## Sifrei Devarim Paragraph 145

###### Sifrei Devarim 145:1
[Sifrei Devarim 145:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/145:1)

(דברים טז כא) **לֹא תִטַּע לְךָ אֲשֵׁרָה כָּל עֵץ**, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁכָּל הַנּוֹטֵעַ אֲשֵׁרָה עוֹבֵר בְּלֹא תַעֲשֶׂה. וּמִנַּיִן לַנּוֹטֵעַ אִילָן בְּהַר הַבַּיִת שֶׁהוּא עוֹבֵר בְּלֹא תַעֲשֶׂה? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: **כָּל עֵץ אֵצֶל מִזְבַּח ה׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָ**.

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
(Devarim 16:21) "You shall not plant for yourself an *asheirah* (a tree devoted to idolatry)": We are hereby taught that one who plants an *asheirah* transgresses a negative commandment. And whence is it derived that one who plants a tree in the Temple mount transgresses a negative commandment? From "You shall not plant for yourself … any tree beside the altar of the L-rd your G-d."


###### Sifrei Devarim 145:2
[Sifrei Devarim 145:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/145:2)

רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בֶּן יַעֲקֹב אוֹמֵר: מִנַּיִן שֶׁאֵין עוֹשִׂים אַכְסַדְרָה בָּעֲזָרָה? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: **כָּל עֵץ אֵצֶל מִזְבַּח ה׳ אֱלֹהֶיךָ**, כְּשֶׁהוּא אוֹמֵר: **אֲשֶׁר תַּעֲשֶׂה לָּךְ** – לְרַבּוֹת בָּמָה.

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
R. Eliezer b. Yaakov says: Whence is it derived that a portico is not built in the *azarah* (the Temple court)? From "any tree (i.e., wood) beside the altar of the L-rd your G-d." "that you make for yourself": to include (in the interdict planting a tree beside) a *bamah* (a temporary altar).


###### Sifrei Devarim 145:3
[Sifrei Devarim 145:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/145:3)

**לֹא תִטַּע לְךָ אֲשֵׁרָה**, אָמְרָה תּוֹרָה (דברים יב ג): ״וַאֲשֵׁרֵיהֶם תִּשְׂרְפוּן בָּאֵשׁ״ – קַל וָחוֹמֶר שֶׁלֹּא יִטַּע! וּמִנַּיִן שֶׁלֹּא יְקַיֵּם? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: **לֹא תִטַּע לְךָ** – מִכָּל מָקוֹם.

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
3. “Do not *plant* for yourself an Asherah” (Dt.16:21).
The Torah elsewhere teaches:
“And *burn* their Asherahs in fire” (Dt.12:3)—
the proscription of *planting* [an Asherah]
is a logical deduction
[from the command to burn any Asherah
that has already been planted].
But how do I know that
we may not *maintain* an Asherah [prior to burning it]?
The Teaching states:
“Do not *plant* for *yourself*” (Dt.16:21)—
any type of maintenance [is proscribed].


###### Sifrei Devarim 145:4
[Sifrei Devarim 145:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sifrei%20Devarim/r/145:4)

דָּבָר אַחֵר: אֲפִלּוּ בַּיִת, אֲפִלּוּ

**Sefaria Community Translation:**
4. Another word:
Even a house
[that sheltered an Asherah must be burned];
even a Festival Hut.¹³

footnotes:
¹³ The last line of Finkletstein’s text is missing (F:200, l.11. On the basis of the Vatican ms, Hammer supplies “Festival Hut.” 145.4 is lacking in RH, TA and Pardo.