Avodah Zarah 22a

עבודה זרה כ״ב ע״א

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Topic

רבי שמעון בן אלעזר on renting to a כותי, רבא's ruling on Jew-גוי partnerships split by days or years, and the opening משנה of the second chapter

Overview

The גמרא finishes explaining why רבי שמעון בן אלעזר forbids renting a field to a כותי but allows renting to a גוי. He does not accept the idea of אריסותא, that a sharecropper works only for himself. A גוי obeys when told not to work on forbidden days, but a כותי will not obey because he thinks he knows better. The גמרא adds that he meant two reasons: לפני עור, and that the field is called by the owner's name. Next, רבא permits saffron growers to split their field, with the גוי taking שבת and the Jew taking Sunday. רבינא challenges him from a ברייתא, and רבא is embarrassed until it turns out the partners had agreed at the start. רב גביהה tells the story differently: the case was about ערלה years, רבינא supported רבא, and there was no embarrassment. The גמרא then asks about partners who said nothing at the start and finds that the ברייתא cannot settle it. The chapter ends, and a new משנה forbids leaving an animal in a גוי's inn and being alone with גוים.

Opening lines

The steps (22)

1. Resolutionרבי שמעון בן אלעזר does not accept the sharecropper rule
2. QuestionThen why is a gentile allowed?
3. ResponseA gentile obeys when told not to work
4. ChallengeTell the Samaritan the same thing
5. ResolutionA Samaritan will not listen
6. ChallengeWhy not use the reason of לפני עור?
7. ResolutionHe gave two reasons
8. Statementרבא permits the saffron growers' arrangement
9. Challengeרבינא objects from a ברייתא about partners
10. ChallengeEnd of the ברייתא, and רבא is embarrassed
11. ResolutionIt turns out they had stipulated at the start
12. Statementרב גביהה's version: the case was about ערלה saplings
13. ChallengeBut רבינא challenged רבא
14. Resolutionרבינא was supporting רבא
15. ChallengeBut רבא was embarrassed
16. ResolutionThe embarrassment never happened
17. QuestionWhat if they said nothing at the start?
18. ProofProof attempt: the ברייתא implies unspecified is forbidden
19. RejectionThe last clause of the ברייתא points the other way
20. ConclusionNo conclusion can be drawn from this ברייתא
21. Conclusionהדרן — Closing the chapter לפני אידיהן
22. StatementNew משנה: not leaving an animal, a woman, or oneself alone with גוים