Commentaire sur Avoda Zara 2:12

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

רפוי ממון – his animal.

Introduction This mishnah is a continuation of the discussion which began in the previous mishnah. It continues to discuss prohibitions that are a result of the Jewish suspicion that non-Jews are murderers.

רפוי נפשות – his body; [but if he said] to him: a certain drug is fine for you, even if it is the healing of bodies, it is permissible to be healed by him.

We may allow them to heal us when the healing relates to money, but not personal healing; A Jew is permitted to be healed by a non-Jew when the healing relates to money. In the Talmud this clause is explained to mean that a Jew may take his animals to a non-Jewish doctor. This “healing” is considered to be related to money because the animal is the Jew’s property. However, a Jew may not himself be healed by a non-Jewish doctor, lest the non-Jewish doctor purposefully cause him damage. The Talmud adds that if the non-Jewish doctor tells him that a certain drug would be beneficial he may listen to him, since the Jew could check this information with others.

אבל לא בינו לבינו – but if he looks into a mirror, it is permissible, for the idolater might say that since he is getting a haircut, this is an important person and he is afraid to kill him.

Nor should we have our hair cut by them in any place, this is the opinion of Rabbi Meir. But the Sages said: in a public place it is permitted, but not when the two persons are alone. According to Rabbi Meir a Jew may never get his hair cut by a non-Jew, lest the non-Jew kill him with the scissors or razor. The Sages say that this is only prohibited in private. In public the non-Jew would not dare to kill the Jew.

שהיה מתחילתו יין – to exclude where the heathen purchased vinegar from an Israelite where benefit was not forbidden; the reason why benefit was forbidden because perhaps its drink-offerings were for idolatrous purposes, but vinegar is not offered for idolatrous purposes.

Introduction This mishnah lists things that belong to non-Jews that may not be used by Jews, for fear that the Jew will be using something that has previously been used in idol worship.

וחרס הדרייני – Hadrian the Caesar/Emperor would knead plaster with wine and make of it utensils and would not smelt them in the furnace/kiln (see Talmud Avodah Zarah 32a) and they would carry them in battle, and when they wanted, they would place the earthenware in water, and they would be dissolved (or fall to pieces) there and the plaster would sink downward and the wine would remain mixed with the water. And the earthenware of Adria was named after Hadrian.

The following things belonging to non-Jews are forbidden [for Jews to use] and the prohibition extends to any benefit that may be derived from them: wine, or a non-Jew’s vinegar that was formerly wine, Hadrianic earthenware, skins pierced at the animal’s heart. (1) Rabban Shimon Gamaliel says: when its tear is round, [the skin] is forbidden, but if oblong it is permitted. Non-Jewish wine may not be used since it may have been used in making a libation to an idol. [This prohibition is still observed by many religious Jews today, even though we can be quite sure that the wine was not used for idol worship.] Similarly, vinegar that was once intended to be wine and then went sour may not be used by a Jew, since it may have been used in idol worship when it was wine. However, if the non-Jew bought the vinegar from a Jew and then gave it back to a Jew the Jew may use it since vinegar itself is not used in idol worship. According to the Talmud Hadrianic earthenware absorbs wine and when subsequently wetted, will release the wine. If a Jew were to use such earthenware he would be using non-Jewish wine, which is prohibited. According to the mishnah, idolaters would make incisions in animals to remove the hearts and use them in idol worship. If one sees a cut in an animal skin at the place of the heart, it is a sign that the animal was used for idol worship and it is forbidden. Rabban Shimon ben Gamaliel claims that only if the cut is circular is the skin forbidden. Since non-Jews do not make oblong cuts as part of their idol worship, the skin is permitted.

עורות לבובים – they would tear the animal while living opposite the heart a kind of round hole and remove the heart and sacrifice it to idolatry.

Meat which is being brought into a place of idol worship is permitted, but that which is brought out is forbidden, because it is like a sacrifice to the dead, this is the opinion of Rabbi Akiba. Meat that is being brought into a place of idol worship is permitted to a Jew, since it has not yet been used for idol worship. It is of course not permitted to be eaten, since it probably is not kosher. However, one could use it to feed animals. Meat that is coming out of a place of idol worship is forbidden, since it was probably used for idolatry.

