Avodah Zarah 1

לִפְנֵי אֵידֵיהֶן שֶׁל גּוֹיִם שְׁלשָׁה יָמִים אָסוּר לָשֵׂאת וְלָתֵת עִמָּהֶן, לְהַשְׁאִילָן וְלִשְׁאֹל מֵהֶן, לְהַלְוֹתָן וְלִלְוֹת מֵהֶן, לְפָרְעָן וְלִפָּרַע מֵהֶן. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר, נִפְרָעִין מֵהֶן מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוּא מֵצֵר לוֹ. אָמְרוּ לוֹ, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁמֵּצֵר הוּא עַכְשָׁיו, שָׂמֵחַ הוּא לְאַחַר זְמָן:

Three days before "ideihen" [(an epithet for "their festivals")] of the idolators it is forbidden to trade with them [(to sell or to buy) because they go and thank their gods (for it) on the day of their festival], to lend them [animals or vessels, things that are returned intact] or to borrow from them; to lend them [money, which is not returned intact, loans being given to be spent] or to borrow (money) from them; to pay them (a debt) [When they are paid they go and thank their god on their holiday], or to exact payment from them. R. Yehudah said: Payment may be exacted of them for they are distressed [over their lost money and will not go and thank (their god).] They said to him: Even though they are distressed now, they will be happy afterwards [on the morrow, the day of their festival, and will go and thank (their god). The halachah is not in accordance with R. Yehudah. And it is only for a written loan that it is forbidden to exact payment of them; but for a verbal loan it is permitted, it being considered as rescuing (his money from their hand)]

רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל אוֹמֵר, שְׁלשָׁה יָמִים לִפְנֵיהֶם וּשְׁלשָׁה יָמִים לְאַחֲרֵיהֶם, אָסוּר. וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים, לִפְנֵי אֵידֵיהֶן אָסוּר, לְאַחַר אֵידֵיהֶן מֻתָּר:

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.]

וְאֵלּוּ אֵידֵיהֶן שֶׁל גּוֹיִם, קָלֶנְדָּא, וּסְטַרְנוּרָא, וּקְרָטֵסִים, וְיוֹם גְּנֻסְיָא שֶׁל מְלָכִים, וְיוֹם הַלֵּידָה, וְיוֹם הַמִּיתָה, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי מֵאִיר. וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים, כָּל מִיתָה שֶׁיֶּשׁ בָּהּ שְׂרֵפָה, יֶשׁ בָּהּ עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה. וְשֶׁאֵין בָּהּ שְׂרֵפָה, אֵין בָּה עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה. יוֹם תִּגְלַחַת זְקָנוֹ וּבְלוֹרִיתוֹ, יוֹם שֶׁעָלָה בוֹ מִן הַיָּם, וְיוֹם שֶׁיָּצָא בוֹ מִבֵּית הָאֲסוּרִים, וְגוֹי שֶׁעָשָׂה מִשְׁתֶּה לִבְנוֹ, אֵינוֹ אָסוּר אֶלָּא אוֹתוֹ הַיּוֹם וְאוֹתוֹ הָאִישׁ בִּלְבָד:

And these are the festivals of the nations: the calends (the Roman New Year) [eight days after the Teveth (winter) solstice]; the Saturnalia [eight days before the solstice. When Adam saw the days growing shorter, he thought: "Woe unto me! Can it be because I have sinned that the world is returning to (primordial) emptiness and void!" — whereupon he sat eight days in fasting and in prayer. When, with the advent of the Teveth solstice, he saw the days growing progressively longer, he said: "It was (only) the natural course of things" — whereupon he celebrated an eight-day festival. The following year he established both (eight day periods as festivals). He dedicated them to Heaven; they (the heathens), to idolatry]; the Kratisis [the day of the king's investiture, which they established as a festival]; the Genusia [coronation day] of kings; the [king's] birthday; and the day of his death. These are the words of R. Meir. And the sages say: Every death where there is burning [i.e., where they burn his personal effects with him, as they do with kings], there is a festival [i.e., they establish a festival for idolatry on that day; and so, from year to year, all the days of his son. And all of the aforementioned days are of special significance to them and are forbidden (in the aforementioned activities) three days before]; and where there is no burning there is no festival day. But the day of the shaving of his beard, [which is not fixed for all, but which each one makes a festival day], and (the day of the cutting of) his locks [which he leaves behind him the whole year and which he cuts only from year to year, making a festival on that day], and the day that he comes up from the sea, [which he makes a festival day for having been saved], and the day that he is released from prison, and the day on which a gentile makes a feast for his son [-- On all of these occasions, the aforementioned activities] are forbidden, only on that day [ and not before ], and only for that man (celebrating his holiday) [because they are of relatively lesser significance.]

עִיר שֶׁיֶּשׁ בָּהּ עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, חוּצָה לָהּ מֻתָּר. הָיָה חוּצָה לָהּ עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, תּוֹכָהּ מֻתָּר. מַהוּ לֵילֵךְ לְשָׁם. בִּזְמַן שֶׁהַדֶּרֶךְ מְיֻחֶדֶת לְאוֹתוֹ מָקוֹם, אָסוּר. וְאִם הָיָה יָכוֹל לְהַלֵּךְ בָּהּ לְמָקוֹם אַחֵר, מֻתָּר. עִיר שֶׁיֶּשׁ בָּהּ עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה וְהָיוּ בָהּ חֲנֻיּוֹת מְעֻטָּרוֹת וְשֶׁאֵינָן מְעֻטָּרוֹת, זֶה הָיָה מַעֲשֶׂה בְּבֵית שְׁאָן, וְאָמְרוּ חֲכָמִים, הַמְעֻטָּרוֹת אֲסוּרוֹת וְשֶׁאֵינָן מְעֻטָּרוֹת מֻתָּרוֹת:

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).]

אֵלּוּ דְבָרִים אֲסוּרִים לִמְכֹּר לְגוֹיִם, אִצְטְרוֹבָּלִין, וּבְנוֹת שׁוּחַ וּפְטוֹטְרוֹתֵיהֶן, וּלְבוֹנָה, וְתַרְנְגוֹל הַלָּבָן. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר, מֻתָּר לִמְכּוֹר לוֹ תַּרְנְגוֹל לָבָן בֵּין הַתַּרְנְגוֹלִין. וּבִזְמַן שֶׁהוּא בִפְנֵי עַצְמוֹ, קוֹטֵעַ אֶת אֶצְבָּעוֹ וּמוֹכְרוֹ לוֹ, לְפִי שֶׁאֵין מַקְרִיבִין חָסֵר לַעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה. וּשְׁאָר כָּל הַדְּבָרִים, סְתָמָן מֻתָּר, וּפֵרוּשָׁן אָסוּר. רַבִּי מֵאִיר אוֹמֵר, אַף דֶּקֶל טָב וַחֲצָב וְנִקְלִיבָם אָסוּר לִמְכֹּר לְגוֹיִם:

These are things that it is forbidden to sell to idolators: itztroblin (fruits of a cedar), b'noth shvach [kinds of large white figs] with their spines [on which they hang, the gentile probably wishing to bring them as an offering to idolatry], and frankincense, and a white cock. R. Yehudah says: It is permitted to sell him a white cock among the others. [If a gentile buys many cocks from a Jew it is permitted to sell him a white cock among them; for since he takes others, it is apparent that he does not intend it for idolatry.] And when it is by itself, he cuts its finger and sells it to him, for they do not sacrifice a defective (animal) to idolatry. As for all other things, if he does not specify (what he will use them for) it is permitted (to sell them to him), and if he expressly states [that he desires them for idolatry], it is forbidden. [It is necessary to say this, for I might otherwise think that this man does not really want them for idolatry, but says that he does, thinking that just as he is devoted to idolatry, so are all others, and he says this, hoping that they will "come down" (on the price); we are, therefore, told that this is not so.] R. Meir says: It is also forbidden to sell to an idolator [the fruit of] a choice palm, [which are customarily offered to idolatry], chatzav [sugar cane], and niklivam [an unusually fine herb. The halachah is in accordance with R. Meir.]

מְקוֹם שֶׁנָּהֲגוּ לִמְכֹּר בְּהֵמָה דַקָּה לְגוֹיִם, מוֹכְרִין. מְקוֹם שֶׁנָּהֲגוּ שֶׁלֹּא לִמְכֹּר, אֵין מוֹכְרִין. וּבְכָל מָקוֹם אֵין מוֹכְרִין לָהֶם בְּהֵמָה גַסָּה, עֲגָלִים וּסְיָחִים, שְׁלֵמִים וּשְׁבוּרִין. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה מַתִּיר בִּשְׁבוּרָה. וּבֶן בְּתֵירָה מַתִּיר בְּסוּס:

In a place where it was the custom to sell a small animal to idolators, they (are permitted to) sell. In a place where it was the custom not to sell, [where they were stringent with themselves, lest they come to sell a large one], they do not sell. And in all places it is not permitted to sell a large animal to them, [the rabbis having decreed (against it) lest he lend or rent his beast to an idolator (who might work with it on Shabbath), and a Jew is exhorted vis-à-vis the resting of his animal (on the Sabbath). And through sirsur (brokerage), which would not be confused with renting, the broker, not renting, it is permitted to sell it.] (And it is not permitted to sell them) calves or young asses, sound or broken. [For even the broken ones are fit for (some kind of) work, [e.g., grinding]. R. Yehudah permits (selling) an unsound beast. [And the halachah is not in accordance with R. Yehudah.] And Ben Betheirah permits (selling) a horse, [even a horse upon which the hunters ride the birds with which they hunt, holding that "a living being carries itself." And the Rabbis hold that it is only a human being that carries itself. Therefore, if it were used only for riding, then (selling) it is permitted. But to carry a different living thing other than a human being is forbidden. And the halachah is not in accordance with Ben Betheirah.]

אֵין מוֹכְרִין לָהֶם דֻּבִּין וַאֲרָיוֹת וְכָל דָּבָר שֶׁיֶּשׁ בּוֹ נֵזֶק לָרַבִּים. אֵין בּוֹנִין עִמָּהֶם בָּסִילְקִי, גַּרְדּוֹם, וְאִצְטַדְיָא, וּבִימָה. אֲבָל בּוֹנִים עִמָּהֶם בִּימוֹסְיָאוֹת וּבֵית מֶרְחֲצָאוֹת. הִגִּיעוּ לַכִּפָּה שֶׁמַּעֲמִידִין בָּהּ עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, אָסוּר לִבְנוֹת:

We do not sell them bears or lions or anything that can cause harm to the public, [such as weapons of war, swords and spears]; we do not build with them basilicae [high towers where they sit to judge men, and whence they throw them to their death, a gardom [a building where they judge capital cases], stadiums [sports arenas, where they bring goring bulls to kill men], and a bima [a narrow high tower, whence they push men to their death]. But we do build with them bimusioth [buildings which are neither for the purpose of idolatry or for execution] and bath houses. When they reach the dome, where their idols are placed, it is forbidden to continue building.

וְאֵין עוֹשִׂין תַּכְשִׁיטִין לַעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, קֻטְלָאוֹת וּנְזָמִים וְטַבָּעוֹת. רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר, בְּשָׂכָר מֻתָּר. אֵין מוֹכְרִין לָהֶם בִּמְחֻבָּר לַקַּרְקַע, אֲבָל מוֹכֵר הוּא מִשֶּׁיִּקָּצֵץ. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר, מוֹכֵר הוּא לוֹ עַל מְנָת לָקוֹץ. אֵין מַשְׂכִּירִין לָהֶם בָּתִּים בְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְאֵין צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר שָׂדוֹת. וּבְסוּרְיָא מַשְׂכִּירִין לָהֶם בָּתִּים, אֲבָל לֹא שָׂדוֹת. וּבְחוּץ לָאָרֶץ מוֹכְרִין לָהֶם בָּתִּים וּמַשְׂכִּירִין שָׂדוֹת, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי מֵאִיר. רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אוֹמֵר, בְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל מַשְׂכִּירִין לָהֶם בָּתִּים, אֲבָל לֹא שָׂדוֹת. וּבְסוּרְיָא מוֹכְרִין בָּתִּים וּמַשְׂכִּירִין שָׂדוֹת. וּבְחוּצָה לָאָרֶץ מוֹכְרִין אֵלּוּ וָאֵלּוּ:

We do not sell them what is attached to the ground, [it being written (Deuteronomy 7:2): "velo techanem" ("Give them no resting") in the land]; but it may be sold when it is cut off. R. Yehudah says: One may sell it to him on condition that it will be cut. We may not rent them houses in Eretz Yisrael [(a decree to forestall selling them, a Torah prohibition)]; and it goes without saying [that it is forbidden to rent] fields, [where two prohibitions obtain, "resting" in the land and releasing the land from tithes.] And in Suria [Aram Tzovah, conquered by David, and not of the sanctity of Eretz Yisrael] it is permitted to rent them houses [and we do not decree against it to forestall selling. For even if he did sell he would not be in violation of a Torah prohibition, for "Give them no resting" is written only in respect to Eretz Yisrael. But it may not be sold ab initio, in order to forestall selling in Eretz Yisrael.] But fields may not (be sold) [because two prohibitions relate to them (see above).] And [far] outside of Eretz Yisrael [where selling is not to be decreed against to forestall selling in Eretz Yisrael], houses are sold to them and fields are rented, [but fields are not sold, because two prohibitions relate to them.] These are the words of R. Meir. R. Yossi says: In Eretz Yisrael houses are rented to them, but not fields. And in Suria houses are sold and fields rented. And outside Eretz Yisrael both are sold. [The halachah is in accordance with R. Yossi, provided that he does not rent to three gentiles together, so that he not make a neighborhood of gentiles.]

אַף בִּמְקוֹם שֶׁאָמְרוּ לְהַשְׂכִּיר, לֹא לְבֵית דִּירָה אָמְרוּ, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוּא מַכְנִיס לְתוֹכוֹ עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים ז) וְלֹא תָבִיא תוֹעֵבָה אֶל בֵּיתֶךָ. וּבְכָל מָקוֹם לֹא יַשְׂכִּיר לוֹ אֶת הַמֶּרְחָץ, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוּא נִקְרָא עַל שְׁמוֹ:

Even in a place where they permitted renting, [(according to R. Meir, in Suria alone and not in Eretz Yisrael; and, according to R. Yossi, even in Eretz Yisrael)], they did so, not for dwelling, [(but only to store there straw, wood, and the like)] because he (the idolator) brings idolatry into it (his house), it being written (Deuteronomy 3:27): "You shall not bring idolatry into your house." And in any place, he may not rent him his bath house, for it is called by his (the Jew's) name, [and the gentile heats it on Shabbath, and people will come to say: "This Jew's bath house is open on Shabbath." This is not comparable to the instance of a Jew's field which a gentile lessee (aris) works on Shabbath. For a field is made for leasing and the gentile does his own work (and not that of the Jew). But a bath house is not made for leasing and not everyone knows that a Jew rented it to the gentile. For this reason it is forbidden. And in our days, when it is common to lease a bath house for a year, a half-year, a third, or a quarter, as a field (is leased), it is permitted to rent a bath house to a gentile. And even though the gentile works there on Shabbath, people know that the gentile is a leaseholder there and that he is doing his own work.]