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I am an Italian Noahide.

in Mishneh Torah Hilchot-Avodah Zarah 9:4-, Rambam states that Christians are idolaters.

Now, in various editions of the work, including the one available on the Chabad website, unless I am mistaken, the Hebrew expression used by Rambam would be "ovedei kokhavim umazalot". However, I read that, according to the authoritative Yemeni manuscripts of the work, Rambam used the Hebrew expression “ovedei avodah zarah.”

Is what I read correct? And if it is, for what reasons is this textual variant found?

Amos74
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    Many times the term Avoda Zara was changed to Kochavim Umazalot due to the censors that would take it out because they were idol worshipers. But if it said Kochavim umazalot they would let it through since they didn't serve the stars and constellations. – Moishe Feb 15 '24 at 21:37
  • https://judaism.stackexchange.com/a/47763/2394 – Deuteronomy Feb 15 '24 at 23:52
  • Mechon Mamre's edition of Mishneh Torah, which it claims to be "לפי הנוסח של רוב כתבי היד התימניים" (based on majority of Yemenite manuscripts), has "עובדי עבודה זרה", as does the Qafiḥ edition (which claims to be "עפ"י מספר כתבי יד היותר מדויקים ומהימנים של יהודי תימן", "based on the most accurate and reliable Yemenite manuscripts"), as can be seen here. – Tamir Evan Feb 16 '24 at 14:34
  • @TamirEvan 👍👍 – Amos74 Feb 16 '24 at 20:54
  • "Now, in various editions of the work, including the one available on the Chabad website, unless I am mistaken, the Hebrew expression used by Rambam would be 'ovedei kokhavim umazalot'." It's more than that: The edition brought by the Chabad website has 'כְּנַעֲנִים'/'Canaanites' instead of 'נוצרים'/'Christians'. – Tamir Evan Feb 17 '24 at 16:51
  • "in Mishneh Torah Hilchot-Avodah Zarah 9:4-, Rambam states that Christians are idolaters." He does so also in Ma'achalot Assurot 11:7... – Tamir Evan Feb 17 '24 at 16:53
  • ...There, the edition brought by the Chabad website has "אוֹתָם הָעוֹבְדִים עַכּוּ''ם" ("those who worship false deities") instead, but in the footnotes (No. 24) says "[t]he uncensored text reads, 'Christians, by contrast, are idolaters. It is forbidden to benefit....'". – Tamir Evan Feb 17 '24 at 16:59

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