משוך מותר – for they do not make for idolatry other than round [incisions]. And the Halakha is according to Rabban Shimon ben Gamaliel.

With non-Jews going on a pilgrimage [to worship idols] it is forbidden to have any business transactions, but with those returning it is permitted. It is forbidden to conduct business with non-Jews who are on their way to worship idols, since they will thank their gods for their business with the Jews. In this way the Jew will indirectly be abetting idol worship. However, it is permitted to engage them in business on their return, since they have already completed their idol worship. [Note this last section is of a different subject than the other sections. It should have been included in chapter one. It probably was included here due to its similarity to the previous clause.]

היוצא אסור בהנאה – for it had already become a sacrificial offering [to idolatry – see Talmud Avodah Zarah 32b).

לתרפות – towards the errant idolatry [from afar: Rashi]. It is the place of lewdness of a woman which is called the house of debauchery.

אסור לשאת ולתת עמהם – for they go and admit [to idolatry and more] and purchase things that they need for offerings to idolatry. And the Halakha is according to Rabbi Akiba.

נודות – (bottles) of hides/skins.

Introduction This mishnah contains three disputes between Rabbi Meir and the Sages with regards to the prohibitions of certain foods once owned by non-Jews. In each case Rabbi Meir is more strict.

וקנקנים – of earthenware.

Skin-bottles or flasks of non-Jews in which wine of a Jew is kept are forbidden and the prohibition extends to any benefit that may be derived from them, this is the opinion of Rabbi Meir. But the Sages say that the prohibition does not extend to deriving benefit. If a Jew stores his wine in skin-bottles or ceramic flasks in which non-Jews previously stored their wine the Jewish wine becomes forbidden. Since the skin-bottles and flasks contained absorbed wine in their walls, that non-Jewish wine would mix with the Jewish wine. According to Rabbi Meir, it is forbidden to even derive any benefit from this wine. According to the Sages it is only forbidden for the Jew to drink the wine. If he wants he could sell the wine to a non-Jew and thereby derive benefit. The Sages rule that the only type of non-Jewish wine from which it is actually prohibited to derive benefit is wine that one can see. Wine that has been absorbed in a vessel is only forbidden to be drunk.

אין איסורן איסור הנאה – and the law is such. If they are new, it is immediately permitted to place wine in them , but if the heathen placed wine in them for preservation, we fill them up with water and detain it in them for three days consecutively but that he empties the water each day every twenty-four hours of the three days, and places other water in their place. And afterwards, it is permitted to place wine in it. But if there are twelve months where there was no heathen wine in them, it is permissible immediately after one year without emptying it.

Grape seeds and grape-skins of non-Jews are forbidden, the prohibition extending to any benefit that may be derived from them, this is the opinion of Rabbi Meir. But the Sages say, when fresh they are forbidden but when dry they are permitted. According to Rabbi Meir, both dry and moist grape skins and seeds that belonged to non-Jews are forbidden to Jews and the prohibition extends even to deriving any benefit from them. The Sages rule that dry seeds and skins are permitted even to eat and only moist ones are prohibited.

חרצנים וזגים – the refuse of the grapes and their seeds that are inside and the outer shells.

Fish brine and Bithynian cheese of the non-Jews are forbidden, the prohibition extending to any benefit that may be derived from them, this is the opinion of Rabbi Meir. But the Sages say that the prohibition does not extend to deriving benefit. The concern with regards to fish brine is that there may be small amounts of wine in it. Bithynian cheese is cheese that comes from a place called Bithynia, which is in Asia Minor. According to the Talmud most of the calves raised there were used for idol worship. Since cheese uses rennet, a substance which comes from the stomach lining of a cow and solidifies the milk into cheese, we are concerned that the rennet came from a cow used in idol worship. Due to our concern with both of these foods, Rabbi Meir says it is forbidden for a Jew to derive benefit from either. According the Sages it is only forbidden to eat them; it is permitted to derive benefit from them. The fish brine is permitted since the wine was only used as an antidote for any polluting agent in the brine and not for its own taste. The cheese is permitted since most of the animals in Bithynia were not used for idol worship, only most of the calves which were a minority of the total number of animals.

