Ein Tier darf nicht in den Gasthäusern von Götzendienern stehen [wo Wanderer wohnen], denn Götzendiener stehen im Verdacht der Sodomie. [Dies ist sogar bei Frauen (Bestien) gegenüber Frauen verboten. Denn Götzendiener sind mit den Frauen ihrer Freunde vertraut und können das Tier manchmal benutzen, wenn sie sie nicht finden.] Und eine Frau ist möglicherweise nicht allein mit ihnen, denn sie stehen im Verdacht illegaler Beziehungen. [Sogar eine Art Yichud ("allein sein"), die mit einem Juden erlaubt ist (wie mit einer Jüdin und einem Juden, wenn seine Frau bei ihm ist), ist für eine Jüdin und einen Götzendiener verboten; denn seine Frau "bewacht" ihn nicht.] Und ein Mann kann nicht allein mit ihnen sein, denn sie sind verdächtig zu töten. Eine Jüdin darf keinen Nichtjuden befreien, denn sie liefert damit einen Sohn für den Götzendienst. [Aber gegen eine Gebühr ist es erlaubt, keinen Hass zu erzeugen.] Aber ein Nichtjude kann eine Jüdin befreien [wenn andere Juden über ihr stehen, aber nicht, wenn sie allein sind; denn sie stehen im Verdacht, Blut zu vergießen (dh sie könnte das Kind töten)]. Eine Jüdin darf das Kind eines Nichtjuden nicht stillen; aber ein Nichtjude kann das Kind eines Juden in seinem Haus pflegen.
Bartenura on Mishnah Avodah Zarah
אין מעמידין בהמה בפונדקאות – that are made to harbor passers through there because idolaters are suspect of carnal connection with beasts and even females with females are prohibited because the idolaters are found with the wives of their friends and sometimes they don’t find her and they copulate with the beasts.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Avodah Zarah
Introduction
This mishnah teaches that non-Jewish idol worshippers are suspected of several heinous sins: bestiality, sexual licentiousness and murder. This mishnah adopts a very harsh attitude towards the idolaters at the time. We should remind ourselves that according to later Jewish law, non-Jews who did not engage in such practices were not subject to these laws.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Avodah Zarah
ולא תתיחד אשה עמהן – even the privacy between a man and a woman and something similar with an Israelite is permissible, such as when his wife is with him, [but] with an idolater, it is prohibited, since the wife of an idolater does not protect him.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Avodah Zarah
One should not place animals in inns of non-Jews, because they are suspected of bestiality. Non-Jewish idolaters are suspected of bestiality. Therefore Jews should not place animals in their inns. By doing so they would be encouraging the non-Jew to engage in bestiality, which according to Jewish ideology is also forbidden to non-Jews. It is one of the seven “Noahide” commandments which are incumbent upon non-Jews to observe.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Avodah Zarah
לא תילד את העובדת כוכבים – because she raises a son for idolatry but with payment, it is permitted, for the sake of preventing ill-will.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Avodah Zarah
A woman should not be alone with them, because they are suspected of licentiousness; Nor should a man be alone with them, because they are suspected of shedding blood. Jewish women should not be alone with non-Jewish idolaters for they are suspected of being rapists. Jewish men should not be alone with non-Jewish idolaters for they are suspected of being murderers.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Avodah Zarah
אבל עובדת כוכבים מילדת את בת ישראל – at the time when other women stand by her, but not between him and her, for they are suspected of murder, lest she kills him.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Avodah Zarah
A Jewish woman should not act as midwife to a non-Jewish woman, because she would be delivering a child for idolatry. But a non-Jewish woman may act as midwife to a Jewish woman. A Jewish woman should not act as midwife for a non-Jew for this would abet idol worship. In the Talmud it is explained that this is only prohibited if the Jewish woman works for free. If she is paid for her work it is permitted. A non-Jewish woman may act as a midwife for a Jewish woman.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Avodah Zarah
A Jewish woman should not suckle the child of a non-Jewish woman, But a non-Jewish woman may suckle the child of a Jewish woman in her premises. A Jewish woman may not act as a wet-nurse for a non-Jewish child. This is for the same reason that she may not act as a midwife. A non-Jewish woman may be a wet-nurse to a Jewish child, provided she nurse the child on the premises of the Jewish family. The Jewish family may not give over their child to the non-Jewish woman for fear that she will kill the child.
