To destroy idolatry and its auxiliaries: That we were commanded to destroy all houses of idolatry with all types of destruction — with breaking, with burning, with demolition, with cutting — every type with what is fitting for it; meaning to say with what would be most destructive and quick in its destruction. And the intent is that we not leave a trace of idolatry. And about this is it stated (Deuteronomy 12:2), “You shall surely destroy all of the places, etc.” And it is also stated (Deuteronomy 12:3), “But rather, etc. their altars shall you tear down.” And it states further (Deuteronomy 12:3), “And you shall tear down their altar.” And the proof that it is a positive commandment is that which it said in Sanhedrin 90a, “What is the positive commandment about idolatry?” — meaning to say, to destroy it? “Rav Chasda [answered], ‘“And you shall tear down, etc.”’” And the language of Sifrei Devarim 60 is “From where [do we know] that if one cuts down a tree-god and it grows back even ten times that a person is obligated to cut it down? [Hence], we learn to say, ‘you shall surely destroy, etc.’” And it is also said there, “‘And you will destroy their name from that place’ — in the Land of Israel, you are commanded to pursue after them, but you are not commanded to pursue after them outside of the Land.”
And it is practiced by males and females in every place and at all times; as it is a commandment upon us to destroy the name of idolatry if the power is in our hands. (See Mishneh Torah, Laws of Foreign Worship and Customs of the Nations 7:1.) But we are not obligated to pursue after them, except in the Land of Israel at the time when our hands are domineering over its worshipers. And one who transgresses it and does not destroy it any time he has the ability in his hand, has violated this positive commandment.
לְאַבֵּד עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה וּמְשַׁמְּשֶׁיהָ – שֶׁנִּצְטַוִּינוּ לְאַבֵּד בָּתֵּי הָעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה כֻּלָּם בְּכָל מִינֵי אִבּוּד, בְּשִׁבָּרוֹן, וּבִשְׂרֵפָה, בַּהֲרִיסָה, וּבִכְרִיתָה, כָּל מִין בְּמָה שֶׁרָאוּי לוֹ, כְּלוֹמַר, בְּמָה שֶׁיִּהְיֶה יוֹתֵר מַשְׁחִית וּמְמַהֵר בְּחֻרְבָּנוֹ, וְהַכַּוָּנָה שֶׁלֹּא נַנִּיחַ רֹשֶׁם לַעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, וְעַל זֶה נֶאֱמַר (דברים יב ב) אַבֵּד תְּאַבְּדוּן אֶת כָּל הַמְּקֹמוֹת וְגוֹ', וְנֶאֱמַר גַּם כֵּן (שם ז ה), כִּי אִם כֹּה וְגוֹ' מִזְבְּחֹתֵיהֶם תִּתֹּצוּן וְאָמַר עוֹד (שם יב ג) וְנִתַּצְתֶּם אֶת מִזְבְּחֹתָם וְגוֹ' וְהָרְאָיָה שֶׁזֶּה מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה מָה שֶׁאָמַר בְּסַנְהֶדְרִין (צ, א) בַּעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה מַאי מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה אִיכָּא, כְּלוֹמַר לְאַבְּדָהּ? תִּרְגְּמָהּ רַב חִסְדָּא וְנִתַּצְתֶּם וְגוֹ'. וּלְשׁוֹן סִפְרֵי (כאן) מִנַּיִן אַתָּה אוֹמֵר שֶׁאִם קָצַץ אֲשֵׁרָה וְהֶחְלִיפָהּ אֲפִילּוּ עֶשֶׂר פְּעָמִים שֶׁחַיָּב אָדָם לְקָצְצָהּ? תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר אַבֵּד תְּאַבְּדוּן וְגוֹ' וְנֶאֱמַר שָׁם עוֹד וְאִבַּדְתֶּם אֶת שְׁמָם מִן הַמָּקוֹם הַהוּא, בְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל אַתָּה מְצֻוֶּה לִרְדֹּף אַחֲרֵיהֶם וְאִי אַתָּה מִצְוָה לִרְדֹּף אַחֲרֵיהֶם בְּחוּצָה לָאָרֶץ.
To destroy idolatry and its auxiliaries: That we were commanded to destroy all houses of idolatry with all types of destruction — with breaking, with burning, with demolition, with cutting — every type with what is fitting for it; meaning to say with what would be most destructive and quick in its destruction. And the intent is that we not leave a trace of idolatry. And about this is it stated (Deuteronomy 12:2), “You shall surely destroy all of the places, etc.” And it is also stated (Deuteronomy 12:3), “But rather, etc. their altars shall you tear down.” And it states further (Deuteronomy 12:3), “And you shall tear down their altar.” And the proof that it is a positive commandment is that which it said in Sanhedrin 90a, “What is the positive commandment about idolatry?” — meaning to say, to destroy it? “Rav Chasda [answered], ‘“And you shall tear down, etc.”’” And the language of Sifrei Devarim 60 is “From where [do we know] that if one cuts down a tree-god and it grows back even ten times that a person is obligated to cut it down? [Hence], we learn to say, ‘you shall surely destroy, etc.’” And it is also said there, “‘And you will destroy their name from that place’ — in the Land of Israel, you are commanded to pursue after them, but you are not commanded to pursue after them outside of the Land.”
מִשָּׁרְשֵׁי הַמִּצְוָה. לִמְחוֹת שֵׁם עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה וְכָל זִכְרָהּ מִן הָעוֹלָם.
It is from the roots of the commandment to erase the name of idolatry and all of its remembrance from the world.
וְדִינֶיהָ כְּלוּלִים בִּפְשַׁט הַכָּתוּב.
And its laws are included in the simple understanding of the verse.
וְנוֹהֶגֶת בִּזְכָרִים וּנְקֵבוֹת בְּכָל מָקוֹם וּבְכָל זְמַן, שֶׁמִּצְוָה עָלֵינוּ לְאַבֵּד שֵׁם עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה אִם יֵשׁ כֹּחַ בְּיָדֵינוּ (עי' רמב"ם ע"ז ז א), אֲבָל אֵין אָנוּ חַיָּבִין לִרְדֹּף אַחֲרֶיהָ לְאַבְּדָהּ, אֶלָּא בְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּזְמַן שֶׁיָּדֵינוּ תַּקִּיפָה עַל עוֹבְדֶיהָ. וְהָעוֹבֵר עַל זֶה וְלֹא אִבְּדָהּ כָּל זְמַן שֶׁיֵּשׁ סִפֵּק בְּיָדוֹ בִּטֵּל עֲשֵׂה זֶה.
And it is practiced by males and females in every place and at all times; as it is a commandment upon us to destroy the name of idolatry if the power is in our hands. (See Mishneh Torah, Laws of Foreign Worship and Customs of the Nations 7:1.) But we are not obligated to pursue after them, except in the Land of Israel at the time when our hands are domineering over its worshipers. And one who transgresses it and does not destroy it any time he has the ability in his hand, has violated this positive commandment.