The Mishnah lists methods on how to mevatel an avodah Zara. It lists cutting its ear , nose , or fingers. Should we say that only those specific body parts need to be cut to show bitul , or should we say any body part can be cut to show bitul, and the Mishnah listed these as examples.
Thank you.
Ezra, Brooklyn. USA
Shalom Rav,
Note that the Tana refers not to limbs but to tips of limbs. Presumably, he does not consider it necessary to mentions whole limbs, any one of which is obviously considered Bitul.
The Rambam and the Shulchan Aruch quote the Mishnah verbatim, which leads me to believe that it is specifically the tips of those three limbs that are considered Bitul. Perhaps this is because the tips of the toes or of the male Ever (the only other alternatives of "tips of limbs") are normally covered, and are therefore not considered Bitul.
B'Virchas Kol Tuv,
Eliezer Chrysler