Gemara Clarity

Avodah Zarah 20b

עבודה זרה כ׳ ע״ב

Learn Avodah Zarah 20b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Avodah Zarah 20b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Forbidden sights and their limits, מלאך המות, the ladder of spiritual traits, and selling attached produce or animals to a גוי on condition

Overview

This amud finishes a ברייתא listing things a person must not gaze at, including a woman's colored clothes and animals while they mate. It then tells how מלאך המות, who is full of eyes, kills with a drop of poison. The גמרא answers the question about רבן גמליאל: he saw the woman by surprise at a corner. It then limits the ban on a woman's clothes. רב פפא says it applies only if you know the owner, and רב חסדא says it applies only to clothes she has worn; the proof for רב חסדא is turned back. The גמרא explains more lines of the מלאך המות ברייתא, then brings רבי פנחס בן יאיר's ladder of spiritual growth, and רבי יהושע בן לוי, who says humility is the greatest trait. Back on the law, רבי יהודה and רבי מאיר argue about selling a tree, fodder, grain, or an animal to a גוי on condition that he cuts or slaughters it. A new משנה then begins about renting houses and fields to a גוי, and that משנה continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

וְלֹא בְּבִגְדֵי צֶבַע [שֶׁל] אִשָּׁה,

and not at the colored garments of a woman,

וְלֹא בַּחֲמוֹר וְלֹא בַּחֲמוֹרָה,

and not at a male donkey or a female donkey,

וְלֹא בַּחֲזִיר וְלֹא בַּחֲזִירָה,

and not at a male pig or a female pig,

וְלֹא בְּעוֹפוֹת

and not at birds

The steps (23)

  1. ChallengeThe rest of the list of forbidden sights
  2. StatementHow the Angel of Death takes a life
  3. Resolutionרבן גמליאל saw her by surprise at a corner
  4. StatementEven garments spread on a wall
  5. StatementOnly when you know whose clothes they are
  6. ProofThe wording of the ברייתא supports רב פפא
  7. StatementThe ban applies only to old, worn clothes
  8. ProofProof from giving clothes to a launderer
  9. RejectionThe launderer is different: he is busy with his work
  10. ChallengeDoes 'he dies from the drop' argue with אבוה דשמואל?
  11. ResolutionThe drop itself cuts the throat
  12. Proof'From it he decays' supports turning the dead onto his face
  13. StatementGuard your thoughts by day so you do not become impure at night
  14. StatementThe ladder of spiritual growth of רבי פנחס בן יאיר
  15. Statementרבי יהושע בן לוי says humility is greatest
  16. StatementSelling a tree, fodder, or standing grain to an idolater
  17. StatementWhy the tree case alone is not enough
  18. StatementWhy the tree and grain cases are not enough
  19. ConclusionWhy the fodder case alone is not enough, so all three are needed
  20. QuestionSelling an animal on condition it is slaughtered
  21. QuestionWhy might an animal be different from a tree?
  22. ResponseA ברייתא shows רבי יהודה allows the animal sale too
  23. StatementNew משנה: renting houses and fields to a גוי