What is The General Outlook a Jew Should Have Regarding Doing Business With Avodah Zara?

Rav Yosef Kushner

Question: Is there a general approach a Jewish person should have about doing business with houses of avodah zara? 

Answer: There is a common phrase used by many Poskim – including the Shach, Taz and Rav Moshe Feinstein – in relation to doing anything that puts one in contact with avodah zara in any way. That phrase is “mechuar hadavar”, which basically means that in regular circumstances it is completely inappropriate for a Jew to be involved with such things. 

We shall see that there are many halachos and many machloksim regarding when it is and isn’t permitted to do business with houses of avodah zara or do work on such places. In any event, the hashkafa a Jew should have is that it is best to stay away from any contact with such places if possible.  

To give one example, Rav Moshe speaks about an architect who was hired to draw up plans for a church. He goes through the issues at hand and concludes that it may technically be permitted; however, he urges the architect to stay away from doing such a thing, because one should do what he can to stay away from anything related to avodah zara.