Avodah Zarah 11
נִתְפָּרְדָה חֲבִילָה.
The bundle is separated.
אוּנְקְלוֹס בַּר קְלוֹנִימוּס אִיגַּיַּיר, שַׁדַּר קֵיסָר גּוּנְדָּא דְּרוֹמָאֵי אַבָּתְרֵיהּ, מַשְׁכִינְהוּ בִּקְרָאֵי, אִיגַּיּוּר. הֲדַר שַׁדַּר גּוּנְדָּא דְּרוֹמָאֵי [אַחֲרִינָא] אַבָּתְרֵיהּ, אֲמַר לְהוּ: לָא תֵּימְרוּ לֵיהּ וְלָא מִידֵּי.
§ The Gemara mentions other Romans who converted to Judaism. It relates: Onkelos bar Kelonimos converted to Judaism. The Roman emperor sent a troop [gunda] of Roman soldiers after him to seize Onkelos and bring him to the emperor. Onkelos drew them toward him with verses that he cited and learned with them, and they converted. The emperor then sent another troop of Roman soldiers after him, and said to them: Do not say anything to him, so that he cannot convince you with his arguments. The troops followed this instruction, and took Onkelos with them.
כִּי הֲווֹ שָׁקְלִי וְאָזְלִי, אֲמַר לְהוּ אֵימָא לְכוּ מִילְּתָא בְּעָלְמָא: נִיפְיוֹרָא נָקֵט נוּרָא קַמֵּי אַפִּיפְיוֹרָא, אַפִּיפְיוֹרָא לְדוּכָּסָא, דּוּכָּסָא לְהֶגְמוֹנָא, הַגְמוֹנָא לְקוֹמָא, קוֹמָא מִי נָקֵט נוּרָא מִקַּמֵּי אִינָשֵׁי? אָמְרִי לֵיהּ: לָא. אֲמַר לְהוּ: הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא נְקַט נוּרָא קַמֵּי יִשְׂרָאֵל, דִּכְתִיב: ״וַה׳ הֹלֵךְ לִפְנֵיהֶם יוֹמָם וְגוֹ׳״. אִיגַּיּוּר כּוּלְּהוּ.
When they were walking, Onkelos said to the troop of soldiers: I will say a mere statement to you: A minor official [nifyora] holds a torch before a high official [apifyora], the high official holds a torch for a duke [dukasa], a duke for the governor, and the governor for the ruler [koma]. Does the ruler hold a torch before the common people? The soldiers said to Onkelos: No. Onkelos said to them: Yet the Holy One, Blessed be He, holds a torch before the Jewish people, as it is written: “And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud, to lead them the way, and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light” (Exodus 13:21). They all converted.
הֲדַר שַׁדַּר גּוּנְדָּא אַחֲרִינָא אַבָּתְרֵיהּ, אֲמַר לְהוּ: לָא תִּשְׁתַּעוּ מִידֵּי בַּהֲדֵיהּ. כִּי נָקְטִי לֵיהּ וְאָזְלִי, חֲזָא מְזוּזְתָּא דְּמַנְּחָא אַפִּתְחָא, אוֹתֵיב יְדֵיהּ עֲלַהּ, וַאֲמַר לְהוּ: מַאי הַאי? אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ: אֵימָא לַן אַתְּ.
The emperor then sent another troop of soldiers after him, to bring Onkelos, and said to them: Do not converse with him at all. The troops followed this instruction, and took Onkelos with them. While they grabbed him and were walking, Onkelos saw a mezuza that was placed on the doorway. He placed his hand upon it and said to the soldiers: What is this? They said to him: You tell us.
אֲמַר לְהוּ: מִנְהָגוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, מֶלֶךְ בָּשָׂר וָדָם יוֹשֵׁב מִבִּפְנִים, וַעֲבָדָיו מְשַׁמְּרִים אוֹתוֹ מִבַּחוּץ, וְאִילּוּ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, עֲבָדָיו מִבִּפְנִים וְהוּא מְשַׁמְּרָן מִבַּחוּץ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״ה׳ יִשְׁמׇר צֵאתְךָ וּבוֹאֶךָ מֵעַתָּה וְעַד עוֹלָם״. אִיגַּיּוּר תּוּ לָא שַׁדַּר בָּתְרֵיהּ.
