Yerushalmi Avodah Zarah 3:12 ירושלמי עבודה זרה ג׳:י״ב

MISHNAH: If he took wood from it²⁶⁸From an Ashera tree., it is forbidden for usufruct. If he used it to heat an oven²⁶⁹A portable earthenware cone., if it was new it must be destroyed²⁷⁰These ovens were not finished in a kiln, they became hardened by being exposed to the fire kindled in them. Therefore a new oven would be finished by the Ashera wood; it must be destroyed., if it was old it must be cooled down. If he used it to bake bread, it is forbidden for usufruct. If it was mixed with other loaves, all are forbidden for usufruct²⁷¹Since loaves are sold by the piece, no loaf can be considered insignificant if mixed with others. Even without the special case of loaves of bread, “the ashes of everything burned are permitted except ashes coming from idolatry” (‘Orlah 3:3, Note 116).. Rebbi Eliezer says, he should bring his profit to the Dead Sea²⁷²Where the coins are corroded and destroyed. Obviously R. Eliezer must mean not only the profit but the entire value of the forbidden loaf.. They said to him, idols cannot be redeemed.

HALAKHAH: “If he took wood from it,” etc. Rav Ḥasdai said, they are disagreeing in the indeterminate case. Where do we hold? If to heat, everybody agrees that it is permitted. If to fumigate, everybody agrees that it is forbidden. Where do we hold? In the indeterminate case²⁷³The Mishnah before R. Ḥasdai was not the text before us. He must have read: “If they (the pieces of wood) were mixed with others, …” Then R. Eliezer and the rabbis disagree about the value created by the wood coming from an Ashera. In this case the argument of Note 271 does not apply. Since idols are destroyed by burning (Note 106) it is obvious that their wood may be burned. If it is used to cook or bake anything, the profit comes only after the wood has been reduced to ashes and is no longer forbidden. But in fumigating the burning itself is the valuable act and is forbidden. R. Eliezer permits to bring the profit to the Dead Sea as long as it is not clear that the action was forbidden. The rabbis forbid everything as long as it is not clear that the action is permitted..