Commandment Profile:

-11) No erecting a pillar for worship purposes
Application to gentiles:
Required
Mandated punishment for violation:
From Heaven
Brief description:
Not to erect a stone pillar or pedestal for religious purposes, even to worship the true G-d. Worshipers of false gods established customs of erecting such pillars and placing idols upon them, to elevate them before the masses for worship. Torah Law thus prohibits using such a pillar even when no idol worship is involved, so as not even to resemble the pagan customs.

Examples:

  • Not to visit the Ka'ba Stone in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, as Muslims do.
Category:
Biblical source(s) (Rambam): Deut. 16:22
Biblical source (Sefer HaChinuch): Deut. 16:22
Number in Sefer HaChinuch: 493
Sources explaining relevance to gentiles:

  • Rambam, Mishneh Torah, Melachim 9:2
    All idolatry-related offenses forbidden for Jews, even without death penalty, are also prohibited to gentiles; erecting non-idolatrous pillars is explicitly mentioned.