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Avodah Zarah 27a

עבודה זרה כ״ז ע״א

Learn Avodah Zarah 27a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Who may perform מילה, and being healed or given haircuts by non-Jews

Overview

The amud opens by finishing the גמרא's discussion of a ברייתא about whether a ארמאי or a כותי may circumcise a Jewish baby. One approach explains that רבי מאיר means only a recognized expert doctor. In the end, though, the גמרא reverses the names in the ברייתא, and it solves a clash between two statements of רבי יהודה by saying one of them belongs to רבי יהודה הנשיא. רב חסדא then gives the פסוקים behind רבי יהודה, who requires the right intention for מילה, and רבי יוסי, who does not. Next, רב and רבי יוחנן argue over which פסוק disqualifies a גוי from doing a מילה. After two suggested differences are knocked down by a משנה about vows, the גמרא concludes that they differ about a woman, and it defends this using the story of צפורה. A new משנה then deals with medical treatment and haircuts from non-Jews. The גמרא defines ריפוי ממון as treating one's animal and ריפוי נפשות as treating one's own body. מר עוקבא adds that simply taking a non-Jew's advice about medicine is allowed.

Opening lines

בְּרוֹפֵא מוּמְחֶה,

[We are dealing] with an expert physician,

דְּכִי אֲתָא רַב דִּימִי

as when Rav Dimi came,

אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן:

[he said that] Rabbi Yochanan says:

אִם הָיָה מוּמְחֶה לְרַבִּים — מוּתָּר.

If he was a recognized expert to the public, it is permitted.

The steps (29)

  1. Resolutionרבי מאיר means an expert doctor
  2. ChallengeDoes רבי יהודה really allow a כותי to circumcise?
  3. Rejectionרבי יוסי rejects רבי יהודה's reason
  4. ResolutionReverse the names, and the other רבי יהודה is רבי יהודה הנשיא
  5. ProofA ברייתא shows רבי יהודה הנשיא disqualifies a non-Jew
  6. Statementרב חסדא gives the פסוקים behind רבי יהודה and רבי יוסי
  7. ChallengeHow does רבי יוסי deal with "to ה׳"?
  8. Resolution"To ה׳" goes on the קרבן פסח
  9. ChallengeHow does רבי יהודה deal with the doubled word?
  10. ResolutionThe Torah speaks the way people speak
  11. Statementרב and רבי יוחנן argue about the source for disqualifying a non-Jew
  12. QuestionWhat is the difference between the two sources?
  13. ResponseFirst suggestion: a circumcised Arab
  14. ChallengeChallenge: circumcised non-Jews still count as uncircumcised
  15. ResolutionSecond suggestion: a Jew who could not be circumcised
  16. ChallengeChallenge: uncircumcised Jews still count as circumcised
  17. ResolutionThe real difference is a woman
  18. Challengeצפורה circumcised her son
  19. ResolutionRead it as 'she had someone take'
  20. ChallengeBut the פסוק says she cut
  21. ResolutionShe told someone else to cut
  22. ResolutionShe started and משה finished
  23. Statementמשנה: healing and haircuts from non-Jews
  24. QuestionWhat do the two kinds of healing mean
  25. ChallengePaid versus free healing is rejected
  26. ResponseA new suggestion: danger versus no danger
  27. ChallengeEven a small bloodletting cut may not be treated
  28. ConclusionFinal answer: the animal versus one's own body
  29. StatementTaking a non-Jew's advice about medicine is allowed