Avodah Zarah 72a

עבודה זרה ע״ב ע״א

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Topic

Whether משיכה (pulling an item) makes a real acquisition when a גוי is involved, shown through the ברייתא about a בן נח who steals less than a פרוטה. Then a new case where רב יוסף rules on a promise to sell land.

Overview

The amud opens by finishing a proof that משיכה (pulling an item) is a real acquisition for a גוי. The proof comes from a ברייתא where a second בן נח who takes a stolen item from the first thief is also executed. Next come several sales cases. רב יוסף rules on a promise to sell land 'if I sell,' and אביי objects that no price was fixed. The גמרא then proves from a ברייתא about unloading produce that a sale is not final until the price is fixed. In the case of a promise to sell for one hundred followed by a sale to someone else for one hundred twenty, the הלכה follows רב יעקב מנהר פקוד: the extra money forced the sale, so the promise does not hold. The גמרא also rules on prices set 'as three assess' or 'as three say,' and holds that an agreed assessment stands. A new משנה follows about wine left in a funnel and about pouring wine from vessel to vessel. In its גמרא, רב הונא rules that a poured stream connects liquids for יין נסך. רב נחמן shows that the משנה in טהרות cannot be his source, and the גמרא begins a new proof from our funnel משנה, which continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (26)

1. ResolutionExplaining 'not subject to restitution'
2. ChallengeThe second thief in the latter clause makes no sense
3. ConclusionConclusion: pulling acquires for a non-Jew
4. StatementA promise to sell land, then a sale to someone else
5. Challengeאביי objects that no price was fixed
6. Proofאביי's proof from selling wine to a gentile
7. QuestionWhat is the final ruling?
8. ResponseWhy ask? We already said it
9. RejectionMaybe forbidden wine is a special case
10. Proofרב הונא's case: the produce was brought in but not unloaded
11. ProofEven after unloading, a sale needs a fixed price
12. StatementA promise to sell land for one hundred, then a sale for one hundred twenty
13. ChallengeThe extra money forced his hand
14. ConclusionThe ruling follows רב יעקב מנהר פקוד
15. StatementA price set 'as three assess' or 'as three say'
16. StatementA price set by four needs all four
17. StatementCan one side demand three better assessors?
18. ChallengeWho says the new ones know better?
19. ConclusionThe ruling follows רב הונא בריה דרב יהושע
20. Statementמשנה: wine left in a funnel
21. StatementPouring from one vessel to another
22. StatementA משנה elsewhere: which flows join liquids together
23. Statementרב הונא: for libation wine these flows do connect
24. Challengeרב נחמן asks for רב הונא's source
25. RejectionThe second half of the משנה cancels out the proof
26. ProofStarting a proof from our משנה about the funnel