Ask The Rabbi

Ask The Rabbi

category: 

This question is from Mexico: May tourists visit sites of ancient Mayan culture? It could be that the displays contain items that were used in the distant past for idol worship.

It is forbidden to gain any benefit from idol worship, and therefore one cannot listen to music connected with it, or look at objects connected with it in order to enjoy their beauty, and that is why we do not enter a church to see the icons, idols, or the beauty of the structure.
There is another Halacha, (Jewish law,) that a non-Jew can cancel out the idol worship of another non-Jew by holding it in disregard, or by not considering it to be idol worship.
A house of idol worship which has been left by the worshippers is considered as if the idol worship has been cancelled, unless they ran away because of war and are planning to return. If the conquerors have destroyed even part of the building, the idol worship is cancelled.
For these reasons the Mayan idol worship houses can be visited and enjoyed, since the idol worship is considered cancelled by the nations.

Sources