Avodah Zarah 48a

עבודה זרה מ״ח ע״א

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Topic

The kinds of אשרה trees, שמואל's ruling on a worshipped tree's new growth, and how to identify an אשרה.

Overview

The משנה lists three kinds of אשרה: a tree planted for עבודה זרה is fully forbidden, a tree cut back for עבודה זרה only needs its new growth removed, and a tree with an idol placed under it is permitted once the idol is removed. The גמרא explains that דבי רבי ינאי meant that even bending or grafting the tree does not forbid the whole tree; removing the new growth is enough. שמואל rules that bowing to a tree forbids its later growth. רבי אלעזר challenges him from the משנה, and the גמרא answers that שמואל follows רבי יוסי בר יהודה, not the רבנן. רב אשי suggests that maybe everyone forbids the new growth and the argument is only about the trunk. The גמרא shows how the משנה could still fit either side on that reading. A second משנה brings the argument between the חכמים and רבי שמעון over a tree with an idol under it, along with the story in צידן. Finally, רב and שמואל give signs for recognizing a tree of unknown status as an אשרה, and the הלכה follows שמואל.

Opening lines

The steps (21)

1. StatementThe three kinds of idol-worship trees
2. Statementדבי רבי ינאי add a condition
3. ChallengeBut the משנה says simple cutting is enough
4. Resolutionדבי רבי ינאי were talking about removing the prohibition
5. Statementשמואל: The new growth of a worshipped tree is forbidden
6. Challengeרבי אלעזר challenges שמואל from the משנה
7. Resolutionשמואל follows רבי יוסי בר יהודה, not the רבנן
8. Challengeרב אשי: Maybe the dispute is about the trunk, not the new growth
9. Proofרב אשי shows how each side reads its verse about the trunk
10. ResolutionSwitching the verses to match the earlier discussion
11. ChallengeThen whose view is the משנה about cutting back the tree?
12. ResolutionThe משנה can follow רבי יוסי בר יהודה: cutting shows what he wanted
13. ResolutionThe משנה can follow the רבנן: it teaches that the trunk stays permitted
14. StatementThe new משנה: what makes a tree an אשרה
15. ProofThe story in צידן: the tree is permitted because they worshipped the image
16. ChallengeBut the earlier משנה already listed three kinds of אשרה
17. ResolutionTwo kinds are agreed; the משנה asks about the disputed one
18. QuestionHow do we recognize an אשרה when nobody saw it worshipped?
19. Responseרב: the priests sit under it and won't eat its fruit
20. Responseשמואל: even saying the dates are for the idol-house is enough
21. ConclusionThe הלכה follows שמואל