R. Yishmael says: Three days before and three days afterwards it is forbidden, and the sages say: Before their festivals it is forbidden and afterwards it is permitted. [And this is the halachah. And in the exile where we cannot prevent ourselves from dealing with them, their being the major source of our livelihood, and also, because we fear them, only their festival day itself is forbidden. And today it is regarded as permitted even on the day itself, the rabbis taking it for granted that they do not go and thank (their god); for all that is forbidden in this tractate obtains with actual idolators and idolatry only.]
Bartenura on Mishnah Avodah Zarah
לאחר אידיהן מותר – And such is the Halakha. But in the Diaspora, where we are unable to contain ourselves from engaging in business with them, since the principal part of our sustenance is from them, and furthermore, because of fear, it is not prohibited [to do business with them] other than only on the day of their holy days alone. But nowadays, there is the general practice of permission [to engage in business interaction with them] even on the actual day of their festivals, because the Rabbis established regarding them that they do not go and praise [their deities]. [But those things that are forbidden in this Tractate speaks about idolatrous worship and actual idolatry].
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English Explanation of Mishnah Avodah Zarah
Introduction
Today’s mishnah is a continuation of the mishnah we learned yesterday, which stated that it is forbidden to conduct transactions with non-Jews three days before their festivals, lest they offer sacrifices or libations to their gods for their transactions with Jews.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Avodah Zarah
Rabbi Ishmael says on the three preceding days and the three following days it is forbidden; But the Sages say: before their festivities it is forbidden, but after their festivities it is permitted. Rabbi Ishmael states that not only is it forbidden to make transactions with non-Jews during the three days before a pagan holiday but it is also forbidden during the three days following the holiday. In the Palestinian Talmud two potential reasons are given for Rabbi Ishmael’s statement. The first is that non-Jews continue to celebrate for three days after their holidays are over and therefore these three days are also forbidden. The second is that if the non-Jew knows that he will not be able to conduct business with the Jew after his holiday, he will be depressed during his holiday and he will engage in less idol worship. The Sages, who are the same Sages who expressed their opinion in the previous mishnah, prohibit only the three days preceding the holiday and not the three days following.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Avodah Zarah
Questions for Further Thought: • What is the qualitative difference between the two reasons given for prohibiting the conduct of business during the three days following the pagan holiday?
