Tosfos says in today's Daf about making pictures of the Kruvim and about if it's Avodah Zarah. I want to ask a question. How was the Maharal allowed to make the Golam? Also are you allowed to draw a picture or make a sculpture of the sun, moon or the stars?
Aaron Pacanowski
(a) The story of the Golam is famous, however it is not entirely clear if the story is authentic. The earliest source to quote this story that I am aware of is a Sefer published some 270 years after the Maharal's passing (in 1609), called Birkas Avraham (Kolamia 1878). Perhaps significantly, this is after a story book (Galerie der Sippurim, published by Wolf Pascheles) publicized the Golem of Prague in 1847. It remains a mystery as to why no earlier historians, such as Chida or Seder ha'Doros allude to the Golam in their discussions of the Maharal, if he did in fact exist.
Nonetheless, your question remains valid, since the Gemara in Sanhedrin 65b relates that Rava (according to some Rabah) created a person. Also, Rav Chaim Velozhener writes that the Ga'on from Vilna was about to make a Golam before halting the process.
Perhaps we can say that since a Golam is created not by the work of one's hands, but by the use of Tsirufei Osiyos (see Yalkut Re'uveni Parshas Bereishis and Yad Ramah Sanhedrin 65b), it is not included in the Lav of Lo Sa'asun Iti.
The Ben Yehoyada says that a Golam cannot live for more than twenty-four hours, in which case it may have the Heter of l'his'Lamed which the Maharit (YD 2:35) explains is due to the fact that it is not considered Keva.
(b) Sculptures of the sun, moon and stars are certainly forbidden (Avodah Zarah 43b Shulchan Aruch YD 141:4). Pictures which are smooth are more complicated. Tosfos in Yoma 54a seems to permit two-dimensional images. The Rema in Darkei Moshe (YD 141:5) and Taz (ibid. 13) write that such images are allowed. However, the Shach (Nekudos ha'Kesef on Taz 141:13) disputes this and rules that flat images are also forbidden, although he cites exemptions. It would seem that the Shach understands Tosfos in Yoma to allow smooth pictures only in the case of animals, but not for the sun, moon and stars. See Si'ach Yitzchak who explains Tosfos like this. The Rambam (Avodah Zarah 3:11) forbids even flat pictures. See Pischei Teshuvah (YD 141:6).
Dov Freedman
(a) Although the Golem would only live for 24 hours it still shouldn't be allowed because it doesn't matter if it becomes alive or not it matters if you skulpt it because the Issur is the sculpting.
(b) what about biscuits which if you've got lots of kids around it will be gone before 24 hours. Are you allowed to make a buiscuit of a person, son, moon or stars?
(a) You are right that the fact that the Golam only lived for twenty-four hours would not in itself be sufficient to answer your question. However, if he were to decompose upon "death" this could be a possible answer.
(b) I could imagine that this Heter is only applicable if the image were to be of a type that was going to degrade of its own accord. However, as far as I remember the Maharit is Matir even things that generally get worn out through wear and tear. If I am not mistaken, he is Matir dolls with this Sevara, since generally speaking they do not last long. In this case, the biscuits would certainly be permissible. (For Halachah l'Ma'aseh please consult a competent Rav.)
Dov Freedman