Onkelos said to them: The standard practice throughout the world is that a king of flesh and blood sits inside his palace, and his servants stand guard, protecting him outside; but with regard to the Holy One, Blessed be He, His servants, the Jewish people, sit inside their homes and He guards over them outside. As it is stated: “The Lord shall guard your going out and your coming in, from now and forever” (Psalms 121:8). Upon hearing this, those soldiers also converted to Judaism. After that, the emperor sent no more soldiers after him.
״וַיֹּאמֶר ה׳ לָהּ, שְׁנֵי גוֹיִם בְּבִטְנֵךְ״. אָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה אָמַר רַב: אַל תִּקְרֵי ״גּוֹיִם״ אֶלָּא ״גֵּיִים״, זֶה אַנְטוֹנִינוּס וְרַבִּי, שֶׁלֹּא פָּסְקוּ מֵעַל שׁוּלְחָנָם לֹא חֲזֶרֶת וְלֹא קִישּׁוּת וְלֹא צְנוֹן, לֹא בִּימוֹת הַחַמָּה וְלֹא בִּימוֹת הַגְּשָׁמִים, דְּאָמַר מָר: צְנוֹן מְחַתֵּךְ אוֹכֶל, חֲזֶרֶת מְהַפֵּךְ מַאֲכָל, קִישּׁוּת מַרְחִיב מֵעַיִים.
§ The Gemara returns to its discussion of Antoninus: When the matriarch Rebecca was pregnant with Jacob and Esau, “the Lord said to her: Two nations [goyim] are in your womb” (Genesis 25:23). Rav Yehuda says that Rav says: Do not read it as goyim, meaning nations; rather read it as geyim, meaning proud ones. This verse was fulfilled in two prominent individuals who descended from Rebecca, Antoninus and Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi, whose tables, due to their wealth, never lacked for lettuce, nor cucumbers, nor radish, neither in the summer nor in the rainy season, despite the fact that these foods do not grow year round. The reason they ensured that these items were always present at their tables is that the Master said: A radish breaks up food, lettuce stirs up food, and cucumbers expand the intestines.
וְהָא תָּנָא דְּבֵי רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל: לָמָּה נִקְרָא שְׁמָן קִישּׁוּאִין? מִפְּנֵי שֶׁקָּשִׁין לְגוּפוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם כַּחֲרָבוֹת! לָא קַשְׁיָא: הָא בְּרַבְרְבֵי, הָא בְּזוּטְרֵי.
The Gemara asks: But isn’t it taught in the school of Rabbi Yishmael: Why are they called cucumbers [kishuin]? It is because they are as harmful [kashim] to a person’s body as swords. The Gemara answers: This is not difficult. This statement, that they are harmful to the body, is referring to large cucumbers, whereas that statement, explaining why they were always present on the tables of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi and Antoninus, is referring to small ones.
יוֹם הַלֵּידָה וְיוֹם הַמִּיתָה. מִכְּלָל דְּרַבִּי מֵאִיר סָבַר: לָא שְׁנָא מִיתָה שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהּ שְׂרֵיפָה, וְלָא שְׁנָא מִיתָה שֶׁאֵין בָּהּ שְׂרֵיפָה — פָּלְחִי בַּהּ לַעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, אַלְמָא שְׂרֵיפָה לָאו חוּקָּה הִיא. מִכְּלָל דְּרַבָּנַן סָבְרִי: שְׂרֵיפָה חוּקָּה הִיא.
