A city which worshipped a certain idolatry — [on the day of its festival for that idolatry] — outside of it, [even very close to that city] it is permitted [to do business with its inhabitants (who do not worship that idolatry). For it was their custom that the festival day of the one did not fall on the festival day of the other.] If there were [a festival for] idolatry outside of it, then within it, it is permitted [to do business]. Is it permitted to go there [to that city on the day of its festival?] If the way is paved [specifically] to that place, it is forbidden [to go there. For he thereby gives the impression that he is going to serve that idolatry] And if he could walk upon it [i.e., if the road were also paved] to another city, it is permitted, [for the observer could think that he is going there] A city that served idolatry, with shops, some decorated, [a sign that the priests collected from them a tariff for idolatry] some undecorated — this transpired in Beth Shean, and the sages ruled: the decorated ones are forbidden and the undecorated ones, permitted. [For these did not collect tariff for idolatry, and no benefit would accrue to idolatry thereby. (And to buy from them "something that endures" on their festival day is permitted, for the seller will be sad (for parting with it) and will not go and thank (his god for the business).]
Bartenura on Mishnah Avodah Zarah
עיר שיש בה ע"ז – that the day of their festival the people of the city have a day for idolatrous worship who are in the city.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
English Explanation of Mishnah Avodah Zarah
Introduction
This mishnah provides some exceptions to the prohibition of conducting business with non-Jews during their festivals.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Bartenura on Mishnah Avodah Zarah
חוצה לה – and even very near the city, it is permissible to engage in business with those who dwell outside the city, for they are not drawn after that idolatry, and such is their practice. The day of their festival [of those in the city] Is not like the day of the festival [of those outside the city].
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
English Explanation of Mishnah Avodah Zarah
When an idolatrous [festival] takes place within a city it is permitted [to conduct business with non-Jews] outside it. If the idolatrous [festival] takes place outside it, [business] is permitted within it. The prohibition of conducting business with non-Jews during their holidays is limited to the city that is actually celebrating the holiday. Outside of the city it is permitted to conduct business with them. The type of holiday referred to in this mishnah is probably a local holiday and not one that would have been observed throughout the land.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Bartenura on Mishnah Avodah Zarah
מהו לילך שם – in the same city on the day of their idolatrous worship.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
English Explanation of Mishnah Avodah Zarah
Is it permitted to go there? If the road leads solely to that place, it is forbidden; But if one can go by it to any other place, it is permitted. This section begins with a question, a literary form that is not typical for mishnah. The question is: can one go to this city on the day of the celebration? If the answer to this question were to be categorically affirmative, stating that Jews are not allowed to even travel on the road to that city, it would create another fence to prevent Jews from aiding non-Jews in their celebrations. However, the answer is not categorical. Rather, a Jew may travel on the road to this city as long as the road leads to other places as well. If it only leads to this place then it is forbidden. After all, if the Jew was travelling to this place on the holiday and the road only travels to that city, he is obviously going to transgress the prohibition, or perhaps even worse, to actually celebrate with them.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Bartenura on Mishnah Avodah Zarah
בזמן שהדרך מיוחדת לאותה העיר – that the paved road from here to that city, is unique to that city alone, it is forbidden to go there, because it appears as one who is going there for idolatrous worship, and if there was a course of the road also goes to another city, it is permitted, for one who sees it states, “he is going to another place.”
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
English Explanation of Mishnah Avodah Zarah
A city in which an idolatrous festival is taking place, some of its shops being decorated and some not decorated this was the case with Beth-Shean, and the Sages said: in the decorated stores it is forbidden [to buy] but in the undecorated ones it is permitted. This section is addressed to the Jew who is already located in the non-Jewish city on the day of their celebration. We might have thought that he is not to distinguish at all between non-Jews and that it is forbidden to conduct business with any of them. In this section we learn that the prohibition is limited to those actually demonstrating that they are celebrating the holiday. A storekeeper who does not decorate his store is evidently not celebrating, and therefore it is permitted to conduct business with him. We should note that in this case the Rabbis are lenient even though it is not totally clear that this non-Jew will not celebrate later on. In other words, although there is a chance that later the non-Jew will offer sacrifices to his god for the transaction with the Jew, since this is unlikely it is permitted. It is interesting to note the direction of this mishnah: the first section is directed at those found outside of the city, the second at those outside of the city who are coming into the city and the third at those who are inside the city.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Bartenura on Mishnah Avodah Zarah
היו בה חנויות מעוטרות – and the sign for them is that those stores are idolatrous, to collect taxes from them.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
English Explanation of Mishnah Avodah Zarah
Questions for Further Thought: • Section two: Is a Jew permitted to travel to the city if the road leads to other cities? If so, why? • This mishnah might remind us of the modern holiday celebrations surrounding Christmas. How does the situation here compare and contrast with the modern situation?
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy
Bartenura on Mishnah Avodah Zarah
ושאינן מעוטרות מותרות – and those which are not wreathed, they don’t take taxes from him for idolatry, and they don’t bring to the idolatry any benefit from them, and to purchase from them something of value, is permissible on the day of their festival, for generally one who sells is sad [when he sells something he values] and does not go and praise [idolatry].
