Yerushalmi Avodah Zarah 3:7 ירושלמי עבודה זרה ג׳:ז׳

MISHNAH: There are three houses. A house which one built originally for idolatry is forbidden. If he whitewashed it or ornamented it for idolatry and renovated, one removes what he renovated. If he introduced there an idol and removed it, it is permitted.

HALAKHAH: “There are three houses,” etc. Rav and Rebbi Joḥanan both are saying, the Mishnah treats their entry into the Land²²⁴Deut. 7:5 is an unconditional commandment to destroy all pagan altars and Temples in existence at the time of the conquest. This agrees with the statement that the house in the first case is absolutely and irrevocably forbidden, since in all other cases a partial destruction of the house will remove the prohibition.. The opinion of Rav, who said that one who worships a house makes it forbidden, is the reason that he explains it by their entry into the Land²²⁵Since he considers a house as a kind of movable (Note 209), his problem is that the first rule of the Mishnah should apply not only to a house built as a pagan temple but also to one which was worshipped. But the effect of worship can be undone (Halakhot 14–16); only the commandment Deut. 7:5 is absolute.. Following the opinion of Rebbi Joḥanan, who said that if somebody dedicates a house one does not commit larceny with it, could he not have explained it by somebody who was worshipping the house²²⁶Since a house is real estate, it cannot become forbidden by simply being worshipped. But if a Jew built it for purposes of idolatry, it becomes forbidden by an act of idolatry (Mishnah 4:4). Therefore the first case of the Mishnah could also be referred to a case possible today. One does not expect a rule in the Mishnah which became obsolete some 1500 years before its formulation. The answer to be given is the same as in the case of Rav.? {The effect of] one who worships a house can be voided. At their entry into the Land it could not be voided²²⁵Since he considers a house as a kind of movable (Note 209), his problem is that the first rule of the Mishnah should apply not only to a house built as a pagan temple but also to one which was worshipped. But the effect of worship can be undone (Halakhot 14–16); only the commandment Deut. 7:5 is absolute.. What could he do²²⁷To desecrate the house and therefore nullify its pagan status.? He removes its clapboards and it is permitted.

Rebbi Ila in the name of Rebbi Eleazar: Only if he brought an idol into it²²⁸This now refers to the second case, a house renovated for the purpose of idolatry. As property of the Jew it becomes forbidden only by an act of pagan worship, not by intention (Mishnah 4:4).. In the opinion of Rebbi [Eleazar]²²⁹Missing in the text; added from Halakhah 10 as required by the context. there are two houses. But have we not stated three? Here temporarily, there permanently²³⁰Since the presence of an idol is required in both cases 2 and 3, what is the difference? In case 3 the idol is temporarily in the house; one removes it and the house is permitted. In case 2 the intention is a permanent installation of the idol; therefore not only the idol but all installation has to be removed. Also for R. Eleazar there are three distinct cases..