§ The mishna teaches that according to Rabbi Meir the birthday of the king and the day of the death of the king are considered gentile festivals, whereas the Rabbis hold that only a death that includes public burning is considered a festival that includes idol worship. The Gemara comments: By inference, this means that Rabbi Meir holds that there is no difference whether it is a death that includes public burning, and there is no difference whether it is a death that does not include public burning; in either case, they engage in idol worship on that occasion. Evidently, Rabbi Meir holds that the burning performed at the death of the king is not an idolatrous custom, as it is not the cause of the prohibition. The Gemara continues: From here, one can conclude by inference that the Rabbis hold that the burning upon the death of the king is an idolatrous custom.
וְהָא תַּנְיָא: שׂוֹרְפִין עַל הַמְּלָכִים, וְלֹא מִדַּרְכֵי הָאֱמוֹרִי, וְאִי חוּקָּה הִיא, אֲנַן הֵיכִי שָׂרְפִינַן? וְהָכְתִיב: ״וּבְחֻקֹּתֵיהֶם לֹא תֵּלֵכוּ״!
The Gemara raises a difficulty: But isn’t it taught in a baraita: We burn items upon the death of kings as an expression of grief, and this is not of the ways of the Amorites, but rather a Jewish custom? And if this is an idolatrous custom, how could we perform this public burning? But isn’t it written: “And you shall not walk in their statutes” (Leviticus 18:3)?
אֶלָּא, דְּכוּלֵּי עָלְמָא שְׂרֵיפָה לָאו חוּקָּה הִיא, אֶלָּא חֲשִׁיבוּתָא הִיא, וְהָכָא בְּהָא קָמִיפַּלְגִי: רַבִּי מֵאִיר סָבַר — לָא שְׁנָא מִיתָה שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהּ שְׂרֵיפָה, וְלָא שְׁנָא מִיתָה שֶׁאֵין בָּהּ שְׂרֵיפָה — פָּלְחִי בַּהּ לַעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, וְרַבָּנַן סָבְרִי — מִיתָה שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהּ שְׂרֵיפָה חֲשִׁיבָא לְהוּ וּפָלְחִי בַּהּ, וְשֶׁאֵין בָּהּ שְׂרֵיפָה לָא חֲשִׁיבָא וְלָא פָּלְחִי בַּהּ.
Rather, everyone agrees that the public burning itself is not an idolatrous custom. Rather, it is performed due to the great importance of the king who passed away. And here, in the mishna, they disagree about this: Rabbi Meir holds that there is no difference whether it is a death that includes public burning and there is no difference whether it is a death that does not include public burning; in either case, in practice they engage in idol worship on that occasion. And the Rabbis hold that a death that includes public burning is important to the gentiles, and therefore they engage in idol worship on that occasion, but a death that does not include public burning is not important to them, and they do not engage in idol worship on that occasion.
גּוּפָא: שׂוֹרְפִין עַל הַמְּלָכִים, וְאֵין בּוֹ מִשּׁוּם דַּרְכֵי הָאֱמוֹרִי, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״בְּשָׁלוֹם תָּמוּת וּבְמִשְׂרְפוֹת אֲבוֹתֶיךָ הַמְּלָכִים וְגוֹ׳״, וּכְשֵׁם שֶׁשּׂוֹרְפִין עַל הַמְּלָכִים, כָּךְ שׂוֹרְפִין עַל הַנְּשִׂיאִים.
Having mentioned this baraita, the Gemara returns to discuss the matter itself. The baraita teaches: One burns items due to the death of kings as an expression of grief, and this is not subject to the prohibition of imitating the ways of the Amorites, since it is a Jewish custom. As it is stated that Jeremiah prophesied to Zedekiah king of Judah: “You shall die in peace; and with the burnings of your fathers, the former kings that were before you, so shall they make a burning for you” (Jeremiah 34:5). And just as one burns items upon the death of the kings, so too one burns items upon the death of the heads of the Sanhedrin.
