1. Shulchan Aruch Yorah Deah 157.1
And by idolatry, sexual prohibitions, and murder, even in private and not a time with legislation and even if the idolater intends it only for his own benefit, he must be killed rather than transgress. Rama: And this is only when they tell him to do an action: for instance, if they tell a man to transgress a sexual prohibition or he will be killed. If they force a woman to have sex or throw him over a child to murder it or he is already erect and they force him to have forbidden sex, he need not be killed (Beis Yosef in the name of Tosfos and Ran Psachim Perek Kol Sha'ah). All prohibitions of idolatry and sexuality and murder - even if they are not punishable by death, just prohibitions without explicit punishment - he must be killed rather than transgress. On the prohibition of "Do not put a stumbling block before the blind" he may transgress rather than be killed (Ran Psachim Perek Kol Sha'ah and Sanhedrin Perek Ben Sorer uMoreh).
2. Mishna Torah Avodah Kochavim 2:2
It is even forbidden to look at the image of an idol, as [Leviticus 19:4] states: "Do not turn to the idols." In this regard, [Deuteronomy 12:30] states: "[Be careful]... lest you seek to find out about their gods, saying, 'How did they serve them.' This prohibits inquiring about the nature of their service even if you, yourself, do not serve them. This matter will ultimately cause you to turn to [the false god] and worship it as they do, as [the above verse continues]: "so that I will do the same."
3. Mishna Torah Avodah Kochavim 2:3
The worship of false gods is not the only subject to which we are forbidden to pay attention; rather, we are warned not to consider any thought which will cause us to uproot one of the fundamentals of the Torah. We should not turn our minds to these matters, think about them, or be drawn after the thoughts of our hearts. .... (Mishna Torah Avodah Kochavim 2.3)
Questions:
1. What is the parameters for inclusion of a sin in the category of yahareg vlo yaavor. Would even looking at an idol or thoughts (as per the sources of MT Avodah Kochachim 2:2 - 3 (deeds which have no action be included in the above).
It appears to me not because as per the ruling of the Rema, only actions that have an actual activity are included which would exclude thoughts / looking?
Regards,
Rael Levinshn, Sydney
As you pointed out, it is not possible for any other person to read thoughts. Thus, there is no technical possibility to warn another person against idolatrous or licentious thoughts and therefore there can be no court-administered punishment for such thoughts. Similarly, a person will not be held accountable for Yehareg v'Al Ya'avor if he is told to think a certain way. However, actively bringing such thoughts (for example, by looking at idolatry or sexually provocative images in order to arouse such thoughts) is forbidden, and if there were an activity involved, this would be Yehareg v'Al Ya'avor.
For example, the concept of Olympics stems from an ancient paganic ritual which was held to honor Zeus. The modern Olympics were branded after the ancient version, complete with lighting a special Olympic flame, etc. The Lubavitcher Rebbe held that this was Avodah Zarah and forbade his Chasidim from even performing campaigns at the Olympics to arouse Jewish identity, since he deemed it as idolatry. Participating in such events could constitute active support of idolatry, but thoughts alone would not count as Yehareg v'Al Ya'avor.
However, if looking at the idol did not arouse idolatrous thoughts (for example, when they are in a museum and are not being worshipped anymore), it would not be forbidden.
Yoel Domb