Avodah Zarah 8a

עבודה זרה ח׳ ע״א

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Topic

Personal requests in תפלה, and the festivals of the גוים

Overview

This עמוד finishes the מחלוקת between רבי אליעזר and רבי יהושע about where a person asks for his own needs in תפלה. The חכמים say these requests go in שומע תפלה, and שמואל rules that way. Three אמוראים then add more room: a fitting request at the end of each ברכה, a prayer for the sick or for a livelihood in the matching ברכה, and long requests after the תפלה. A new משנה lists the festivals of the גוים, and the חכמים limit which death-days count. It also teaches that private celebrations forbid business only on that day and only with that man. The גמרא dates קלנדא and סטרנורא and tells how אדם הראשון first fasted over the shrinking winter days and then celebrated when they grew longer. A similar story about his first night ends with the one-horned bull he offered. Next, the גמרא rules like רבי יוחנן: קלנדא forbids business only with the people who celebrate it, as shown from a ברייתא and from the משנה's words 'that man'. Finally, רבי ישמעאל teaches that Jews at a גוי's feast for his son are guilty from the moment of the invitation, and the rule that follows from this continues on the next עמוד.

Opening lines

The steps (29)

1. ResponseThe root of the dispute: do we learn from משה?
2. StatementThe חכמים: personal requests go in שומע תפלה
3. Conclusionשמואל rules like the חכמים
4. StatementA fitting request may be added at the end of each ברכה
5. StatementPraying for a sick person or a livelihood in the matching ברכה
6. StatementLong personal prayers after finishing שמונה עשרה
7. Statementרבי מאיר lists the festivals of the גוים
8. StatementThe חכמים limit which death-days count
9. StatementPrivate celebrations forbid only that day and that person
10. StatementWhen קלנדא and סטרנורא fall
11. Statementאדם הראשון fears the shrinking days
12. Statementאדם הראשון celebrates the lengthening days
13. Conclusionאדם's intention versus the גוים' intention
14. ChallengeHow could אדם fear short days if the world was created in ניסן?
15. ResolutionHe had never seen days this short
16. Statementאדם's terror at the first sunset
17. StatementAt dawn אדם understands and brings an offering
18. Statementשמואל: אדם's bull had one horn
19. ChallengeThe word 'horns' sounds like two
20. ResolutionThe spelling shows one horn
21. QuestionDoes Rome's קלנדא forbid business with the towns it rules?
22. Responseרבי יהושע בן לוי vs. רבי יוחנן on קלנדא
23. ProofA ברייתא supports רבי יוחנן on קלנדא
24. StatementThe ברייתא continues: time limits for other festivals
25. Proofרב אשי: our משנה teaches this too
26. Proof'That man' excludes the people he rules
27. Statementרבי ישמעאל: Jews at a non-Jew's feast are treated as eating idol offerings
28. ChallengeWhy not say the guilt begins only when they eat?
29. Resolutionרבא: the guilt starts from the moment of the invitation