לחים – all twelve months they are forbidden to derive benefit.

ויבשים – after twelve months they are permitted even for eating.

המורייס – the fat of the fish and it was customary that they would mix in it wine, but if it was known of it that they did not mix wine in it, everyone does not dispute that it is permitted.

בית אינייקי – the name of a village where most of the calves that are found there are offered as sacrifices to idolatry. Rabbi Meir was troubled by a minority and held that even though most calves were a minority corresponding to the rest of the animals, we should concern ourselves with the minority. And all the cheeses that are found there, we state that perhaps that the rennet of the calves was curdled for idolatry. But the Sages were not concerned about the minority. But the Halakha is not according to Rabbi Meir in any of these three segments.

מפני מה אסרו גבינת של עובדי כוכבים – with regarding to eating, but the Rabbis require it because the milk of an impure animal one doesn’t have to suspect anything for we hold that the milk of an impure animal does not curdle.

Introduction This mishnah contains a discussion between Rabbi Ishmael and Rabbi Joshua concerning the prohibition of non-Jewish cheese.

שורפה חיה – it is a mere secretion (and no longer real milk – see Tractate Hullin 116b).

Rabbi Judah said: Rabbi Ishmael put this question to Rabbi Joshua as they were walking on the way, “Why have they forbidden the cheese of non-Jews?” He replied, because they curdle it with the rennet of a nevelah (an animal that was not properly slaughtered.” Rabbi Ishmael asks Rabbi Joshua why the Sages forbid cheese made by non-Jews. This prohibition is perplexing to Rabbi Ishmael because even the non-Jews make their cheese from kosher animals such as cows and goats. Since the milk used to make the cheese comes from kosher animals, it should be permitted. Rabbi Joshua responds that non-Jews use rennet to curdle the cheese. This rennet comes from the stomachs of animals that were not properly slaughtered and therefore the cheese is prohibited.

בקיבת עגלי עבודה זרה – and even though it is a mere secretion, it is prohibited, for idolatry is different, as it is written concerning it (Deuteronomy 13:18): “Let nothing that has been doomed stick to you hand,[in order that the LORD may turn from His blazing anger and show you compassion, and in His compassion increase you as He promised your fathers on oath].”

He (Rabbi said: “but is not the rennet of a burnt-offering more strictly forbidden than the rennet of a nevelah? [and yet] it was said that a priest who is not fastidious may suck it out raw.” (Though the Sages disagreed with this opinion, and they said that no benefit may be derived from it, although one who consumed it did not trespass [temple. Rabbi Ishmael responds that a priest who sees rennet in the stomach of a whole burnt offering may drink this rennet (I know this sounds a little gross.). Since a whole burnt offering is forbidden to be eaten, this law proves that the rennet is not considered part of the animal. If it were considered to be an integral part of the animal, it would have been prohibited. Since it is not forbidden in this case then by comparison the rennet used to make cheese should not make the cheese forbidden to Jews, even though it comes from an animal that was improperly slaughtered. At this point the mishnah offers an aside. The statement that the rennet of a whole burnt offering may be consumed by a priest was only Rabbi Ishmael’s opinion. The Rabbis did not agree with him. They stated that it is forbidden to derive benefit from this rennet and yet one who does so is not considered to have taken (trespassed) Temple property. [If he had taken from Temple property he would have to bring a sacrifice to atone for the sin, as well as pay back the value of that which he took.] This section is not an integral part of the mishnah and was added in at a later time.

השיאו לדבר אחר – and he did not want to tell him the reason of the matter because twelve months had not yet passed from when they made this decree. For when the Rabbis make a decree, they do not reveal the reason until twelve months of a year until their decree will become widespread. For perhaps there is someone who doesn’t hold by this reason and will come to despise it, and the reason why they forbade the cheeses of idolaters is because they curdle it in the skin of an animal slaughtered by an idolater which is a carcass, but even though it is a small amount corresponding to all of the milk, since he curdles the milk and performs an act, it is not negated, and we hold that everything goes according to the one who curdles the milk. But because of meat with milk, he did not forbid it, for since the meat on its own is permitted, it is not forbidden with milk, even though he curdles it until he gives forth into it a taste , but I is a matter of something forbidden from its outset. He forbids something that is permitted, even though it does not give forth a taste while he is curdling it.