וּמָה הֵם שׂוֹרְפִין עַל הַמְּלָכִים? מִיטָּתָן וּכְלֵי תַּשְׁמִישָׁן, וּמַעֲשֶׂה שֶׁמֵּת רַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל הַזָּקֵן, וְשָׂרַף עָלָיו אוּנְקְלוֹס הַגֵּר שִׁבְעִים מָנֶה צוֹרִי. וְהָאָמְרַתְּ: מָה הֵן שׂוֹרְפִין עֲלֵיהֶם — מִיטָּתָן וּכְלֵי תַּשְׁמִישָׁן! אֵימָא: בְּשִׁבְעִים מָנֶה צוֹרִי.
And what items do they burn upon the death of kings? They burn the kings’ beds and their utensils, so that no one else can make use of them. And there was an incident in which Rabban Gamliel the Elder died, and upon his death Onkelos the convert burned seven thousand dinars in valuable Tyrian coinage. The Gemara asks: But didn’t you state in response to the question: What do they burn upon the death of kings, that they burn their beds and their utensils? Why, then, did Onkelos burn money? The Gemara answers: Say that Onkelos burned items that were valued at seven thousand dinars in Tyrian coinage.
וּמִידֵּי אַחֲרִינָא לָא? וְהָתַנְיָא: עוֹקְרִין עַל הַמְּלָכִים, וְאֵין בּוֹ מִשּׁוּם דַּרְכֵי הָאֱמוֹרִי! אָמַר רַב פָּפָּא: סוּס שֶׁרָכַב עָלָיו.
The Gemara asks: And are other items not destroyed in order to accord honor to the deceased king, apart from his utensils? But isn’t it taught in a baraita that we detach the hooves of livestock upon the death of kings, and this is not subject to the prohibition of the ways of the Amorites? Rav Pappa says: That baraita is referring to the horse upon which the king rode. Since that animal was designated as the king’s personal item, it is therefore rendered unusable for anyone else, like his personal utensils.
וּבְהֵמָה טְהוֹרָה לָא? וְהָתַנְיָא: עִיקּוּר שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהּ טְרֵיפָה — אָסוּר, וְשֶׁאֵין בָּהּ טְרֵיפָה — מוּתָּר, וְאֵיזֶהוּ עִיקּוּר שֶׁאֵין בָּהּ טְרֵיפָה?
The Gemara asks: And did they not detach the hooves of the king’s kosher animals, which are not used by the king for riding? But isn’t it taught in a baraita: If removing the hooves of an animal would entail that it becomes an animal with a wound that will cause it to die within twelve months [tereifa], it is prohibited to do so. And when doing so would not entail rendering it a tereifa, it is permitted. And what is a way of removing hooves that does not entail rendering the animal a tereifa?
הַמְנַשֵּׁר פַּרְסוֹתֶיהָ מִן הָאַרְכּוּבָּה וּלְמַטָּה. תַּרְגְּמַהּ רַב פָּפָּא: בְּעֶגְלָה הַמּוֹשֶׁכֶת בְּקָרוֹן.
One who cuts the hooves of the animal, severing the legs from the knee and below, does not render the animal a tereifa. It is evident from the baraita, which discusses the cases in which an animal is rendered a tereifa and is therefore unfit to eat, that it is discussing kosher animals. The Gemara answers: Rav Pappa interpreted the baraita as referring to the calf that pulls the king’s coach, a kosher animal of which the king made use.
יוֹם תִּגְלַחַת זְקָנוֹ. אִיבַּעְיָא לְהוּ, הֵיכִי קָתָנֵי? יוֹם תִּגְלַחַת זְקָנוֹ וְהַנָּחַת בְּלוֹרִיתוֹ, אוֹ דִלְמָא יוֹם תִּגְלַחַת זְקָנוֹ וְהַעֲבָרַת בְּלוֹרִיתוֹ? תָּא שְׁמַע, דְּתַנְיָא תַּרְוַיְיהוּ: יוֹם תִּגְלַחַת זְקָנוֹ וְהַנָּחַת בְּלוֹרִיתוֹ, יוֹם תִּגְלַחַת זְקָנוֹ וְהַעֲבָרַת בְּלוֹרִיתוֹ.
