Gemara Clarity

Avodah Zarah 22b

עבודה זרה כ״ב ע״ב

Learn Avodah Zarah 22b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Avodah Zarah 22b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Why גוים are suspected of bestiality, and when that suspicion applies

Overview

Our משנה says we may not leave an animal alone with a גוי, because גוים are suspected of bestiality. The גמרא asks why a ברייתא lets us buy animals from גוים for a קרבן without this worry. רב answers that a גוי protects his own animal so it will not become barren, and רב כהנא adds that with males it weakens their flesh. A גוי shepherd also holds back, because he fears losing his wages. That fear only works when the owner is another גוי who could catch him, so we may not hand our animal to a גוי shepherd. The גמרא then discusses gentile women: an animal following her around would expose her, but a dog would not, which is why a widow should not raise a dog. Next it explains why even female animals may not be left with gentile women, and traces the desire back to the זוהמא the נחש put into חוה, which ended for ישראל at הר סיני. Finally, two eyewitness stories show that the worry includes birds too.

Opening lines

גְּמָ׳ וּרְמִינְהִי:

GEMARA: And they raised a contradiction:

לוֹקְחִין מֵהֶן בְּהֵמָה לְקׇרְבָּן,

We may buy an animal from them for an offering,

וְאֵין חוֹשְׁשִׁין לֹא מִשּׁוּם רוֹבֵעַ,

and we are not concerned, not because of an animal that mounted a person,

וְלֹא מִשּׁוּם נִרְבָּע,

and not because of an animal that was mounted,

The steps (23)

  1. ChallengeA ברייתא that seems to contradict the משנה
  2. ChallengeIdol worship is understandable, but bestiality should still worry us
  3. ResolutionA גוי protects his own animal from becoming barren
  4. ChallengeWhat about male animals?
  5. ResolutionIt weakens the flesh of male animals
  6. ChallengeBuying from a גוי shepherd, whose animals are not his own
  7. ResolutionThe shepherd is afraid of losing his pay
  8. ChallengeWhy may we not hand an animal to a gentile shepherd?
  9. ResolutionGentiles fear each other, but not Jews
  10. Proofרבה's saying: a sinner recognizes another sinner
  11. ChallengeThen don't buy male animals from gentile women
  12. ResolutionThe animal would follow her and expose her
  13. ChallengeThen why may a widow not raise a dog?
  14. ResolutionPeople would think the dog follows her because of meat
  15. QuestionWhy not leave female animals with gentile women?
  16. ResponseThe visiting gentile man may find the animal instead
  17. ResponseEven if he finds her, he still prefers the animal
  18. ProofThe נחש left a spiritual dirtiness in חוה
  19. ChallengeThen Jews should have it too
  20. Resolutionהר סיני removed the dirtiness from ישראל
  21. QuestionWhat about birds?
  22. Proofרבי חנינא saw a gentile do this with a goose
  23. Proofרבי ירמיה saw an Arab do this with a piece of meat