Non vendiamo loro ciò che è attaccato al suolo, [in fase di scrittura (Deuteronomio 7: 2): "velo techanem" ("Non dare loro riposo") nella terra]; ma può essere venduto quando viene tagliato. R. Yehudah dice: Uno può venderglielo a condizione che venga tagliato. Non possiamo affittare queste case a Eretz Yisrael [(un decreto per impedire loro di venderle, un divieto della Torah)]; e va da sé [che è vietato affittare] campi, [dove ottengono due divieti, "riposare" nella terra e liberare la terra dalle decime.] E in Suria [Aram Tzovah, conquistata da David, e non dalla santità di Eretz Yisrael] è permesso affittare loro case [e non decretiamo contro di essa per impedire la vendita. Perché anche se vendesse non violerebbe il divieto della Torah, poiché "Non dargli riposo" è scritto solo in riferimento a Eretz Yisrael. Ma non può essere venduto ab initio, al fine di prevenire la vendita in Eretz Yisrael.] Ma i campi non possono (essere venduti) [perché due divieti si riferiscono a loro (vedi sopra).] E [molto lontano] da Eretz Yisrael [dove la vendita non deve essere decretata contro la vendita anticipata a Eretz Yisrael], le case vengono vendute a loro e i campi vengono affittati [ma i campi non vengono venduti, perché due divieti si riferiscono a loro.] Queste sono le parole di R. Meir. R. Yossi dice: In Eretz Yisrael le case vengono affittate a loro, ma non i campi. E in Suria le case vengono vendute e i campi affittati. E fuori Eretz Yisrael vengono venduti entrambi. [L'halachah è in accordo con R. Yossi, a condizione che non affitta a tre gentili insieme, in modo da non creare un quartiere di gentili.]
Bartenura on Mishnah Avodah Zarah
אבל מוכר הוא משיקוץ – that he should not sell it to him when it is attached [to the ground] but rather after it is cut away. But not all the while that it is attached. And the Torah stated (Deuteronomy 7:2): “And give them no quarter,” nor give them no chance of acquiring property (sell them no trees in the ground – see Talmud Avodah Zarah 20a).
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English Explanation of Mishnah Avodah Zarah
Introduction
This mishnah continues to discuss things that should not be sold to non-Jews. The first section lists things that shouldn’t be sold lest they be used for idolatrous purposes. The remainder of the mishnah discusses land and things attached to the land. These should not be sold to non-Jews lest they begin to dispossess the Jews of the land of Israel.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Avodah Zarah
אין משכירין להם בתים – it is a decree because of selling which is a prohibition from the Torah.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Avodah Zarah
One should not make jewelry for an idol [such as] necklaces, ear-rings, or finger-rings. Rabbi Eliezer says, for payment it is permitted. One should not make jewelry for idolaters lest they use them to decorate their idols. Rabbi Eliezer says that one may sell jewelry to them but not give it for free. This opinion is perplexing because usually if we are concerned that the actions of the Jew might encourage idolatry, the fact that he profits does not make it more permissible. There are some versions of the mishnah that do not include this line.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Avodah Zarah
ואצ"ל שדות – for there are two levels of prohibition: acquiring property and exempting them from tithes.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Avodah Zarah
One should not sell to idolaters a thing which is attached to the soil, but when cut down it may be sold. R. Judah says, one may sell it on condition that it be cut down. The mishnah now begins to discuss selling them land and things attached to the land. One should not sell them things attached to the land, such as trees, since this might give them a stake in the land as well. Once the item has been cut down, it is permitted. Rabbi Judah is more lenient and allows something to be sold while it is attached, as long as it is stipulated that it will be cut down.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Avodah Zarah
ובסוריא – Aram Sobah which [King] David conquered and is not holy like the holiness of the Land [of Israel].
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English Explanation of Mishnah Avodah Zarah
One should not let houses to them in the land of Israel; and it is not necessary to mention fields. In Syria houses may be let to them, but not fields. Outside of the land of Israel, houses may be sold and fields let to them, these are the words of Rabbi Meir. Rabbi Yose says: in the land of Israel, one may let to them houses but not fields; In Syria, we may sell them houses and let fields; Outside of the land of Israel, both may be sold. The first half of this section is Rabbi Meir’s opinion. He holds that one should not even rent houses to non-Jews in the land of Israel, lest he come to sell them as well. This is true of houses and even more true of fields, for with fields there is the added problem of tithes. Once a Jew sells his field to a non-Jew the field’s produce is not liable for tithing. In this way, the sale reduces the holiness of the field. In Syria, which is adjacent to Israel and was conquered by David but is not considered fully a part of Israel, we can be slightly more lenient. Houses may be rented to non-Jews, but fields still may not, because the produce grown in Syria is still subject to tithes. Outside of the land, a Jew may sell houses, but he still may not sell fields, lest by habit he come to sell fields in the land of Israel as well. On all of these cases, Rabbi Yose is slightly more lenient. Inside of Israel he allows the renting of houses, but not fields. In Syria he allows the sale of houses and the renting of fields and outside of the land, both may be sold. Note that he is still consistent in that the rules are more strict with fields than with houses. The major difference is that he does not rule more strictly in cases that should be permitted (such as selling fields outside of the land) but were forbidden by Rabbi Meir lest one come to sell something that really should not be sold.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Avodah Zarah
משכירין להם בתיים – and we don’t make the decree on account of selling and for alternatively, it would come to selling but he did not violate the Torah for just as it is written to not give them the chance to acquire property in the land of Israel, it is written, but however, ab initio not selling in the land of Israel because of selling of the land of Israel.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Avodah Zarah
אבל לא שדות – because there are two levels of prohibition.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Avodah Zarah
וח"ל – because of the distance, one cannot make a decree regarding selling for from there it does not lead to sale of the land of Israel.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Avodah Zarah
מוכרין בתים ומשכירין שדות – but not the sale of fields because there are two [levels of prohibition].
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Bartenura on Mishnah Avodah Zarah
רבי יוסי אומר כו'' -And the Halakha is according to Rabbi Yosi as long as one does not lease to three idolaters together so that they will not make a neighborhood of idolaters.
