Gemara Clarity

Avodah Zarah 59a

עבודה זרה נ״ט ע״א

Learn Avodah Zarah 59a step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Avodah Zarah 59a in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Worshipped water, רבי יוחנן's three rulings for גבלא (ממזרים, wine, lupines and בישולי גוים), and a גוי carrying grapes to the winepress.

Overview

The amud opens with רבי יוחנן's rule that public water does not become forbidden when a נכרי bows to it. This implies that privately owned water does become forbidden. The גמרא asks why this matters, since water is attached to the ground anyway. It answers that a wave lifted the water up. It then tries to use this to settle רבי יוחנן's view on boulders that broke loose by themselves, but rejects the proof by saying a person splashed the water up. Next comes a story: רבי חייא בר אבא saw lax practices in גבלא, and רבי יוחנן ordered three strict announcements, about ממזרים, diluted wine, and lupines cooked by gentiles. The גמרא explains each one, including a discussion of two versions of רב's rule on בישולי גוים. Finally, רב כהנא forbids a גוי to carry grapes to the winepress, and רב יימר begins a challenge from a ברייתא that continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

דְּאָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן

As Rabbi Yoḥanan says

מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יְהוֹצָדָק:

in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yehotzadak:

מַיִם שֶׁל רַבִּים אֵין נֶאֱסָרִין.

Water belonging to the public is not rendered forbidden.

הָא דְּיָחִיד נֶאֱסָרִין.

This implies that water of an individual is rendered forbidden.

The steps (15)

  1. StatementPublic water does not become forbidden
  2. ChallengeWhy not say water is attached to the ground?
  3. ResolutionA wave lifted the water
  4. ProofProving רבי יוחנן's view on loosened boulders
  5. RejectionNo proof: a person splashed the water
  6. StatementWhat רבי חייא בר אבא saw in גבלא
  7. Statementרבי יוחנן orders three strict announcements
  8. StatementWhy the children are ממזרים
  9. StatementWhy the diluted wine is forbidden: stay far from the vineyard
  10. StatementQuoting the lupine part of רבי יוחנן's ruling
  11. ChallengeLupines should be forbidden for everyone
  12. Resolutionרבי יוחנן follows the 'table of kings' version
  13. QuestionMay a גוי carry grapes to the winepress?
  14. Responseרב כהנא forbids it as a fence
  15. Challengeרב יימר begins a challenge from a ברייתא