Commentary for Avodah Zarah 15:17
תניא רבי ישמעאל אומר ישראל שבחוצה לארץ עובדי עבודת כוכבים בטהרה הן כיצד עובד כוכבים שעשה משתה לבנו וזימן כל היהודים שבעירו אע"פ שאוכלין משלהן ושותין משלהן ושמש שלהן עומד לפניהם מעלה עליהם הכתוב כאילו אכלו מזבחי מתים שנאמר (שמות לד, טו) וקרא לך ואכלת מזבחו
It was taught: R. Ishmael says: Israelites who reside outside of Israel are idol worshippers in purity. How so? An idolater gives a banquet for his son and invites all the Jews in his town. Even though they eat of their own and drink of their own and their own attendant waits on them, Scripture treats them as if they had eaten of the sacrifices to dead idols, as it is said, “And he will call you and you will eat of his sacrifice” (Exodus 34:15).
Daf Shevui to Avodah Zarah
Simply living outside of Israel forces Jews to participate in idol worship, even if they have no intent of doing so. This is, I think, one of the deeper sources expressing a severely negative attitude towards living outside of Israel. Even if the Jew attempts to live a life of “purity” and not to eat the food of others, it is as if he is eating sacrifices to the dead.
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