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Avodah Zarah 50b

עבודה זרה נ׳ ע״ב

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Topic

רבה בר ירמיה's two 'unsolvable' ברייתות (מרקוליס stones; tree care in שביעית and חול המועד) and breaking or throwing a stick before an idol

Overview

This amud opens at the end of a ברייתא that רבה בר ירמיה brought. Stones a gentile took from a מרקוליס pile and paved with are permitted, but if a Jew did it they are forbidden. רבה בר ירמיה said no scholar could resolve it. רב ששת explains that the problem is רב גידל's rule that an idol offering can never be permitted. He answers that this rule covers only things like offerings in the בית המקדש, and stones are not such things. Next comes a second ברייתא from רבה בר ירמיה about caring for trees during שביעית and חול המועד, with the same dare. רבינא tests several possible difficulties and knocks each one down, using the rule that preserving a tree is allowed while improving it is forbidden. רב סמא then reveals the real puzzle: on חול המועד, smearing oil is allowed but manuring is forbidden, even though both only preserve the tree. Finally, רב rules that breaking a stick before a stick-worshipped idol makes one liable but throwing it does not. רבא defends this to אביי, and אביי begins a new challenge from a ברייתא that continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

מוּתָּרוֹת,

they are permitted,

יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁהֵבִיא אֲבָנִים מִן הַמַּרְקוּלִיס

A Jew who brought stones from the Mercury pile

וְחִיפָּה בָּהֶן דְּרָכִים וּסְרַטְיָאוֹת —

and paved paths and streets with them —

אֲסוּרוֹת,

they are forbidden,

The steps (19)

  1. StatementEnd of the ברייתא about stones from a מרקוליס pile
  2. Questionרב ששת steps up and identifies the difficulty
  3. ResolutionAn offering must resemble one brought inside the בית המקדש
  4. StatementA second ברייתא: removing worms and applying manure
  5. StatementPruning is forbidden in both, oiling a pruned spot is allowed in both
  6. Questionרבינא offers to solve it and asks what the problem is
  7. ResponseFirst guess: why is שביעית more lenient than חול המועד?
  8. RejectionRejected: חול המועד forbids even mere effort
  9. ResponseSecond guess: why is manure allowed but pruning forbidden?
  10. RejectionRejected: manure saves the tree, pruning improves it
  11. ChallengeThird guess: the משנה forbids manure during שביעית
  12. RejectionRejected: there are two kinds of manuring
  13. ChallengeMaybe the problem is two rulings about smearing oil
  14. RejectionOil on a tree differs from oil on fruit
  15. ResponseThe real puzzle: smearing allowed but manuring forbidden on חול המועד
  16. StatementBreaking or throwing a stick before an idol
  17. ChallengeWhy isn't throwing like sprinkling blood?
  18. ResolutionReal זריקה must scatter
  19. Challengeאביי quotes a ברייתא about excrement and urine