Avodah Zarah 49b

עבודה זרה מ״ט ע״ב

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Topic

Mixtures with things from an אשרה, nullifying idols and their broken pieces, and stones next to מרקוליס

Overview

The amud opens with the end of a משנה about wood taken from an אשרה. The wood is forbidden for benefit, and so is a new oven heated with it, bread baked with it, and a garment woven with a shuttle made from it. If these get mixed with others, the רבנן forbid everything. רבי אליעזר lets you throw the value into ים המלח instead. The גמרא explains why both the bread case and the shuttle case were needed. It then rules like רבי אליעזר, and רב אדא בר אהבה and רב חסדא argue whether this also works for a barrel of יין נסך. A new משנה teaches how a gentile nullifies an אשרה by taking even a leaf from it. The גמרא then discusses the shavings of the tree, and רב and שמואל argue about an idol that broke. After the הדרן for פרק כל הצלמים, a new פרק begins with stones lying next to מרקוליס. The גמרא explains that the argument between רבי ישמעאל and חכמים is only about stones whose origin is unknown.

Opening lines

The steps (28)

1. StatementWood from an אשרה and things made with it
2. StatementForbidden bread mixed with other bread
3. RejectionThe רבנן reject redemption for עבודה זרה
4. StatementA weaving shuttle from an אשרה and the garment woven with it
5. StatementWhy both cases are needed: the bread case alone is not enough
6. ConclusionWhy the משנה needed the bread case too
7. StatementThe halacha follows רבי אליעזר
8. StatementAnother version of who passed down the ruling
9. Statementרב אדא בר אהבה limits the ruling to bread
10. Statementרב חסדא says even a barrel is permitted
11. Statementרב חסדא rules for a man whose wine got mixed
12. StatementHow a gentile nullifies an אשרה
13. StatementShaving the tree for its sake or not
14. QuestionWhat about the shavings?
15. Statementרב הונא and רבי חייא בר רב disagree
16. ProofA ברייתא supports the view that the shavings are permitted
17. Statementרב and שמואל on an idol that broke
18. ChallengeDoes natural growth really nullify an idol?
19. ResolutionRereading שמואל: only natural growth needs nullification
20. QuestionSuggestion: do they argue about worshipping fragments?
21. RejectionNo: everyone agrees fragments are worshipped; the argument is about pieces of pieces
22. RejectionAnother option: an idol made of parts that anyone can reassemble
23. ConclusionHadran — Closing the chapter כל הצלמים
24. StatementStones lying next to the idol Mercury
25. StatementThe Rabbis' view makes sense
26. ChallengeWhat is רבי ישמעאל's reasoning?
27. StatementStones known to have fallen from the idol are forbidden by everyone
28. ResolutionThe argument is only about stones of unknown origin