Avodah Zarah 12a

עבודה זרה י״ב ע״א

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Topic

Why the חכמים allowed business at the fair near עזה: comparing it to the case of two pots (a Jew's and a non-Jew's) cooking on one stove in צור, and the argument between אביי and רבא about what exactly the חכמים 'were not worried about.'

Overview

This amud first finishes רבי חנינא's proof about the fair near עזה. He compares it to a case in צור, where a Jew and a non-Jew cooked two pots on one stove and the חכמים were not worried. Three אמוראים explain what the worry would have been. אביי says it was נבילה, which matches money of עבודה זרה. רבא says it was בישולי גוים, which matches business on יום אידם. רבה בר עולא says it was food splashing between the pots, which matches business in the days before the holiday. Next the גמרא turns to the משנה's line about traveling to a city celebrating a holiday, and brings a ברייתא where רבי מאיר and the חכמים argue about it. The same ברייתא forbids bending down in front of an idol to remove a thorn, pick up coins, or drink from a spring, and forbids drinking from face-shaped fountains. The גמרא explains that 'if he is not seen' means 'if he does not look like he is bowing,' and shows why each of the three bending cases had to be taught.

Opening lines

The steps (14)

1. ProofThe two pots on one stove in צור
2. QuestionWhat were the חכמים not worried about?
3. Responseאביי: no worry about נבילה, so no worry about money of עבודה זרה
4. Responseרבא: no worry about בישולי גוים, so no worry about יום אידם
5. Responseרבה בר עולא: The worry was only about splashing
6. StatementEntering a city that has idol worship
7. StatementDo not bend down in front of an idol
8. StatementDo not bend down to drink from a spring in front of an idol
9. StatementDo not drink from fountain faces or straight from a pipe
10. ChallengeWhat does 'not seen' mean? It cannot mean nobody is watching
11. Resolution'Not seen' means he does not look like he is bowing
12. StatementWhy the thorn case alone is not enough
13. StatementWhy the coins case alone is not enough
14. ConclusionWhy the spring case is needed too, so all the cases are necessary