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More on the Mercury idol – including stones that were removed from the idol, and were then prohibited. Plus, other idolatries — more than one that compares the practices of idolatry with the dead, where benefit is prohibited. But stones weren’t the Jewish approach in worship, so perhaps it shouldn’t be a problem of benefit. Plus, a beraita that was too difficult to unpack — with the claim that they needed a carpenter, the son of a carpenter to resolve it. Also, another beraita that needed unpacking (about removing worms from a tree, or putting manure on certain places on the given tree. Certain questions and contradictions were not addressed satisfactorily for the sages. [NOTE: Unbeknownst to us, Yardaena’s sound cut out – as you may detect easily…though she sounded loud and clear during recording]

Click here for the Talking Talmud podcast on Avodah Zarah 50/871a>.’”

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