Commentary for Avodah Zarah 104:13
התם לא אשתמשו בהו לגבוה הכא כיון דאשתמש בהו לגבוה לאו אורח ארעא לאשתמושי בהו הדיוטא:
There [in the case of the coins] they had not been used to worship God; but here [in the case of the altar-stones], since they had been used to worship God it would not be respectful to put them to a secular use.
Daf Shevui to Avodah Zarah
The Talmud now explains why the coins could be put to personal use but the altar-stones cannot. The coins belonged to the Temple and were holy. But they were not used to worship God. Therefore they can be put to personal use. But the altar-stones were used in the Temple worship. Therefore, it would not be right to use them for personal needs.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy