Avodah Zarah 2

אֵין מַעֲמִידִין בְּהֵמָה בְּפֻנְדְּקָאוֹת שֶׁל גּוֹיִם, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁחֲשׁוּדִין עַל הָרְבִיעָה. וְלֹא תִתְיַחֵד אִשָּׁה עִמָּהֶן, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁחֲשׁוּדִין עַל הָעֲרָיוֹת. וְלֹא יִתְיַחֵד אָדָם עִמָּהֶן, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁחֲשׁוּדִין עַל שְׁפִיכַת דָּמִים. בַּת יִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא תְיַלֵּד אֶת הַנָּכְרִית, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁמְּיַלֶּדֶת בֵּן לַעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה. אֲבָל נָכְרִית מְיַלֶּדֶת בַּת יִשְׂרָאֵל. בַּת יִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא תָנִיק בְּנָהּ שֶׁל נָכְרִית, אֲבָל נָכְרִית מְנִיקָה בְנָהּ שֶׁל יִשְׂרְאֵלִית בִּרְשׁוּתָהּ:

A beast may not be stood at the inns of idolators, [where wayfarers lodge], for idolators are suspect of sodomy. [This is even forbidden with female (beasts) vis-à-vis females. For idolators are familiar with their friends' wives, and sometimes, not finding them, might use the beast.] And a woman may not be alone with them, for they are suspect of illicit relations. [Even a type of yichud ("being alone") which is permitted with a Jew (as with a Jewess and a Jew, when his wife is with him) is forbidden for a Jewess and an idolator; for his wife does not "guard" him.] And a man may not be alone with them, for they are suspect of killing. A Jewess may not deliver a gentile, for she thereby delivers a son for idolatry. [But for a fee it is permitted, so as not to generate hatred.] But a gentile may deliver a Jewess [when other Jews are standing over her, but not when they are alone; for they are suspect of blood-spilling (i.e., she might kill the child)]. A Jewess may not nurse the child of a gentile; but a gentile may nurse the child of a Jew in her (the Jew's) home.

מִתְרַפְּאִין מֵהֶן רִפּוּי מָמוֹן, אֲבָל לֹא רִפּוּי נְפָשׁוֹת. וְאֵין מִסְתַּפְּרִין מֵהֶן בְּכָל מָקוֹם, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי מֵאִיר. וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים, בִּרְשׁוּת הָרַבִּים מֻתָּר, אֲבָל לֹא בֵינוֹ לְבֵינוֹ:

It is permitted to be healed by them, a healing of money [i.e., one's animals], but not a healing of souls [i.e., one's body. And if he says to him: "This medicine is good for you," even the healing of his body is permitted therewith.] And one may not have his hair cut by them in all places. These are the words of R. Meir. And the sages say: In the public domain it is permitted; but not in privy. [And if he (who is having his hair cut) looks in a mirror, it is permitted. For the gentile will think, since he does this, he must be a distinguished person, and he will be afraid to kill him.]

אֵלּוּ דְבָרִים שֶׁל גּוֹיִם אֲסוּרִין וְאִסּוּרָן אִסּוּר הֲנָאָה. הַיַּיִן, וְהַחֹמֶץ שֶׁל גּוֹיִם שֶׁהָיָה מִתְּחִלָּתוֹ יַיִן, וְחֶרֶס הַדְרִיָּנִי, וְעוֹרוֹת לְבוּבִין. רַבָּן שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן גַּמְלִיאֵל אוֹמֵר, בִּזְמַן שֶׁהַקֶּרַע שֶׁלּוֹ עָגוֹל, אָסוּר. מָשׁוּךְ, מֻתָּר. בָּשָׂר הַנִּכְנָס לַעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, מֻתָּר. וְהַיּוֹצֵא, אָסוּר, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוּא כְזִבְחֵי מֵתִים, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא. הַהוֹלְכִין לַתַּרְפּוּת, אָסוּר לָשֵׂאת וְלָתֵת עִמָּהֶם. וְהַבָּאִין, מֻתָּרִין:

These things of the idolators are forbidden (to a Jew), and their issur (prohibition) is an issur of (derivation of) benefit: (their) wine, and the vinegar of an idolator, which, in the beginning, was wine [to exclude the gentile's having bought vinegar from a Jew, in which instance benefit is not forbidden. For the reason benefit is forbidden is that he might have offered it as a libation to idolatry, and vinegar is not offered as a libation]; and Hadrianic earthenware [The emperor Hadrian would knead clay with wine and make vessels of it without smelting it in an oven. They would take these to war, and when they wished they would place the shards in water, in which they would dissolve. The clay would sink to the bottom and the wine would remain diluted in the water — thus the name "Hadrianic earthenware"]; and "heart-hides," ("oroth levuvin") [so called because they would make a round hole (in the hide) from which they extracted the heart (lev) and offered it up to idolatry.] R. Shimon b. Gamliel says: When its (the hide's) cut is round, it is forbidden; when it is extended (in a straight line), it is permitted; [for only a round cut is made for idolatry. The halachah is in accordance with R. Shimon b. Gamliel.] It is permitted (to derive benefit from) flesh that goes in to (be offered to) idolatry (it not yet having been offered) and it is forbidden (to derive benefit from) flesh that goes out, [it already having been devoted to idolatry]; for it is like "the sacrifices of the dead" (Psalms 106:28). These are the words of R. Akiva. Those who go to tarputh [idolatrous debauchery (from "beth tarpah," a woman's pudendum)] — it is forbidden to deal with them; [for they then go and thank their idolatry (for the sale), and, what is more, they buy (with the proceeds) what they need for their idolatrous offerings.) The halachah is in accordance with R. Akiva.]

נוֹדוֹת הַגּוֹיִם וְקַנְקַנֵּיהֶן וְיַיִן שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל כָּנוּס בָּהֶן, אֲסוּרִין, וְאִסּוּרָן אִסּוּר הֲנָאָה, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי מֵאִיר. וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים, אֵין אִסּוּרָן אִסּוּר הֲנָאָה. הַחַרְצַנִּים וְהַזַּגִּין שֶׁל גּוֹיִם אֲסוּרִין, וְאִסּוּרָן אִסּוּר הֲנָאָה, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי מֵאִיר. וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים, לַחִין, אֲסוּרִין, יְבֵשִׁין, מֻתָּרִין. הַמֻּרְיָס וּגְבִינוֹת בֵּית אֻנְיָקִי שֶׁל גּוֹיִם אֲסוּרִין, וְאִסּוּרָן אִסּוּר הֲנָאָה, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי מֵאִיר. וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים, אֵין אִסּוּרָן אִסּוּר הֲנָאָה:

The [leathern] skins of the gentiles and their [earthenware], vessels, and the wine of a Jew inside them are forbidden, and their issur (prohibition) is an issur of (derivation of) benefit. These are the words of R. Meir. And the sages say: Their issur is not an issur of benefit. [And this is their din: If they are new, it is permitted to put wine in them immediately. And if the gentile had placed wine in them to keep, he fills them with water which he leaves there for three full days, spilling out the water every full day of the three days and replacing it with fresh water, after which it is permitted to put wine in them. And if twelve months had passed without a gentile's wine being in them, they are permitted immediately thereafter without emptying.] The shells and kernels (of grapes) of a gentile are forbidden, and their issur is an issur of benefit. These are the words of R. Meir. And the sages say: Wet ones are forbidden [all twelve months, in derivation of benefit], and dry ones are permitted [to eat, after twelve months.] The muries [(fish) brine, into which they used to put wine)] and the cheeses of the gentiles of Beth Unyaki [a village in which most of the calves were sacrificed to idolatry] are forbidden in (derivation of) benefit. These are the words of R. Meir. [R. Meir is apprehensive of the minority (of instances), holding that even though the majority of the calves are a minority relative to the other animals, we are apprehensive of the minority, and vis-à-vis all the cheeses that are found there we are afraid they may have been curdled in the stomachs of calves sacrificed to idolatry.] And the sages say: Their issur is not an issur of benefit. [The sages are not apprehensive of the minority. The halachah is not in accordance with R. Meir in all of these three instances.]

אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה, שָׁאַל רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל אֶת רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ, כְּשֶׁהָיוּ מְהַלְּכִין בַּדֶּרֶךְ. אָמַר לוֹ, מִפְּנֵי מָה אָסְרוּ גְבִינוֹת הַגּוֹיִם. אָמַר לוֹ, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁמַּעֲמִידִין אוֹתָהּ בְּקֵבָה שֶׁל נְבֵלָה. אָמַר לוֹ, וַהֲלֹא קֵבַת עוֹלָה חֲמוּרָה מִקֵּבַת נְבֵלָה, וְאָמְרוּ, כֹּהֵן שֶׁדַּעְתּוֹ יָפָה, שׂוֹרְפָהּ חַיָּה. וְלֹא הוֹדוּ לוֹ, אֲבָל אָמְרוּ, אֵין נֶהֱנִין וְלֹא מוֹעֲלִין. חָזַר, אָמַר לוֹ, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁמַּעֲמִידִין אוֹתָהּ בְּקֵבַת עֶגְלֵי עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה. אָמַר לוֹ, אִם כֵּן, לָמָּה לֹא אֲסָרוּהָ בַהֲנָאָה. הִשִּׂיאוֹ לְדָבָר אַחֵר, אָמַר לוֹ, יִשְׁמָעֵאל אָחִי, הֵיאַךְ אַתָּה קוֹרֵא (שיר השירים א), כִּי טוֹבִים דֹּדֶיךָ מִיָּיִן, אוֹ כִּי טוֹבִים דֹּדַיִךְ. אָמַר לוֹ, כִּי טוֹבִים דֹּדַיִךְ. אָמַר לוֹ, אֵין הַדָּבָר כֵּן, שֶׁהֲרֵי חֲבֵרוֹ מְלַמֵּד עָלָיו, לְרֵיחַ שְׁמָנֶיךָ טוֹבִים:

R. Yehudah said: R. Yishmael asked R. Yehoshua as they were walking along the road: Why were the cheeses of idolators forbidden [to eat]? [The query is to the Rabbis. There is no need to be apprehensive of the milk of an unclean animal for we know that such milk does not curdle.] He answered: Because they curdle them in the maw of carrion. R. Yishmael: But is the maw of a burnt-offering not more stringent (vis-à-vis derivation of benefit) than that of carrion, not withstanding which they said: A Cohein who can tolerate it quaffs it raw, [it being nothing more than a secretion]! (And they did not concede it to him [to permit it ab initio] but told him: It is not permitted to derive benefit from it, but a meilah [abuse of sacred property] offering is not brought [if benefit were derived from it]). Then he (R. Yehoshua) repeated: Because they curdle it in the maw of calves (devoted to) idolatry. [And even though it is a mere secretion, it is forbidden, it being written in respect to idolatry (Deuteronomy 13:18): "And let there adhere to your hand naught from the spoil."] He (R. Yishmael) thereupon asked: If so, why did they not forbid derivation of benefit from it? — whereupon he diverted him to another matter, [but he did not want to give the reason for it, for twelve months had not yet elapsed since the issuance of this decree; and when the rabbis issue a decree they do not reveal its reason until the thirteenth month (from its issuance) until it has taken hold, lest there be one who will question the reason and come to cheapen it. And the reason that they forbade the cheeses of gentiles is that they curdle it in the skin of the maw of the slaughtered animals of gentiles, which is neveilah (carrion). And though it is negligible relative to all of the milk, still, since it curdles the milk and acts upon it, it is not nullified, the rule being: "All goes according to the catalyst." And the interdiction against milk and meat would not forbid it, for if the meat itself were permitted, it would not forbid the milk, though it curdled it until it imparted a flavor (of meat) to it. But a thing which is forbidden in itself (e.g., neveilah) forbids the permitted even if it does not impart a flavor to it, so long as it curdles it.] ("whereupon he diverted him to a different matter") asking him: Yishmael how do you read it (Song of Songs 1:2): "for your [Israel's] love [of the L rd] ('dodecha') is better than wine," or: "for Your [the L rd's] love [of Israel] ('dodayich') is better than wine"? He answered: "for better is dodayich" — whereupon he (R. Yehoshua) said: It is not so, as is indicated by what follows (3): "For fragrance Your oils are good, etc." (the context clearly indicating that Israel is addressing the L rd). [Israel is saying before the Holy One Blessed be He: "Sweeter to me are the words of dodecha (Your loved ones, i.e., the measures ordained and decreed by the sages) more than 'the wine of Torah,' (the written Torah itself)."]

אֵלּוּ דְבָרִים שֶׁל גּוֹיִם אֲסוּרִין וְאֵין אִסּוּרָן אִסּוּר הֲנָאָה. חָלָב שֶׁחֲלָבוֹ גוֹי וְאֵין יִשְׂרָאֵל רוֹאֵהוּ, וְהַפַּת, וְהַשֶּׁמֶן שֶׁלָּהֶן. רַבִּי וּבֵית דִּינוֹ הִתִּירוּ בַשֶּׁמֶן. וּשְׁלָקוֹת, וּכְבָשִׁין שֶׁדַּרְכָּן לָתֵת לְתוֹכָן יַיִן וָחֹמֶץ, וְטָרִית טְרוּפָה, וְצִיר שֶׁאֵין בָּהּ דָּגָה כִלְבִּית שׁוֹטֶטֶת בּוֹ, וְהַחִלָּק, וְקֹרֶט שֶׁל חִלְתִּית, וּמֶלַח סַלְקוֹנְטִית, הֲרֵי אֵלּוּ אֲסוּרִין וְאֵין אִסּוּרָן אִסּוּר הֲנָאָה:

These things of gentiles are forbidden (to eat), but their issur is not one of (derivation of) benefit: milk (from an animal) milked by a gentile without being observed by a Jew, and their loaf and their oil [All of these are forbidden for fear that they will lead to fraternization (and intermarriage). They permitted a baker's loaf, but a householder's loaf was permitted only to wayfarers and in situations of stress. And when they saw that the issur of oil did not "take," they convened and permitted it, as stated in the Mishnah]. (Rabbi and his beth-din permitted oil.), and shelakoth [Anything cooked by gentiles even in the utensils of a Jew and even in his presence, where there is no apprehension of the intermixture of anything that is forbidden or of the pollutions of idolatry is forbidden because of "the cooked things of gentiles." ([bishulei nachrim]. This, if he were not assisted by a Jew neither in the beginning nor in the end of the cooking.) And they forbade because of bishulei nachrim only something which is not eaten raw and which is placed upon the royal table to complement the loaf; but if one of these is lacking, bishulei nachrim does not obtain.], and preserves, to which wine and vinegar are customarily added [Derivation of benefit is not forbidden in such an instance because the taste of wine is not perceptible in them, but it is forbidden to eat them], and a hash of tarith [clean fish, whose identity is not recognizable. It is forbidden when taken from gentiles because of the possibility that an unclean fish is intermixed with them.], and a brine in which dagah kilbith is not found. [This is a small fish called kilbith, which grows in clean fish. If the brine of an unclean fish is intermixed with it, kilbith will not grow there.], and chilak [a kind of small clean fish, which have no fins and scales (as yet) but which will grow them later. Small unclean fish similar to them become intermixed with them and are not discernible, even when they are not hashed. But in the instance of tarith (above) the unclean fish are not similar to it, for which reason it is permitted when unhashed.], and a piece of chiltith [(a plant, so called in Arabic), which is cut into pieces with a knife. It is forbidden because of the fattiness of the knife, whose (forbidden) taste the chiltith absorbs by reason of its "sharpness."], and salkontith salt, [which was used by all the Roman nobles. They used to smear it with pig fat and with the fats of unclean fish. It is rough and very white.] (All of these are forbidden to eat, but their issur is not one of (derivation of) benefit.)

אֵלּוּ מֻתָּרִין בַּאֲכִילָה. חָלָב שֶׁחֲלָבוֹ גוֹי וְיִשְׂרָאֵל רוֹאֵהוּ. וְהַדְּבַשׁ. וְהַדַּבְדָּנִיּוֹת אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁמְּנַטְּפִין, אֵין בָּהֶם מִשּׁוּם הֶכְשֵׁר מַשְׁקֶה. וּכְבָשִׁין שֶׁאֵין דַּרְכָּן לָתֵת לְתוֹכָן יַיִן וָחֹמֶץ. וְטָרִית שֶׁאֵינָהּ טְרוּפָה. וְצִיר שֶׁיֶּשׁ בָּהּ דָּגָה. וְעָלֶה שֶׁל חִלְתִּית. וְזֵיתִים גְּלֻסְקָאוֹת הַמְגֻלְגָּלִין. רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אוֹמֵר, הַשְּׁלוּחִין, אֲסוּרִין. הַחֲגָבִים הַבָּאִים מִן הַסְּלוּלָה, אֲסוּרִין. מִן הַהַפְתֵּק, מֻתָּרִין. וְכֵן לִתְרוּמָה:

These may be eaten: milk (from an animal) milked by a gentile in sight of a Jew, [not necessarily being seen by the Jew, but being visible to the Jew if he (the Jew) stood up. The gentile would be afraid (to milk an unclean animal in the Jew's presence), thinking: If he gets up, he will see me (and will not buy from me)], and their honey, and their davdevaniyoth [(loaves of honey taken from the hive.) Even though they drip, we do not fear that he may have put libation wine into them. Another interpretation: Clusters of grapes. Even though the wine drips from them, they are not forbidden by reason of libation wine.] And they [the drippings] are not hechsher mashkeh (an agent of uncleanliness) [i.e., they do not create susceptibility (of the grapes) to uncleanliness, for they (the grapes) are meant for eating and he does not desire the liquid that drips from them.], and preserves into which we are not accustomed to place vine and vinegar, and a tarith that is not hashed. [Even though it is cut in pieces, the head and spine are intact and it is discernible as a clean fish.], and a brine in which there is dagah, and a leaf of chiltith, [which it is not customary to cut with a knife], and exotic pressed olives, [olives placed in a round vessel and warmed and pressed of themselves until they become like rounded eggs. (These may be eaten)] R. Yossi says the "cast-outs" are forbidden. [If the olives have become so soft that when he takes an olive in his hand the pit is cast out and falls of itself, they are forbidden because (we suspect that) they have been softened by wine. The halachah is not in accordance with R. Yossi.] The locusts that come from the basket [before the shopkeeper] are forbidden, [for we fear that he may have sprinkled wine upon them to soften them]. (Those that come) from the store-room are permitted, [for he does not sprinkle wine upon them before offering them for sale.] And the same applies to terumah. [If a Cohein is suspect of selling terumah as chullin, everything found in front of him is forbidden (lest it be terumah). But if he takes it from the store-room, it is permitted, for he fears that the rabbis might hear of it and rule his entire supply hefker (ownerless)].