§ The mishna teaches: The day of shaving his, i.e., the gentile’s, beard and his locks. A dilemma was raised before the Sages: What is the mishna teaching here? Is it referring to the day of shaving his beard and head, when he cuts the hair of his head and as a result his long locks at the back of his head are left as a form of idol worship? Or perhaps the mishna is speaking of the day of shaving his beard and removing his locks, which are removed some time after they were left on the head? The Gemara responds: Come and hear an answer, as both opinions are taught in baraitot: One baraita mentions the day of shaving his beard and head when his long locks at the back of his head are left, whereas a different baraita specifies the day of shaving his beard and removing his locks.
אָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה אָמַר שְׁמוּאֵל: עוֹד אַחֶרֶת יֵשׁ [לָהֶם] בְּרוֹמִי, אַחַת לְשִׁבְעִים שָׁנָה מְבִיאִין אָדָם שָׁלֵם, וּמַרְכִּיבִין אוֹתוֹ עַל אָדָם חִיגֵּר, וּמַלְבִּישִׁין אוֹתוֹ בִּגְדֵי אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן, וּמַנִּיחִין לוֹ בְּרֹאשׁוֹ קַרְקִיפְלוֹ שֶׁל רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל,
The Gemara continues to discuss Roman festivals. Rav Yehuda says that Shmuel says: They have another festival in Rome: Once every seventy years they bring a man who is whole and free from any defect and have him ride on a lame man, to symbolize the healthy Esau ruling over Jacob, who walked with a limp after his fight with the angel. And they dress him in the garments of Adam the first man and place on his head the scalp [karkifelo] of Rabbi Yishmael, which the Romans flayed when they executed him.
וְתָלוּ לֵיהּ [בְּצַוְּארֵיהּ] מַתְקַל [מָאתַן] זוּזָא דְּפִיזָּא, וּמְחַפִּין אֶת הַשְּׁוָוקִים בְּאִינָךְ, וּמַכְרִיזִין לְפָנָיו: סַךְ קִירִי פְּלַסְתֵּר, אֲחוּהּ דְּמָרַנָא זַיְיפָנָא. דְּחָמֵי חָמֵי, וּדְלָא חָמֵי לָא חָמֵי, מַאי אַהֲנִי לְרַמָּאָה בְּרַמָּאוּתֵיהּ וּלְזַיְיפָנָא בְּזַיְיפָנוּתֵיהּ? וּמְסַיְּימִין בַּהּ הָכִי: וַוי לְדֵין כַּד יְקוּם דֵּין.
And they hang gold on his neck weighing two hundred dinars, and cover the markets with onyx, and announce before him: The calculation [sakh] of the master [kiri] Jacob with regard to the time of the redemption is fraudulent [plaster]; the brother of our master, i.e., Esau, a forger. They further announce: One who witnesses this festival witnesses it, and whoever does not witness it will not witness it ever, as it was celebrated only once every seventy years. What purpose does deceit serve for the deceiver, and forgery for the forger? And they conclude in this fashion: Woe unto this one, Esau, when that one, Jacob, will arise, as this will cause Esau’s downfall.
אָמַר רַב אָשֵׁי: הִכְשִׁילָן פִּיהֶם לָרְשָׁעִים, אִי אָמְרוּ ״זַיְיפָנָא אֲחוּהּ דְּמָרַנָא״ — כִּדְקָאָמְרִי, הַשְׁתָּא דְּאָמְרִי ״דְּמָרַנָא זַיְיפָנָא״ — מָרַנָא גּוּפֵיהּ זַיְיפָנָא הוּא.
Rav Ashi says: The mouths of these wicked people have caused their downfall. Had they said: A forger is the brother of our master, their claim would be interpreted as they say and wish to be understood. Now that they say: The brother of our master, a forger; they can be understood as saying: It is our master himself who is the forger.
