Ces choses des gentils sont interdites (de manger), mais leur issur n'est pas l'un des (dérivés de) bienfaits: le lait (d'un animal) traire par un gentil sans être observé par un juif, et leur pain et leur huile [Tous de ceux-ci sont interdits de peur qu'ils ne conduisent à la fraternisation (et aux mariages mixtes). Ils autorisaient un pain de boulanger, mais le pain de maître de maison n'était autorisé qu'aux voyageurs et en situation de stress. Et quand ils ont vu que l'issur d'huile ne «prenait» pas, ils se sont réunis et l'ont permis, comme indiqué dans la Michna]. (Rabbi et son beth-din ont permis l'huile.), Et shelakoth [Tout ce qui est cuit par les gentils même dans les ustensiles d'un juif et même en sa présence, où il n'y a aucune appréhension du mélange de tout ce qui est interdit ou des pollutions de l'idolâtrie est interdite à cause des «choses cuites des gentils». ([bishulei nachrim]. Ceci, s'il n'était assisté par un juif ni au début ni à la fin de la cuisson.) Et ils ont interdit à cause du bishulei nachrim seulement quelque chose qui n'est pas mangé cru et qui est placé sur le royal table pour compléter le pain; mais si l'un de ceux-ci fait défaut, le bishulei nachrim n'obtient pas.], et conserve, auquel du vin et du vinaigre sont habituellement ajoutés [La dérivation du bénéfice n'est pas interdite dans un tel cas parce que le goût du vin n'est pas perceptible en eux, mais il est interdit de les manger], et un hasch de tarith [poisson pur, dont l'identité n'est pas reconnaissable. Elle est interdite lorsqu'elle est prise aux gentils en raison de la possibilité qu'un poisson impur soit mélangé avec eux.], Et une saumure dans laquelle on ne trouve pas de dagah kilbith. [Il s'agit d'un petit poisson appelé kilbith, qui pousse dans le poisson propre. Si la saumure d'un poisson impur s'y mêle, le kilbith n'y poussera pas.], Et le chilak [une sorte de petit poisson propre, qui n'a pas (encore) de nageoires et d'écailles mais qui les poussera plus tard. De petits poissons impurs similaires à eux se mélangent avec eux et ne sont pas discernables, même lorsqu'ils ne sont pas hachés. Mais dans le cas de tarith (ci-dessus), le poisson impur ne lui est pas similaire, c'est pourquoi il est permis lorsqu'il n'est pas haché.], Et un morceau de chiltith [(une plante, ainsi appelée en arabe), qui est coupé en morceaux avec un couteau. Il est interdit à cause de la grosseur du couteau, dont le goût (interdit) le chiltith absorbe en raison de son «acuité»], et du sel de salkontith, [qui était utilisé par tous les nobles romains. Ils avaient l'habitude de l'enduire de graisse de porc et de graisses de poisson impur. Il est rugueux et très blanc.] (Il est interdit de manger à tous ceux-ci, mais leur issur n'est pas un avantage (dérivation).)
Bartenura on Mishnah Avodah Zarah
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.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Avodah Zarah
Introduction
This mishnah lists things that were made by non-Jews which Jews may not eat but from which they may derive benefit.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Avodah Zarah
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.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Avodah Zarah
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.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Avodah Zarah
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.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Avodah Zarah
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?
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Bartenura on Mishnah Avodah Zarah
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.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Avodah Zarah
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.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Avodah Zarah
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.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Avodah Zarah
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.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Avodah Zarah
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.