Rabbi Joshua responded: “The reason then is because they curdle it with the rennet from calves sacrificed to idols.” Rabbi Joshua now provides another reason why non-Jewish cheese is forbidden. Non-Jews use rennet that comes from calves that were used in idol worship. Since any item that was used in idol worship is forbidden to a Jew, non-Jewish cheese is forbidden to a Jew.

כי טובים דודייך מיין – The Holy One, blessed be He says this to the congregation of Israel.

He (Rabbi said to him: “if that be so, why do they not extend the prohibition to any benefit derived from it?” Rabbi Ishmael responds that if non-Jewish cheese is forbidden since it may contain rennet that comes from an animal used in idol worship, then it should not only be forbidden to eat, it should also be forbidden to derive any benefit from it. From the example in the previous mishnah concerning Bithynian cheese, we learned that the Sages said it was only forbidden for consumption and it was not forbidden to derive benefit from non-Jewish cheese.

אין הדבר כן – but rather the congregation of Israel stated before the Holy One, blessed be He (see Talmud Avodah Zarah 35a): “The words of Your beloved ones are a surety before Me,” meaning to say, the ordinances that the Sages have established and decreed are better than the wine of the Torah, from the principle of the Written Torah (as they supplement the Written Torah and complete it).

He (Rabbi diverted him to another matter, saying: “Ishmael, how do you read for your [masc.] love is more delightful than wine” or “your [fem.] love etc. (Song of Songs 1:2” He replied: “your [fem.] love is better …” He said to him: this is not so, as it is proved by its fellow [-verse]: your ointments [masc.] have a goodly fragrance … [therefore do the maidens love you] (Song of Songs 1:3).” Rabbi Joshua does not seem to have an answer to this response of Rabbi Ishmael’s and therefore he distracts him to a different topic, this dealing with the gender of the speaker in the second verse of Song of Songs. The verse states “for your love is more delightful than wine”. “Your love” can either be masculine or feminine. The only difference in the Hebrew is the vocalization; the consonants are exactly the same. Rabbi Ishmael responds that he vocalizes it to be a masculine pronoun. In other words the speaker is feminine and she is speaking to a male. Rabbi Joshua points out that this is surely wrong for the word “your ointments” is masculine. Although this word too can be vocalized to be feminine, the fact that the end of the verse refers to maidens loving him proves that the one being spoken to is male.

הפת והשמן [וכו'] – all of these are prohibited as a guard of intermarriage (between Jews and gentiles – see Tractate Avodah Zarah 31b) and the bread of bakers they permitted but the bread of house owners they did not permit other than those who were traveling or at a time of emergency. But regarding, they saw that their prohibition did not stretch and they resolved upon it and permitted it as they decided in the Mishnah.

Introduction This mishnah lists things that were made by non-Jews which Jews may not eat but from which they may derive benefit.

ושלקות – everything that the idolaters cooked and even if they cooked it in the utensils of Israelites, and in their presence, for one would not suspect forbidden mixtures, and the cleansing of an impure vessel (by means of boiling water) by idolaters, they (i.e., the Sages) forbade this because of cooking done by idolaters and this is the case even where no Israelite helped out neither at the beginning nor at the end, but they did not prohibit this because it was cooking done by idolaters, but rather, because it is something that is not consumed when it is alive and ascends on to the tables of kings that is combined with bread but, if one of these was missing, there is no [concern] regarding that it is something cooked by idolaters.

