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Avodah Zarah 64b

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Babylonian Talmud · folio map

Avodah Zarah 64b

Avodah Zarah 64b. The full printed text of this folio side — 16 numbered segments, about 319 words — with the classic commentaries printed on the page.

Original text

Segment 1

תַּנְיָא נָמֵי הָכִי: בַּמֶּה דְּבָרִים אֲמוּרִים? שֶׁיָּרְשׁוּ, אֲבָל נִשְׁתַּתְּפוּ — אָסוּר.

This is also taught in a baraita : In what case is this statement, that a convert and a gentile are permitted to divide up common property that includes objects of idol worship, said? This is said with regard to property that they inherited; but if they were partners, it is prohibited.

Segment 2

הֲדוּר יְתַבוּ וְקָמִיבַּעְיָא לְהוּ: גֵּר תּוֹשָׁב מַהוּ שֶׁיְּבַטֵּל עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה? דְּפָלַח — מְבַטֵּיל, דְּלָא פָּלַח — לָא מְבַטֵּיל, אוֹ דִלְמָא כֹּל דְּבַר מִינֵּיהּ מְבַטֵּיל, וְהַאי בַּר מִינֵיהּ הוּא?

§ The Gemara mentions another discussion among Rav Naḥman, Ulla, Avimi bar Pappi, and Rav Ḥiyya bar Ami. They were sitting again and a dilemma was raised before them: With regard to a gentile who resides in Eretz Yisrael and observes the seven Noahide mitzvot [ ger toshav ], including the prohibition against engaging in idol worship, what is the halakha with regard to the possibility that he can revoke the status of objects of idol worship? Is it the case that one who worships idols can revoke the status of one, but one who does not worship them cannot revoke the status of one? Or perhaps should it be reasoned that anyone who is of the same kind as idol worshippers, i.e., a gentile, can revoke its status, and a ger toshav is of the same kind as idol worshippers?

Segment 3

אֲמַר לְהוּ רַב נַחְמָן: מִסְתַּבְּרָא, דְּפָלַח — מְבַטֵּיל, דְּלָא פָּלַח — לָא מְבַטֵּיל.

Rav Naḥman said to them: It stands to reason that one who worships idols can revoke the status of one, but one who does not worship them cannot revoke the status of one.

Segment 4

מֵיתִיבִי: יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁמָּצָא עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה בַּשּׁוּק, עַד שֶׁלֹּא בָּאתָה לְיָדוֹ — אוֹמֵר לְגוֹי וּמְבַטְּלָהּ, מִשֶּׁבָּאתָה לְיָדוֹ — אֵינוֹ אוֹמֵר לְגוֹי וּמְבַטְּלָהּ; מִפְּנֵי שֶׁאָמְרוּ: גּוֹי מְבַטֵּל עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה שֶׁלּוֹ וְשֶׁל חֲבֵירוֹ, בֵּין עוֹבְדָהּ וּבֵין שֶׁאֵין עוֹבְדָהּ.

The Gemara raises an objection to this ruling from a baraita : In the case of a Jew who found an object of idol worship in the marketplace, as long as it has not yet come into his possession, he can tell a gentile, and the gentile can revoke its idolatrous status. Once it has come into his possession, he cannot tell a gentile and have the gentile revoke its status. This applies to any gentile, because the Sages said: A gentile can revoke the status of his own object of idol worship or that of another gentile, whether he worships it or whether he does not worship it.

Segment 5

מַאי ״עוֹבְדָהּ״, וּמַאי ״שֶׁאֵינוֹ עוֹבְדָהּ״? אִילֵּימָא אִידֵּי וְאִידֵּי גּוֹי, הַיְינוּ שֶׁלּוֹ וְשֶׁל חֲבֵירוֹ! אֶלָּא לָאו ״עוֹבְדָהּ״ — גּוֹי, וּמַאי ״שֶׁאֵינוֹ עוֹבְדָהּ״ — גֵּר תּוֹשָׁב, וּשְׁמַע מִינַּהּ גֵּר תּוֹשָׁב נָמֵי מְבַטֵּל!

