Avodah Zarah 36a

עבודה זרה ל״ו ע״א

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Topic

The ban on non-Jewish oil: its source (שמואל's vessels or רב's דניאל), its place among the שמונה עשר דבר, and how רבי יהודה הנשיא could permit it

Overview

The גמרא explains שמואל's reason for the ban on non-Jewish oil: the oil soaks up forbidden food from the non-Jew's vessels. שמואל says this fits a report that רבי יהודה הנשיא and his בית דין voted to permit the oil, because נותן טעם לפגם is מותר. But on רב's view, that דניאל decreed the ban, a later court should not have been able to cancel it. רב first questions the witness, and then brings a פסוק showing that דניאל avoided oil. The two agree that דניאל kept away from oil, but they argue whether he made it a rule for all ישראל. The גמרא then reconciles רב with a teaching in his own name that counts oil among the שמונה עשר דבר. Its answer is that דניאל banned oil in the city, and the students of שמאי and הלל extended the ban to the field. Last, it explains how רבי יהודה הנשיא could permit oil even though the שמונה עשר דבר are normally permanent: the oil ban never spread among most of ישראל, and a decree must be one that most of the community can keep. The amud ends by asking for the פסוק behind that rule, and the answer comes on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (18)

1. Statementשמואל's first reason: drippings from impure vessels
2. ChallengeBut not everyone eats only pure food
3. ResolutionCorrected reason: drippings from forbidden vessels
4. Proofשמואל: my view explains why רבי יהודה permitted the oil
5. StatementWhy רבי יהודה permitted it: flavor that spoils is allowed
6. ChallengeOn רב's view, how could a later court cancel דניאל's decree?
7. Rejectionרב questions the witness from לוד
8. Rejectionשמואל offers to bring the witness, and רב is embarrassed
9. Proofרב brings a verse showing דניאל avoided oil
10. Resolutionרב and שמואל disagree whether דניאל taught all ישראל
11. ChallengeChallenge: רב himself counts oil among the eighteen decrees
12. RejectionMaybe דניאל's decree was simply not accepted
13. Resolutionדניאל banned oil in the city, the students banned it even in the field
14. ChallengeHow could רבי יהודה הנשיא cancel a decree of the students?
15. ChallengeThe שמונה עשר דבר can never be cancelled
16. ResolutionThe ban on oil never spread among most of ישראל
17. ProofThe Rabbis checked and found the oil ban had not spread
18. QuestionLooking for the פסוק behind the rule