Commentary for Avodah Zarah 86:9
ועשייה גרידתא מי שרי והתניא לא תעשון אתי לא תעשון כדמות שמשי המשמשין לפני במרום כגון חמה ולבנה כוכבים ומזלות
But is the mere making of them permitted? Has it not been taught: “You shall not make with Me,” you shall not make according to the likeness of My attendants who serve before Me in the heavens, the sun, moon, stars and planets!
Daf Shevui to Avodah Zarah
This baraita clearly prohibits making the heavenly images, so again, we have to ask, how could Rabban Gamaliel have made images of the moon.
The Talmud responds with quite a strained answer, one that seems quite certainly to be “making it up.” Rabban Gamaliel did not make the images—someone made them for him. He can use them, because he did not make them.
The Talmud responds with quite a strained answer, one that seems quite certainly to be “making it up.” Rabban Gamaliel did not make the images—someone made them for him. He can use them, because he did not make them.
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