וְתַנָּא דִּידַן מַאי טַעְמָא לָא קָחָשֵׁיב לַהּ לְהַאי? דְּאִיתַהּ בְּכֹל שַׁתָּא וְשַׁתָּא קָחָשֵׁיב, דְּלֵיתַהּ בְּכֹל שַׁתָּא וְשַׁתָּא לָא קָחָשֵׁיב.
The Gemara asks: And what is the reason that the tanna of our mishna does not count this festival in his list of gentile festivals? The Gemara answers: The tanna of the mishna counts those festivals that occur each and every year, and he does not count those festivals that do not occur each and every year.
הָנֵי דְּרוֹמָאֵי, וּדְפָרְסָאֵי מַאי? מוּטְרְדֵי וְטוּרְיַסְקִי, מוּהַרְנְקֵי וּמוּהְרִין. הָנֵי דְּפָרְסָאֵי וּדְרוֹמָאֵי דְּבַבְלָאֵי מַאי? מוּהַרְנְקֵי וְאַקְנִיתָא, בַּחְנוּנֵי וַעֲשַׂר בַּאֲדָר.
The Gemara comments: Those festivals enumerated in the mishna are the festivals of the Romans. The Gemara asks: And what are the idolatrous festivals of the Persians? The Gemara answers: Mutredei and Turyaskei, Moharnekei and Moharin. The Gemara asks: Those are the festivals of the Persians and the Romans, and what are the festivals of the Babylonians? The Gemara answers: Moharnekei and Akenitei, Beḥanunei and the tenth of Adar.
אָמַר רַב חָנָן בַּר רַב חִסְדָּא אָמַר רַב, וְאָמְרִי לַהּ אָמַר רַב חָנָן בַּר רָבָא אָמַר רַב: חֲמִשָּׁה בָּתֵּי עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה קְבוּעִין הֵן, אֵלּוּ הֵן: בֵּית בֵּל בְּבָבֶל, בֵּית נְבוֹ (בְּכוּרְסֵי) [בְּבוּרְסִיף], תְּרַעְתָּא שֶׁבְּמַפַּג, צְרִיפָא שֶׁבְּאַשְׁקְלוֹן, נִשְׁרָא שֶׁבְּעַרְבִיָּא. כִּי אֲתָא רַב דִּימִי הוֹסִיפוּ עֲלֵיהֶן יָרִיד שֶׁבְּעֵין בֶּכִי, נִדְבָּכָה שֶׁבְּעַכּוֹ. אִיכָּא דְּאָמְרִי נִתְבָּרָא שֶׁבְּעַכּוֹ. רַב דִּימִי מִנְּהַרְדְּעָא מַתְנִי אִיפְּכָא: יָרִיד שֶׁבְּעַכּוֹ, נִדְבָּכָה שֶׁבְּעֵין בֶּכִי.
§ Rav Ḥanan bar Rav Ḥisda says that Rav says, and some say that it was Rav Ḥanan bar Rava who says that Rav says: There are five established temples of idol worship, and they are: The temple of Bel in Babylonia; the temple of Nebo in the city of Khursei; the temple of Tirata, which is located in the city of Mapag; Tzerifa, which is located in Ashkelon; and Nashra, which is located in Arabia. When Rav Dimi came from Eretz Yisrael to Babylonia, he said: The Sages added to these places the marketplace that is located in Ein Bekhi and Nadbekha, which is located in Akko. There are those who say that Rav Dimi was referring to Natbera that is located in Akko. Rav Dimi from Neharde’a teaches the opposite, that it is the marketplace that is located in Akko, and Nadbekha that is located in Ein Bekhi.
אֲמַר לֵיהּ רַב חָנָן בַּר רַב חִסְדָּא לְרַב חִסְדָּא: מַאי ״קְבוּעִין הֵן״? אֲמַר לֵיהּ, הָכִי אָמַר אֲבוּהּ דְּאִימָּךְ: קְבוּעִין הֵן לְעוֹלָם. תְּדִירָא, כּוּלַּהּ שַׁתָּא פָּלְחִי לְהוּ.
