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Avodah Zarah 31b

עבודה זרה ל״א ע״ב

Learn Avodah Zarah 31b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

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Topic

Sealed barrels held by a כותי, and why חז"ל forbade the beer of גוים (חתנות vs. גילוי)

Overview

The גמרא brings a ברייתא that seems to clash with an earlier source allowing sealed barrels held by a כותי. רבי זירא answers by splitting city from road. רבי ירמיה rejects that answer and says the lenient source is about barrels among the winepresses, where the כותי fears being seen. A new topic then opens: why did חז"ל forbid the beer of גוים? One view says חתנות (social closeness) and the other says גילוי (uncovered liquid that a snake may have poisoned). The גמרא defends the גילוי reason against two challenges. Next come stories of אמוראים who drank גוים' beer away from their company, and of רב שמואל בר ביסנא, who refused even beer as a 'trace of a trace.' Finally, רב permits Aramean beer but not for his weak son חייא, and שמואל adds teachings about venom. The amud ends as רב יוסף begins a statement that continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

הַשּׁוֹלֵחַ חָבִית שֶׁל יַיִן בְּיַד כּוּתִי,

One who sends a barrel of wine in the hands of a Samaritan,

וְשֶׁל צִיר וְשֶׁל מוּרְיָיס בְּיַד גּוֹי,

or a barrel of fish brine or of fish stew in the hands of a gentile,

אִם מַכִּיר חוֹתָמוֹ וּסְתָמוֹ — מוּתָּר,

if he recognizes his seal and his way of closing it, it is permitted;

אִם לָאו — אָסוּר!

if not, it is forbidden!

The steps (20)

  1. ChallengeA ברייתא that requires recognizing the seal
  2. Resolutionרבי זירא splits city from road
  3. Challengeרבי ירמיה: city barrels also came by road
  4. Resolutionרבי ירמיה: the lenient source is about the winepresses
  5. QuestionWhy was the beer of גוים forbidden?
  6. ResponseTwo reasons: closeness or uncovered drink
  7. ChallengeWhich uncovered container is the worry?
  8. ResolutionThe worry is water left standing to settle
  9. ChallengeThen aged beer should be allowed
  10. ResolutionAged beer is forbidden because of new beer
  11. StatementHow רב פפא and רב אחאי drank גוים' beer
  12. Statementרב שמואל בר ביסנא refuses wine and beer
  13. QuestionWhy did he refuse the beer?
  14. ResponseA trace of a trace
  15. Statementרב: Aramean beer is permitted, but his son should not drink it
  16. ChallengeEither way, רב's statement seems inconsistent
  17. ResolutionThe concern is snake venom, which only harms a weak person
  18. Statementשמואל: all creeping animals have venom, but only a snake's kills
  19. Statementרב's teaching on why the Arameans swell but do not die
  20. Statementרב יוסף introduces a new statement