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Avodah Zarah 74a

עבודה זרה ע״ד ע״א

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Topic

Items that forbid a mixture in any amount, and the law of יין נסך that falls into a cistern of wine.

Overview

The first משנה lists items that are forbidden and that forbid any mixture they fall into, even in a tiny amount. The גמרא asks what these items share. It concludes that each one is both a דבר שבמנין (an item counted one by one) and an איסור הנאה (forbidden for any benefit). Other items that seem to fit, such as אגוזי פרך, רימוני בדן and a homeowner's loaves, are left out because they are already taught in מסכת ערלה. A second משנה rules that יין נסך falling into a cistern forbids the whole cistern for benefit. רבן שמעון בן גמליאל disagrees: the whole cistern may be sold to a גוי, minus the value of the forbidden wine. רב follows him only when a barrel is lost among barrels. שמואל and several other אמוראים follow him even when wine mixed into wine. רב נחמן gives the practical הלכה: real יין נסך mixed as liquid is forbidden, a barrel among barrels may be sold, and סתם יינם may be sold even when mixed as liquid.

Opening lines

מַתְנִי׳ אֵלּוּ אֲסוּרִין,

MISHNA: These are forbidden,

וְאוֹסְרִין בְּכׇל שֶׁהוּ:

and they make a mixture forbidden in any amount:

יֵין נֶסֶךְ, וַעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה,

libation wine, and idol worship,

וְעוֹרוֹת לְבוּבִין,

and hides torn at the heart,

The steps (16)

  1. StatementThe list of items that forbid a mixture in any amount
  2. ChallengeIf the rule is counted items, why leave out pieces of a carcass?
  3. ChallengeIf the rule is benefit-forbidden items, why leave out חמץ on פסח?
  4. ResolutionThe list needs both features together
  5. ChallengeWhy aren't פרך nuts and בדן pomegranates on the list?
  6. ResolutionThey were already taught in מסכת ערלה
  7. ChallengeWhy aren't a homeowner's loaves of חמץ on the list?
  8. ResolutionThat is רבי עקיבא's view, taught elsewhere
  9. QuestionWhat do the closing words 'הרי אלו' exclude?
  10. ResponseItems with only one of the two features are left out
  11. StatementLibation wine falls into a cistern: all of it is forbidden
  12. Statementרבן שמעון בן גמליאל: sell it all, minus the forbidden part's value
  13. Statementרב: follow רבן שמעון בן גמליאל only for a barrel among barrels
  14. Statementשמואל: follow רבן שמעון בן גמליאל even for wine in wine
  15. StatementThree more chains of אמוראים agree with שמואל
  16. Conclusionרב נחמן's practical ruling: three cases