Rav Ḥanan bar Rav Ḥisda said to Rav Ḥisda: What does it mean that these temples of idol worship are established? Rav Ḥisda said to him: This is what your mother’s father, Rav Ḥanan bar Rava, said: In contrast to festivals, which last for one or several days, they are always fixed as the site of idol worship, as constantly, all year round, worship takes place there.
אָמַר שְׁמוּאֵל: בַּגּוֹלָה אֵינוֹ אָסוּר אֶלָּא יוֹם אֵידָם בִּלְבַד, וְיוֹם אֵידָם נָמֵי מִי אֲסִיר? וְהָא רַב יְהוּדָה שְׁרָא לֵיהּ לְרַב בְּרוֹנָא לְזַבּוֹנֵי חַמְרָא, וּלְרַב גִּידֵּל לְזַבּוֹנֵי חִיטִּין בְּחַגְּתָא דְּטַיָּיעֵי! שָׁאנֵי חַגְּתָא דְּטַיָּיעֵי, דְּלָא קְבִיעָא.
§ Shmuel says: The halakha is that in the Diaspora, engaging in business with gentiles is prohibited only on the day of their festival itself, not during the days preceding and following the festival. Since Jews live among the gentiles, they are unable to refrain from engaging in business with them for such an extended period. The Gemara asks: And is it prohibited even on their festival day itself? But didn’t Rav Yehuda permit Rav Beruna to sell wine to gentiles, and permitted Rav Giddel to sell wheat, on the festival of the Arab merchants? The Gemara answers: The festival of the Arab merchants is different, as it does not have a fixed time, and therefore the Sages did not include it in the prohibition.
מַתְנִי׳ עִיר שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהּ עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה — חוּצָה לָהּ מוּתָּר, הָיָה חוּצָה לָהּ עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה — תּוֹכָהּ לָהּ מוּתָּר. מַהוּ לֵילֵךְ לְשָׁם? בִּזְמַן שֶׁהַדֶּרֶךְ מְיוּחֶדֶת לְאוֹתוֹ מָקוֹם — אָסוּר, וְאִם הָיָה יָכוֹל לְהַלֵּךְ בָּהּ לְמָקוֹם אַחֵר — מוּתָּר.
MISHNA: In the case of a city in which there is active idol worship, it is permitted to engage in business transactions with gentiles who live outside of the city. If the idol worship is outside the city, it is permitted to engage in business within the city. What is the halakha with regard to traveling there, a place where a pagan festival is being celebrated? When the road is designated only for that place, it is prohibited to use the road, as onlookers will assume that the traveler intends to join the festival. But if one were able to travel on it to arrive at another place, it is permitted to use the road to reach the place that is observing the festival.
גְּמָ׳ הֵיכִי דָמֵי חוּצָה לָהּ? אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ מִשּׁוּם רַבִּי חֲנִינָא: כְּגוֹן עִטְלוֹזָהּ שֶׁל עַזָּה. וְאִיכָּא דְּאָמְרִי, בְּעָא מִינֵּיהּ רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ מֵרַבִּי חֲנִינָא: עִטְלוֹזָהּ שֶׁל עַזָּה מַהוּ? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: לֹא הָלַכְתָּ לְצוֹר מִיָּמֶיךָ וְרָאִיתָ יִשְׂרָאֵל וְגוֹי
GEMARA: The Gemara asks: What are the circumstances that determine whether a place is sufficiently far from a city to be considered outside of it? Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish says in the name of Rabbi Ḥanina: A place that is far enough away is, for example, the bazaar [atluza] of Gaza, which is located outside the city walls. And some say that Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish asked Rabbi Ḥanina about this issue: What is the halakha with regard to the bazaar of Gaza? May one conduct business there on the day of a festival celebrated in Gaza? Rabbi Ḥanina said to him: Did you never in your lifetime travel to Tyre and see a Jew and a gentile
