Avodah Zarah 40b

עבודה זרה מ׳ ע״ב

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Topic

Foods bought from non-Jews (fish roe, olives, locusts, apple wine) and the start of the new פרק on statues

Overview

The גמרא finishes its talk about fish roe. It reads a ברייתא about egg-like signs as speaking of fish innards, such as the swim bladder. When no expert is around, רב יהודה trusts a seller who says 'I salted them,' while רב נחמן wants the seller to show the actual fish. Next the גמרא explains several items in the משנה's list: bits stuck to a חלתית leaf, soft olives softened by their own oil, and רבי יוסי's overripe olives whose pit slips out. A ברייתא teaches that food and apple wine taken from a non-Jew's storage are permitted, but goods sold out in the market may have wine added. A story tells how רבי was cured by seventy-year-old apple wine of non-Jews. רב ששת explains that a suspected כהן is trusted for his stored food, because he fears the חכמים. The פרק then ends, and a new משנה argues about which statues are forbidden. The גמרא explains this as a dispute over worrying about a minority, and limits it to statues of kings at a city's entrance.

Opening lines

The steps (34)

1. ChallengeA ברייתא says fish roe has signs like eggs
2. ResolutionThe ברייתא is really about fish innards
3. ChallengeHow can fish innards be round and pointed?
4. ResolutionThe swim bladder has an egg shape
5. QuestionWhat if there is no expert?
6. Responseרב יהודה: the seller's word is enough
7. Statementרב נחמן: the seller must show the fish
8. Conclusionרב יהודה ruled this way in practice
9. StatementThe משנה: the leaf of חלתית
10. ChallengeIsn't that obvious?
11. ResolutionThe pieces stuck to the leaf are also permitted
12. StatementQuoting the next item in the list: rolled olive cakes
13. ChallengeWhy is this not obvious?
14. ResolutionVery soft olives: softened by their own oil, not by wine
15. Statementרבי יוסי forbids overripe olives
16. QuestionWhat are overripe olives?
17. ResponseAn olive so soft that its pit slips out
18. StatementQuoting the משנה about locusts
19. StatementA ברייתא: from storage they are permitted, sold in the market they are forbidden
20. StatementThe same rule for apple wine of non-Jews
21. Questionרבי, with a stomach ache, asks about apple wine
22. Responseרבי ישמעאל בן רבי יוסי: my father drank it and was cured
23. Conclusionרבי: you knew this and let me suffer!
24. ConclusionThey find old apple wine, and רבי is cured
25. QuestionWhat does 'and the same for תרומה' mean?
26. ResponseA suspected כהן is trusted for food from his storage
27. ConclusionHadran — Closing פרק אין מעמידין
28. Statementרבי מאיר: all statues are forbidden
29. Statementחכמים: only statues holding a staff, bird or ball are forbidden
30. Statementרבן שמעון בן גמליאל: a statue holding anything is forbidden
31. ChallengeIf statues are worshipped yearly, why do the חכמים permit them?
32. ResolutionOnly one town worshipped statues; the dispute is about worrying for a minority
33. StatementThe dispute is only about statues of kings
34. StatementAnd only statues standing at the city entrance