What is meant by the phrase: Worships it, and what is meant by the phrase: Does not worship it? If we say both this and that are referring to a gentile, this is the same as the previous statement in the baraita , that a gentile can revoke the status of his own object of idol worship or that of another gentile, i.e., an object that he worships or one that another gentile worships. Rather, isn’t it to be understood that the phrase: Worships it, is referring to a gentile? And what is the meaning of the phrase: Does not worship it? It is referring to a ger toshav , who does not worship any idols. And learn from it that a ger toshav can also revoke the status of objects of idol worship.

Segment 6

לָא, לְעוֹלָם אֵימָא לָךְ: אִידֵּי וְאִידֵּי גּוֹי, וּדְקָאָמְרַתְּ הַיְינוּ ״שֶׁלּוֹ וְשֶׁל חֲבֵירוֹ״: רֵישָׁא — זֶה וָזֶה לִפְעוֹר, וְזֶה וָזֶה לְמַרְקוּלִיס; סֵיפָא — זֶה לִפְעוֹר וְזֶה לְמַרְקוּלִיס.

The Gemara rejects this explanation. No, actually, I will say to you that this phrase and that phrase are both referring to a gentile, and with regard to that which you say, that this is the same as the statement concerning his object of idol worship or that of another gentile, it can be explained as follows: The first clause is referring to a case where both gentiles worship the same idol, e.g., this one and that one both worship Peor, or this one and that one both worship Mercury, and the baraita is teaching that one can revoke the status of an idol that belongs to the other. The latter clause, which distinguishes between one who worships it and one who does not worship it, is referring to a case where this one worships Peor and that one worships Mercury, indicating that an idolater can revoke the status of an idol that he does not worship at all, but only if he is himself an idolater, as opposed to a ger toshav .

Segment 7

מֵיתִיבִי: אֵיזֶהוּ גֵּר תּוֹשָׁב? כֹּל שֶׁקִּיבֵּל עָלָיו בִּפְנֵי שְׁלֹשָׁה חֲבֵרִים שֶׁלֹּא לַעֲבוֹד עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי מֵאִיר.

The Gemara raises an objection from a baraita : Who is a ger toshav ? It is anyone who has accepted upon himself before three ḥaverim , i.e., people devoted to the meticulous observance of mitzvot, especially halakhot of ritual purity, teruma , and tithes, not to worship idols. This is the statement of Rabbi Meir.

Segment 8

וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים: כֹּל שֶׁקִּיבֵּל עָלָיו שֶׁבַע מִצְוֹת שֶׁקִּבְּלוּ עֲלֵיהֶם בְּנֵי נֹחַ.

And the Rabbis say: Anyone who has accepted upon himself observance of the seven mitzvot that the descendants of Noah accepted upon themselves is a ger toshav .

Segment 9

אֲחֵרִים אוֹמְרִים: אֵלּוּ לֹא בָּאוּ לִכְלַל גֵּר תּוֹשָׁב, אֶלָּא אֵיזֶהוּ גֵּר תּוֹשָׁב? זֶה גֵּר אוֹכֵל נְבֵילוֹת, שֶׁקִּבֵּל עָלָיו לְקַיֵּים כׇּל מִצְוֹת הָאֲמוּרוֹת בַּתּוֹרָה חוּץ מֵאִיסּוּר נְבֵילוֹת.

Others say: These have not entered the category of ger toshav . Rather, who is a ger toshav ? This is a convert who eats unslaughtered animal carcasses, which are not kosher, but who has accepted upon himself to observe all of the mitzvot that are stated in the Torah except for the prohibition against eating unslaughtered carcasses.

Segment 10

מְיַיחֲדִין אֶצְלוֹ יַיִן, וְאֵין מַפְקִידִין אֶצְלוֹ יַיִן, וַאֲפִילּוּ בְּעִיר שֶׁרוּבָּהּ יִשְׂרָאֵל, אֲבָל מְיַיחֲדִין אֶצְלוֹ יַיִן וַאֲפִילּוּ בְּעִיר שֶׁרוּבָּהּ גּוֹיִם, שַׁמְנוֹ כְּיֵינוֹ.

The baraita continues: Whatever the definition of a ger toshav , the following halakhot apply to him: One may leave him alone with wine briefly without Jewish supervision with no concern that he might use it for a libation, thereby rendering it forbidden to Jews, as he is not an idol worshipper. But one may not deposit wine with him for an extended period of time, lest he exchange it with the wine of a gentile, which is forbidden. And this applies even in a town that has a Jewish majority. But one may leave him alone with wine briefly without Jewish supervision even in a town with a majority of gentiles. His oil is treated like his wine in terms of its permissibility.

