Avodah Zarah 39b

עבודה זרה ל״ט ע״ב

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Topic

Seals on food left with a גוי, foods of a גוי that are forbidden, and the new משנה's list of foods that are permitted

Overview

This amud deals with foods a Jew gets from a גוי or leaves with a גוי. It first finishes רב's list of which foods need two seals and which need only one. It explains why one seal is enough for bread, and it fixes רב's list so that it says 'a piece of fish without a sign' instead of milk. שמואל gives his own list, in which fish is simply counted as meat. A ברייתא then says that in סוריא certain foods may be bought only from an expert, but a guest may eat them at a host's home. This supports רבי יהושע בן לוי's rule that food a host sends from his home is permitted. The גמרא explains מלח סלקונדרית and the argument over whether its black or white kind is forbidden, and it explains what the משנה's closing words 'these are forbidden' leave out. A new משנה then lists foods of a גוי that are permitted to eat. The גמרא explains watched milk, honey, dripping grape clusters, unminced טרית, and brine with fish in it, and that last definition continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (31)

1. StatementEnd of רב's list: which foods need two seals and which need one
2. QuestionWhy might bread have needed two seals?
3. ResponseAny bread swap would be noticed or is not worth the effort
4. ChallengeWhy is cheese different from milk?
5. Resolutionרב כהנא: replace milk with fish that has no sign
6. ChallengeIsn't fish the same as meat?
7. ResolutionTwo kinds of meat
8. Statementשמואל's own list of one-seal and two-seal foods
9. ResolutionWhy שמואל does not list fish separately
10. StatementBuying sensitive foods in Syria only from an expert
11. ProofThe ברייתא supports רבי יהושע בן לוי
12. ResponseWhy a host's food can be trusted
13. QuestionWhat is מלח סלקונדרית?
14. ResponseThe salt eaten by Roman bakers
15. Statementרבי מאיר and רבי יהודה argue about black and white salt
16. StatementA third view: both colors are forbidden
17. StatementWhy each opinion forbids black or white salt
18. StatementAn elder who smoothed the salt with pig fat
19. QuestionWhat do the closing words 'these are forbidden' exclude
20. ResponseThe answer according to חזקיה and according to רבי יוחנן
21. StatementNew משנה: foods of a גוי that are permitted to eat
22. Statementרבי יוסי on overripe olives and locusts
23. StatementThe משנה matches a ברייתא about watching a גוי milk
24. QuestionWhat case does the ברייתא mean?
25. ResponseThe גוי is afraid the Jew might stand and see
26. QuestionWhy would we worry about honey at all?
27. ResponseThree possible worries about honey all fail
28. ChallengeDripping grape clusters contradicted by the winepress case
29. ResolutionIt depends on whether he wants the juice
30. StatementDefining טרית that is not minced
31. StatementDefining brine that has fish in it