(Mishnah): If Nochrim worship mountains and hills, the mountains and hills are permitted, but what is on them is forbidden - "Lo Sachmod Kesef v'Zahav Aleihem";

R. Yosi ha'Galili says, "Eloheihem Al he'Harim" - their gods on the mountains, but the mountains are not (Ri - considered; R. Tam - forbidden like) their gods.

Question: Why is an Asherah forbidden? (Also trees are attached!)

Answer: It is because man had a part in (planting) it;

Anything that man had a part in becomes forbidden (if it is Ne'evad).

R. Akiva says, (do not expound similarly, "v'Sachas Kol Etz Ra'anan" to forbid under every fresh tree, but the trees are not their gods. Rather, it comes to teach that) on every high mountain, hill and fresh tree, the Kena'anim put idols (we must find and destroy them).

(Gemara) Question: R. Yosi ha'Galili agrees with Chachamim (the first Tana)!

Answer #1 (Rami bar Chama): They argue about the covering of a mountain;

Chachamim do not consider it like a mountain, so it can become forbidden. R. Yosi ha'Galili considers it like a mountain, so it is permitted.

Answer #2 (Rav Sheshes): All agree that the covering of a mountain is not considered like a mountain;

They argue about a tree (Rashi - a seed; Tosfos - a sapling) that was planted and later Ne'evad. Chachamim permit it, and R. Yosi ha'Galili forbids it.

Question: What is Rav Sheshes' source to say this?

Answer (Mishnah): Why is an Asherah forbidden? It is because man had a part in it. Anything that man had a part in becomes forbidden.

Question: What does this come to include?

Answer: This includes a tree that was planted and later Ne'evad.

Also R. Yosi b'Rebbi Yehudah forbids a tree that was planted and later Ne'evad.

(Beraisa - R. Yosi b'Rebbi Yehudah): It says "Eloheihem Al he'Harim" - their gods on the mountains, but the mountains are not their gods;

One might have thought to expound similarly "v'Sachas Kol Etz Ra'anan" - under every fresh tree, but the trees are not their gods. "Va'Ashereihem Tisrefun ba'Esh" teaches that this is not so.

Question: What do we learn from "v'Sachas Kol Etz Ra'anan"?

Answer: That teaches like R. Akiva taught;

(Mishnah - R. Akiva): (It comes to teach that) on every high mountain, hill and fresh tree, the Kena'anim put idols.

Question: What do Chachamim learn from "va'Ashereihem Tisrefun ba'Esh"?

Answer: This forbids a tree that was planted in order to worship it.

Question: Also R. Yosi b'Rebbi Yehudah should learn only about a tree that was planted in order to worship it!

Answer: Indeed, that is true.

Question: What is his source for a tree that was planted and later Ne'evad?

Answer: "Va'Ashereihem Tigade'un (you cut it, leaving a stump)";

Question: (This connotes that what will grow from the stump is forbidden.) When is the stump of an Asherah permitted, but the rest is forbidden?

Answer: A tree was planted, and later it was Ne'evad (what grew afterwards is forbidden).

Question: The Beraisa said that he learned from "va'Ashereihem Tisrefun ba'Esh"!

Answer: It means, if not for "va'Ashereihem Tisrefun ba'Esh", one would have thought that "Va'Ashereihem Tigade'un" discusses a tree that was planted in order to worship it;

Now that "va'Ashereihem Tisrefun ba'Esh" forbids such trees, "va'Ashereihem Tigade'un" forbids a tree that was planted and later Ne'evad.

Question: What do Chachamim learn from "va'Ashereihem Tigade'un"?

Answer: They learn R. Yehoshua ben Levi's law;

(R. Yehoshua ben Levi): Bnei Yisrael were commanded to cut Asheiros before conquering Eretz Yisrael, and to burn them after the conquest.

(Rav Yosef): "V'Nitaztem Es Mizbechosam" - then leave them (their broken altars). "V'Shibartem Es Matzevosam" - then leave them.

Objection: This cannot be. They must be burned!

Answer (Rav Huna): We leave them while pursuing the Kena'anim. After the conquest, we burn them.

Question: What is R. Yosi b'Rebbi Yehudah's source for this?

Answer: "Abed Te'abdun" - destroy, and later (finish to) destroy.

Chachamim learn from this that one must tear out all the roots of idolatry (e.g. Asheiros).

Question: What is R. Yosi b'Rebbi Yehudah's source for this?

Answer: He learns from "v'Ibadtem Es Shemam."

Chachamim learn from this the Mitzvah to make nicknames for idolatry.

(Beraisa - R. Eliezer): "V'Ibadtem Es Shemam" - one must tear out all the roots of idolatry.

R. Akiva says, we already learn that from "Abed Te'abdun"!

"V'Ibadtem Es Shemam" commands to make nicknames for idolatry.