Avodah Zara 43: Forbidden Images/Objects - in Case They Might be Used for Idolatry

Some brief notes about today's daf, which focuses on things that might be used for purposes of idolatry and are thus forbidden:

• forms of nursing women are forbidden because these represent Eve who nursed the entire world via nursing her children who in turn created all people
• forms of nursing women could also represent Yosef who fed - or, perhaps, nursed - the entire world through years of famine
• the form of a woman should be permitted unless she is nursing
• the form of a man is forbidden only if he is portrayed handing out food from a bucket
• found objects might be turned into idols by Gentiles
• because we are commanded to make nothing in the form of things that serve G-d,
• are we permitted to use wood for a candelabra, like the menorah? We cannot make a seven-branched menorah
• can we use iron or metal, wood or gold?
• can we make things in different dimensions than those made for the Mishkan?
• only one face of the cherubim is permitted; four faces are forbidden
• can we create things in the form of the sun, moon, stars?
• can we create things in the form of a human face?  Did the cherubim have human faces?

The rabbis discuss other items that might be thought to be symbols of idolatry including worms, signet rings with an extruding part, seas, rivers, or mountains.  They note that images might be used if they are tools for learning.  Images might be kept in parts and put together only during the time that they are used as teaching tools.