Segment 11

שַׁמְנוֹ כְּיֵינוֹ סָלְקָא דַּעְתָּךְ? שֶׁמֶן מִי קָא הָוֵי יֵין נֶסֶךְ? אֶלָּא, יֵינוֹ כְּשַׁמְנוֹ.

The Gemara interjects: His oil is like his wine? Can this enter your mind? Does the oil of a gentile become, i.e., assume the status of, wine used for a libation? Rather, the baraita should be emended as follows: His wine is like his oil. It is permitted to derive benefit from it, but not to consume it.

Segment 12

וְלִשְׁאָר כׇּל דָּבָר הֲרֵי הוּא כְּגוֹי. רַבָּן שִׁמְעוֹן אוֹמֵר: יֵינוֹ יֵין נֶסֶךְ, וְאָמְרִי לַהּ מוּתָּר בִּשְׁתִיָּה.

The baraita continues: And with regard to all other matters, a ger toshav is treated like a gentile. Rabban Shimon says: His wine is treated like wine used for a libation. And some say he says: Even drinking it is permitted.

Segment 13

קָתָנֵי מִיהָא: וְלִשְׁאָר כׇּל דְּבָרָיו הֲרֵי הוּא כְּגוֹי. לְמַאי הִלְכְתָא? לָאו דִּמְבַטֵּל עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה כְּגוֹי? אָמַר רַב נַחְמָן בַּר יִצְחָק: לֹא, לִיתֵּן רְשׁוּת וּלְבַטֵּל רְשׁוּת.

The Gemara comments on the baraita : In any event, the baraita teaches: And with regard to all other matters, a ger toshav is treated like a gentile. With regard to what halakha is this stated? Is it not teaching that he can revoke the status of an object of idol worship as a gentile can? Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak says: No, it is stated with regard to giving away rights in a domain or renouncing rights in a domain in the context of the halakhot of joining houses in courtyards for Shabbat.

Segment 14

וְכִדְתַנְיָא: יִשְׂרָאֵל מְשׁוּמָּד מְשַׁמֵּר שַׁבַּתּוֹ בַּשּׁוּק — מְבַטֵּל רְשׁוּת, שֶׁאֵין מְשַׁמֵּר שַׁבַּתּוֹ בַּשּׁוּק — אֵין מְבַטֵּל רְשׁוּת, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁאָמְרוּ: יִשְׂרָאֵל נוֹתֵן רְשׁוּת וּמְבַטֵּל רְשׁוּת.

And this is as it is taught in a baraita : An apostate Jew who nevertheless observes his Shabbat in the marketplace, i.e., in public, can renounce his rights in a shared domain so the other Jews in the domain may carry in it on Shabbat, but an apostate who does not observe his Shabbat even in the marketplace cannot renounce his rights in a domain, because the Sages said that only a Jew can give away rights in his domain or renounce his rights in his domain, and this applies in the context of joining houses in courtyards on Shabbat.

Segment 15

וּבְגוֹי — עַד שֶׁיִּשְׂכּוֹר. כֵּיצַד? אוֹמֵר לוֹ: ״רְשׁוּתִי קְנוּיָה לָךְ״, ״רְשׁוּתִי מְבוּטֶּלֶת לָךְ״ — קָנָה, וְאֵין צָרִיךְ לִזְכּוֹת.

But with regard to a gentile, this is not effective unless the Jew leases his domain in the courtyard. How so? A Jew may say to another Jew: My rights in this domain are hereby acquired by you, or: My rights in this domain are hereby renounced to you, and the other Jew thereby acquires those rights, and it is not necessary for him to take possession of it through a formal act of acquisition.

Segment 16

רַב יְהוּדָה שַׁדַּר לֵיהּ קוּרְבָּנָא

The Gemara relates: Rav Yehuda sent a gift

Avodah Zarah 64b

Avodah Zarah 64b

Rashi

Tosafot

Rashba

Ritva

Meiri

Maharsha (Chidushei Halachot)

Maharam

Gilyon HaShas

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