Una bestia no puede estar parada en las posadas de los idólatras, [donde se alojan los caminantes], porque los idólatras son sospechosos de sodomía. [Esto incluso está prohibido con las hembras (bestias) frente a las hembras. Los idólatras están familiarizados con las esposas de sus amigos y, a veces, al no encontrarlas, pueden usar a la bestia.] Y una mujer puede no estar a solas con ellas, ya que son sospechosas de relaciones ilícitas. [Incluso un tipo de yichud ("estar solo") que se permite con un judío (como con un judío y un judío, cuando su esposa está con él) está prohibido para un judío y un idólatra; porque su esposa no lo "guarda".] Y un hombre puede no estar solo con ellos, porque son sospechosos de matar. Una judía no puede dar a luz a un gentil, porque de este modo da a luz un hijo por idolatría. [Pero por una tarifa está permitido, para no generar odio.] Pero un gentil puede entregar una judía [cuando otros judíos están de pie sobre ella, pero no cuando están solos; porque son sospechosos de derramar sangre (es decir, ella podría matar al niño)]. Una judía no puede amamantar al hijo de un gentil; pero un gentil puede amamantar al hijo de un judío en su casa (la del judío).
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.
