07-07-2020, 08:56 PM
Hi, I wanted to start a new thread but was unable to figure out how that is done. I have a question about bowing down to other people. I realize that Mordechai refused to bow to Haman in the Purim story so we learn that bowing to an idol is forbidden. On the other hand, we see that in Genesis 18:2 Abraham bowed before the Arabs who were approaching him. Bereshis 18:2 "And he lifted his eyes and saw, and behold, three men were standing beside him, and he saw and he ran toward them from the entrance of the tent, and he prostrated himself to the ground." Can we infer from this that it is permissible to bow to a person as long as they are not presenting themself as an idol for worship?