problem.