The following articles of non-Jews are prohibited but the prohibition does not extend to deriving benefit from them: 1. milk which a non-Jew milked without an israelite watching him, 2. their bread and oil (Rabbi and his court permitted the oil) 3. stewed and pickled things into which they are accustomed to put wine or vinegar, 4. pickled herring which had been minced, 5. brine in which there is no kalbith-fish floating, 6. helek, 7. pieces of asa foetida 8. and sal-conditum. Behold these are prohibited but the prohibition does not extend to deriving benefit from them. Mishnah three began with a list of things owned by a non-Jew from which it was prohibited to derive benefit. This is a more stringent legal category than food which is merely prohibited to eat, the list which is contained in our mishnah. We will explain each item in this mishnah and why it is forbidden to eat. 1) Milk if the non-Jew milked an animal without a Jew watching, he may have mixed into the milk, milk which comes from an non-kosher animal, such as a camel. 2) Bread and oil this prohibition is not due to a fear of the bread or oil being truly non-kosher. Rather the Sages prohibited a Jew from eating non-Jewish bread or oil in order to prevent Jews from socializing with non-Jews. The Talmud relates that it is permitted to eat bread made by bakers (as opposed to private individuals) since that will not bring Jews and non-Jews together. The mishnah notes, in what is surely a later addition, that Rabbi and his court permitted Jews to consume non-Jewish oil. The “Rabbi” referred to here is Rabbi Judah Nesia, the grandson of Rabbi Judah the Prince who composed the Mishnah. The reason, according to the Talmud, that they permitted the oil is that most people were not observing the prohibition. From here we learn that a “decree” of the Sages that is not accepted by the people does not become law. 3) Stewed and pickled things which might have wine or vinegar in them. These are forbidden because of the wine, which we learned in mishnah three is forbidden. 4) Pickled herring, which had been minced. The concern is that the non-Jew added in non-kosher fish. Since the fish is minced one would not be able to recognize what was in it. 5) Brine in which there is no kalbith-fish floating According to the Talmud brine which has only kosher fish will always have a “kalbith” fish. The absence of this type of fish is a potential sign that it also contains non-kosher fish. 6) Hilek this is a type of fish that does not have fins and scales until it is older. When it is young it may be mistaken for truly non-kosher fish, and therefore it may not be eaten. 7) Pieces of asa-foetida: This is a spicy tasting plant that needs to be cut with a sharp knife. It is prohibited lest the same knife used to cut it had previously been used to cut the meat of non-kosher animals. 8) Sal-conditum: This is a type of spice-salt which had non-kosher oils (from pigs and non-kosher fish) mixed into it.

וכבשין שדרכן לתת בהן יין – and their prohibition is not one where they cannot have benefit from it because the taste of the wine is not recognized/known but with regard to eating, it is prohibited.

Questions for Further Thought:
• What are the different types of reasons for the prohibitions listed in this mishnah? What can this tell us about the attitudes of the Sages to the non-Jews?

טרית טרופה – [a species of] ritually pure fish that they chop very finely and are not recognized and are prohibited since they were taken from idolaters lest there are crushed with them an impure fish.

וציר שאין בה דגה – a small fish that is called stickleback (see Talmud Avodah Zarah 39b) and it is the manner that it grows in the midst of [the brine of] pure fish, but when there is brine of impure fish mixed with it, it will not grow stickleback.

והחילק – a species of pure, small fish and they lack fins and scales which they will eventually grow after a while. But small impure fish that are analogous to them are combined with them and are not recognized, even when it is not beaten. But salted/pickled fish, the impure kinds are not like it, and therefore, they are permitted since they are not hashed/beaten.

חלתית – this is its name in Arabic and they cut its particles with a knife and are forbidden because of the fatty/oily substance of the knife and along with the sharpness [of the assa foetida (an umbelliferous plant used as a resin or in leaves, for a spice and for medical purposes), the fatty/oily substance of the knife sweetens the taste of the fatty/oily substance that is absorbed in it.

ומלח סלקונתית – a salt that the gentry of Rome eat and they are accustomed to smear it in the fat of pigs (i.e., lard), and in the fat of impure fish and it is large and the mostly white.

וישראל רואהו – not exactly see him, but rather, since that if he is standing, he can see him even though when he is sitting, he cannot see him, but the idolater, who knows one another’s ways, are afraid (lest they be watched – see Talmud Avodah Zarah 22b) says: now I am standing and he sees me.

