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Avodah Zarah 30b

עבודה זרה ל׳ ע״ב

Learn Avodah Zarah 30b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

The laws of גילוי (uncovered food and drink a snake may have poisoned), how venom behaves, and the start of a list of three kinds of forbidden wine

Overview

The גמרא finishes a ruling about soured wine: after a set time it no longer falls under גילוי or יין נסך, though the נהרדעי still worry about גילוי because a snake sometimes drinks it anyway. Next comes a list of items that are not subject to גילוי: fermenting wine, cress dishes, כותח הבבלי, steadily dripping water, and the opening of a fig. Some of these come with limits, such as the strict custom of the בני גולה, vinegar that keeps snakes away, and bite marks in the כותח. The fig ruling is matched to רבי אליעזר, who relies on 'שומר פתאים ה׳'. רב ספרא then teaches that venom sinks, spreads, or floats depending on the snake's age, and the גמרא explains that an old snake grows stronger in body but weaker in venom. Sinking venom explains why an uncovered barrel or melon stays forbidden even after nine people ate or drank safely. A ברייתא forbids using uncovered water for many other purposes. The גמרא clarifies how אחרים differ from the תנא קמא about washing, and explains why one may give such water to his own cat but not to a friend's. The amud ends as רבי יהודה בן בתירא begins listing three kinds of wine, starting with יין נסך, and the list continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

מִכָּאן וְאֵילָךְ —

From this point onward —

אֵין בּוֹ מִשּׁוּם גִּילּוּי,

it is not subject to the rule of exposure,

וְאֵין בּוֹ מִשּׁוּם יֵין נֶסֶךְ.

and it is not subject to the rule of libation wine.

וּנְהַרְדָּעֵי אָמְרִי:

And the scholars of Neharde'a say:

The steps (33)

  1. StatementAfter the set time, the soured wine is free of both concerns
  2. StatementThe נהרדעי still worry about exposure
  3. QuestionWhy are the נהרדעי worried?
  4. ResponseSometimes a snake drinks it anyway
  5. StatementFermenting wine is free of exposure concerns for three days
  6. StatementCress dishes are exempt, but the Diaspora was strict
  7. StatementThe custom applies only to cress dishes without vinegar
  8. Statementכותח הבבלי is exempt, but the Diaspora was strict
  9. Statementכותח with marks in it is a real concern
  10. StatementDripping water is exempt from exposure concerns
  11. StatementOnly when the drops fall one right after another
  12. StatementThe opening of a fig is exempt from exposure concerns
  13. QuestionWhose view does this ruling follow?
  14. ResponseIt follows רבי אליעזר: God protects the simple
  15. StatementThree kinds of snake venom
  16. ChallengeDoesn't a snake get stronger with age?
  17. ResolutionBody gets stronger, venom gets weaker
  18. QuestionWhy does sinking venom matter?
  19. ResponseThe uncovered barrel: nine drank, the tenth died
  20. ResponseThe uncovered melon: same rule
  21. StatementUncovered water may not be used at all
  22. Statementאחרים: washing is forbidden only where there is a crack
  23. ChallengeAren't אחרים saying the same thing as the תנא קמא?
  24. ResolutionThey differ about smooth spots on the hand, foot and face
  25. ChallengeContradiction about giving uncovered water to one's own animal
  26. ResolutionThe lenient ברייתא is talking about a cat
  27. ChallengeThen let him give it to his friend's cat too
  28. ResolutionThe venom weakens the friend's cat
  29. ChallengeHis own cat gets weakened too
  30. ResolutionThe cat recovers afterward
  31. ChallengeThe friend's cat also recovers
  32. ResolutionThe friend may want to sell it while it is weak
  33. StatementThree kinds of wine, starting with libation wine