Mishnayos Avodah Zarah Perek 4 Mishnah 5
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עבודה זרה פרק ד׳ משנה ה׳
How does a gentile revoke the status of an object of idol worship? If he cut off the tip of its ear, or the tip of its nose, or its fingertip; or if he crushed it, even though he did not remove any part of it, in all these cases he thereby revoked its status as an object of idol worship. If he spat before the idol, urinated before it, dragged it on the ground, or threw excrement at it, the status of this idol is not revoked, as this is only a temporary display of scorn, and afterward the gentile might continue to worship the idol. If the gentile sold it or mortgaged it, Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi says: He thereby revoked its status. And the Rabbis say that he did not revoke its status.
כֵּיצַד מְבַטְּלָהּ, קָטַע רֹאשׁ אָזְנָהּ, רֹאשׁ חָטְמָהּ, רֹאשׁ אֶצְבָּעָהּ, פְּחָסָהּ אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁלֹּא חִסְּרָהּ, בִּטְּלָהּ. רָקַק בְּפָנֶיהָ, הִשְׁתִּין בְּפָנֶיהָ, גְּרָרָהּ, וְזָרַק בָּהּ אֶת הַצּוֹאָה, הֲרֵי זוֹ אֵינָהּ בְּטֵלָה. מְכָרָהּ אוֹ מִשְׁכְּנָהּ, רַבִּי אוֹמֵר, בִּטֵּל. וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים, לֹא בִטֵּל:
Bartenura
פחסה. בפניה. מיעכה בקורנס עד שהמיר צורת פניה:
גררה. סחוב והשלך בתוך הטיט:
אינה בטילה. דלפום שעה רתח עלה, והדר פלח לה:
רבי אומר בטלה. פלוגתא דרבי ורבנן כשמכרה לנכרי, אבל מכרה לישראל צורף דברי הכל בטלה. והלכה כחכמים:
פחסה – [if he smashed it] in its face. If he crushed it with a mallet until he removed the shape of the face.
גררה – dragged and cast within the mud.
אינה בטלה – for according to the hour, he got hot regarding it and he retracted and worshipped it.
רבי אומר בטלה – there is a dispute between Rabbi [Judah the Prince] and the Sages when he sold it to an idolater, but if he sold it to an Israelite goldsmith/smelter, according to all, it is annulled and the Halakha is according to the Sages.