The following are permitted to be eaten [by an israelite]:
milk which a non-Jew milked with a Jew watching him;
honey,
grape-clusters even though these secrete moisture the law which renders food susceptible to defilement by a liquid does not apply to them
preserves into which they are not accustomed to put wine or vinegar,
pickled herring which has not been minced,
brine containing fish,
a leaf of asafoetida,
and rolled olive-cakes. Rabbi Yose says: those olives having pits ready to drop out are prohibited.
Locusts which come out of [a shopkeeper’s] basket are prohibited, but if from storage they are permitted. The same rule applies to terumah.
This mishnah lists food produced by non-Jews which a Jew is allowed to eat.
1) As we explained in the previous mishnah, the concern with milk is that the non-Jew might mix milk which comes from a kosher animal with milk that comes from a non-kosher animal (such as a camel). If the Jew is watching over the non-Jew we have no such concern and the milk is therefore permitted.
2) Mixing foreign substances with honey would spoil the honey. Therefore we can assume that the non-Jew did not put anything into the honey and it is permitted.
3) Even though some grape juice may be dripping from the cluster of grapes, we are not concerned that the non-Jew used this juice in idol worship and it would be forbidden. The mishnah also notes that the liquid that comes out of grapes is not the type of liquid which makes a food susceptible to impurities. As we have learned before (Eduyoth 4:6) food cannot become impure until it is made wet by seven types of liquids. Grape juice is not one of them.
4) Preserved foods into which it is not customary to put wine or vinegar are permitted.
5) If one can see that the fish in the brine is actually herring, it is permitted, unlike the minced fish which was discussed above.
6) In the previous mishnah we learned that it was forbidden to eat pieces of the asa foetida, since the same knife used to cut this plant might have been used to cut non-kosher food. In this mishnah we learn that since they don’t cut the leaves of the as foetida with this type of knife, it is permitted.
7) Olives that have been rolled out into cakes are permitted, since no wine is used in them. According to Rabbi Yose, if the olives have become so soft that the pits fall out, wine might have been put on them to soften them. Therefore, they are forbidden.
8) Some types of locusts are kosher. When a seller sells them, he brings them from his storehouse and puts them in a small basket, onto which he mixes a little wine. Due to the addition of this wine, locusts that come from this basket are forbidden. The locusts that come from the storehouse are permitted since the wine has not yet been put upon them.
The mishnah points out that the same is true with regards to terumah. If a kohen sells locusts from the little basket, we must suspect that he has dripped wine on them, and that the wine might be terumah, which is strictly forbidden to non-priests. If, however, the locusts come from storage, we can be sure that there is no terumah-wine mixed in with them.

והדבדניות – the cakes when detach them out of receptacle wherein there is honey, even though thy drip, we don’t concern ourselves lest wine suspected of having been manipulated by an idolater was mixed in. Another commentary: clusters of grapes even though the wine drips from them, they don’t have any wine suspected of having been manipulated by an idolater and the law [of food rendered susceptible to uncleanness] by a liquid does not apply to them which would be susceptible to uncleanness and undefined for consumption, for it is not satisfactory for him with liquid dripping from them.

שאינה טרופה – and even though it is made into pieces, the head of the fish [remains] and its backbone exists and is recognized that it is pure.

עלה של חלתית – which is not torn with a knife.

וזיתי גלוסקים מגולגלים – olives are brought into a round utensil and are warmed and gathered together on their own and are made like round eggs like a roasted egg that had been warmed.

השלחין אסורין – if the olives were softened so much until the when one takes the olive in one’s hand, the seed within it comes out and falls on its own, they are forbidden, for on account of the wine, they became soft, but the Halakha is not according to Rabbi Yosi.

מן הסלולה – a kind of basket that is in front of the shopkeeper are forbidden, for when he sprinkles upon them wine in order that they soften.

מן ההפתק – from the place that they gather and store them there one on top of another are permissible, for he does not sprinkle upon them wine until they are placed before him to sell.

וכן לתרומה – and similarly, a Kohen who is suspect to sell priest’s due for the purposes of non-holy produce. All that is found before him is prohibited lest it is priest’s due. But that which comes from the storehouse is permitted, for they are afraid lest the Rabbis will hear and will make all of the stock in the store ownerless.