The prohibition of Avodah Zarah — literally "foreign worship" or idolatry — is considered by many authorities to be the cornerstone of all Noahide law. At its core, this commandment requires monotheism: the acknowledgment that there is one God, the Creator of everything, who is incorporeal, eternal, and unique. This does not merely mean believing in God as an abstract concept, but actively rejecting the worship of any other being, object, or idea in God's place. The prohibition encompasses bowing to idols, offering them sacrifices, swearing by their names, and any other form of divine service directed at anything other than the one God. The halachic literature explores many nuanced questions: what counts as "worship"? Are there permissible ways to honor religious figures without crossing into idolatry? The detailed discussions in the Talmud and in works like Maimonides' Mishneh Torah provide a rich framework for Noahides seeking to understand how this ancient law applies in the modern world.