1. Anyone who willingly, as a conscious act of defiance, performs the deeds associated with an ov or a yid'oni is liable for karet. If witnesses were present and warned him, he should be stoned to death. If he performed these actions inadvertently, he must bring a fixed sin offering.

What do the deeds associated with an ov involve? A person stands up and offers an incense offering of known content. He holds a wand of myrtle in his hand and waves it while whispering a known incantation in a hushed tone. [This continues] until the person making the inquiry hears a voice, as if another person is speaking to him and replying to his questions. It appears as if the words are coming from below the earth in a very low tone, to the extent that it cannot be perceived by the ear, but only sensed by thought.

Similarly, among the deeds associated with an ov is taking the skull of a corpse, offering incense, and chanting incantations until one hears a voice in a very low tone emanating from his armpits and replying [to his questions]. Anyone who performs one of these acts should be stoned to death.

2. What do the deeds associated with a yid'oni involve? A person places a bone from a bird whose name is yidua in his mouth, offers incense, and performs other deeds until he falls into a trance, [losing self-control] like an epileptic, and relates events which will occur in the future.

All of these are types of idol worship. What is the source for the warning against them? [Leviticus 19:31]: "Do not turn to the ovot or the yid'onim."

3. Anyone who willingly, as a conscious act of defiance, gives of his progeny to Molech is liable for karet. If he did so inadvertently, he must bring a fixed sin offering. If witnesses were present and warned him, he should be stoned to death, as [Leviticus 20:2] states: "Whoever gives of his progeny to Molech will surely die. The people will stone him."

Which verse serves as a warning for this [prohibition]? "Do not give of your progeny to Molech" [Leviticus 18:21]. Also, further on [Deuteronomy 18:10] states: "There shall not be found among you one who passes his son or daughter through fire."

What was done? A person would kindle a great fire and then take some of his progeny and give them to the priests who serve the fire. After the child was given to them, the priests return the son to his father to pass him through the fire at his will. The father of the child is the one who passes his child through the fire with the priests' permission. He passes him through the fire from one side to the other [while carrying him, the father walking on] his feet in the midst of the flames.

Thus, [the father] does not cremate his son to Molech, as sons and daughters are cremated in the worship of other deities. Rather, this form of worship called Molech involved merely passing [the child through the fire]. Therefore, if one performed this service to a deity other than Molech, one is not liable.

4. One is not liable for karet or stoning until one gives over his son to Molech, passing him through the fire as he carries him. If he gives him over, but does not pass him through the flames, or passes him through the flames without giving him over, or gives him over and passes him through the flames, but does not carry him, he is not held liable.

He is not held liable until he gives over some of his progeny and leaves some of his progeny, as [implied by Leviticus 20:3]: "For he gave of his progeny to Molech" - i.e., some [of his progeny] and not his entire [progeny].

5. [The prohibition against giving one's progeny to Molech includes:] both progeny of legitimate pedigree and illegitimate pedigree, sons and daughters, children and grandchildren. One is liable for giving over any of one's descendants, because they are all included in the term "progeny."

In contrast, if one passed one's brothers, sisters, or ancestors [through the fire] or if one caused oneself to be passed through the fires, one is not held liable. A person who passes one of his progeny [through the fire] while he is sleeping or blind is not liable.

6. A monument which the Torah has forbidden is a structure around which people gather. [This prohibition applies] even [when it was constructed] for the service of God, because this is a pagan practice, as [Deuteronomy 16:22] states: "Do not erect a monument which God hates." Whoever erects a monument is [liable for] lashes.

Similarly, [a person who bows down on] the kneeling stone mentioned in the Torah receives lashes - even if he prostrates oneself upon it to God - as [Leviticus 26:1] states: "Do not place a kneeling stone in your land to prostrate yourself upon it." The pagans would customarily place a stone before a false deity so that they could prostrate themselves upon it. Therefore, this practice is not followed in the worship of God.

A person is not [liable for] lashes until he spreads out his hands and feet on the stone, thus prostrating himself on it entirely. This is what the Torah means by bowing.

7. Where does the [prohibition mentioned above] apply? Every place outside the Temple. In the Temple, however, it is permitted to bow down to God on stone.

This concept is derived as follows: [Leviticus, ibid.] states: "Do not place... in your land." "In your land," it is forbidden to prostrate oneself on stones. You may, however, prostrate yourself on hewn stones in the Temple.

For this reason, it is a universally accepted custom among the Jewish people to place mats, straw, or hay in synagogues that are paved with stones, to separate between their faces and the stones. If it is impossible to find anything to separate between them and the stones, the person should go to another place to prostrate himself, or lie on his side, so that he will not press his face to the stone.

8. A person who prostrates himself to God upon paved stones without spreading out his hands and feet is not [liable for] lashes. He is, however, punished by "blows for rebelliousness." In contrast, one who prostrates himself to a false deity should be stoned to death, whether or not he spreads out his hands and feet. As soon as he buries his face in the ground [he is liable].

9. A person who plants a tree near the altar or anywhere in the Temple courtyard - regardless of whether it is a fruit-bearing tree or not - is [liable for] lashes, as [Deuteronomy 16:21] states: "Do not plant an asherah or any other tree near the altar of God, your Lord." [This prohibition applies] even when he did so to beautify the Temple and make it more attractive.

[The reason for this prohibition is] that this was a pagan practice. They would plant trees near their altars so that people would gather there.

10. It is forbidden to construct a porch made of wood in the Temple as one would do in one's courtyard. Even though [the wood would be affixed] within the structure and not planted within the ground. This is an extra restriction, as [implied by the words:] "any other tree" [in the verse cited above]. Instead, all the porches and structures which protruded from the walls within the sanctuary were of stone and not of wood.