For donations Click Here

Keeping/Selling a Statue

A person had a statue from before he was frum and wants to know if he can keep it, and if not can he sell it or must he throw it out?

Answer:

If there is no reason to think otherwise, it can be assumed that the statue was not made for the purpose of avodah zarah (idolatry), and was never worshipped. Therefore, it would be permitted to keep at home, or to sell it. However, if there is reason to believe that the statue is an icon of idolatry, it would be prohibited to keep/sell.

Sources: See Rambam, Avodah Zarah 6:7, ruling that if the status is made for show, and not for idolatry, it is permitted to derive benefit from it; Tur (Yoreh De’ah 141) writes that if in doubt, the idol/statue is forbidden, but Taz (141:2) writes that this is only true under circumstances of itchazek, meaning that there is concrete reason to suspect idolatry. Although Shach disputes this, today the vast majority of statues are made as works of art and not as idolatry, and unless one has a reason for suspecting otherwise, there would be no prohibition on keeping the statue.

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *