Midrash · Halachah
Sifrei Devarim 146/ספרי דברים קמ״ו
א(דברים טז כב) וְלֹא תָקִים לְךָ מַצֵּבָה, אֵין לִי אֶלָּא מַצֵּבָה. עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה מִנַּיִן? וְדִין הוּא: וּמָה מַצֵּבָה, שֶׁאֲהוּבָה לָאָבוֹת – שְׂנוּאָה לַבָּנִים, עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, שֶׁשְּׂנוּאָה לָאָבוֹת – דִּין הוּא שֶׁתְּהֵא שְׂנוּאָה לַבָּנִים!
1Pisqa’ 146141. “Neither shall you erect for yourself a pillar” (Dt. 16:22)—I might infer only thatwe should not erect a pillar.How do I know thatthis applies as well to[an image worshipped in] a foreign cult?15Reason dictates this!Just as the pillar was cherished by the Patriarchs (e.g., Gn. 28:18),but hateful to their descendants (e.g., Ezek. 16:17),it is reasonable that[an image worshipped in] a foreign cult,which was hateful to the Patriarchs,should also be hateful to their descendants!