Can photographs of people be considered idols? Is it the kavanot that the viewer ascribes that is important or is it inherent in a 2D image of a face?
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1I read that the Satmar Rav z"l advised his Chasidim to burn photographs in their possession. If this is true, I don't know if he thought this was the letter of the law, or an extra act of piety. – Dec 17 '13 at 00:14
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Similar: http://judaism.stackexchange.com/q/26841 – msh210 Dec 17 '13 at 03:35
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related http://judaism.stackexchange.com/q/29031/759 – Double AA Dec 17 '13 at 03:47
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Duplicate of http://judaism.stackexchange.com/questions/26841/is-it-allowed-to-make-paintings-of-living-creatures ? – Shmuel Apr 14 '14 at 06:12
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A photograph can be considered an idol if there's someone who's worshipped it as one, same as most anything else. If it was made by a (halachically non-Jewish) religionist as an idol of his religion's, it's considered such even before it's worshipped (Shulchan Aruch, YD 139:1). Therefore, certain pictures should be assumed to be idols absent knowledge to the contrary (SA 141:1–3); which pictures that rule applies to depends on the time and place (Shach 141:17, Beur Hag'ra :18). But there's nothing inherent in photographs of people that makes them all into idols. As always, for practical questions, contact your rabbi rather than relying on what you read here.
msh210
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