Avodah Zarah 6b

עבודה זרה ו׳ ע״ב

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Topic

Helping others sin, business with idol worshippers before their festivals, and the משנה's list of forbidden loans and payments

Overview

This amud opens with a ברייתא: you may not hand wine to a נזיר or אבר מן החי to בני נח, because of לפני עור. The גמרא explains that this is a case where the two stand on opposite sides of a river, so the sinner needs your help. Next, רבי יוחנן and ריש לקיש argue about whether profits from forbidden business with idol worshippers before their festival are forbidden after the fact, and a ברייתא backs ריש לקיש. A story follows in which ריש לקיש advises רבי יהודה נשיאה to drop a festival-day coin into a pit so that it looks like an accident. The גמרא then asks why the משנה forbids borrowing and collecting from them, which seem to hurt them rather than help them. אביי calls these a protective rule, and רבא says every case may lead the idol worshipper to thank his idol. The גמרא shows why each case in the משנה had to be taught, and defends רבי יהודה's view that collecting debts is allowed. Last, רב הונא rules like רבי יהושע בן קרחה about loans made without a document, and like רבי יהודה in a case of a dyer. That case continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (36)

1. StatementA ברייתא: no handing wine to a נזיר or אבר מן החי to בני נח
2. ChallengeBut he could have taken it himself
3. ResolutionThey are standing on two sides of a river
4. ProofThe word 'hand across' supports the river case
5. QuestionWhat if someone already did business before their festival?
6. Responseרבי יוחנן: forbidden. ריש לקיש: permitted
7. Challengeרבי יוחנן challenges ריש לקיש from a ברייתא
8. Resolutionריש לקיש: the ברייתא means on the festival itself
9. ChallengeAnother version: ריש לקיש challenges רבי יוחנן
10. Resolutionרבי יוחנן: the תנא calls both 'their festivals'
11. ProofA ברייתא supports ריש לקיש
12. StatementNon-lasting items: sell to them, but do not buy from them
13. QuestionA coin gift on a festival day puts רבי יהודה נשיאה in a dilemma
14. Responseריש לקיש: take it and throw it into a pit
15. ChallengeThat would cause even more hatred
16. ResolutionMake it look like an accident
17. ChallengeWhy is borrowing items from them forbidden?
18. Resolutionאביי: borrowing was forbidden so people would not come to lend
19. Resolutionרבא: both are forbidden because he will thank his idol
20. ChallengeWhy is borrowing money from them forbidden?
21. Resolutionאביי: borrowing money was forbidden so people would not come to lend
22. Resolutionרבא: both are forbidden because he will thank his idol
23. ChallengeWhy is collecting a debt from them forbidden?
24. Resolutionאביי: Collecting was forbidden because of repaying
25. Resolutionרבא: Both are forbidden because he will thank his idol
26. StatementWhy the משנה needed both business and borrowing items
27. StatementWhy the משנה needed both borrowing items and borrowing money
28. ConclusionWhy the משנה needed collecting debts too, so every case is needed
29. ChallengeDoes רבי יהודה ignore later happiness?
30. ProofThe lime case shows רבי יהודה counts later happiness
31. ResolutionThe laws of מועד are a special case
32. ResolutionA גוי is always upset about paying back
33. StatementOur משנה does not follow רבי יהושע בן קרחה
34. Statementרב הונא rules like two תנאים
35. StatementWhich ruling of רבי יהושע בן קרחה
36. StatementWhich ruling of רבי יהודה: the dyer case