Avodah Zarah, Daf Kaf Bet, Part 3

 

גמ׳ ורמינהי לוקחין מהן בהמה לקרבן ואין חוששין לא משום רובע ולא משום נרבע ולא משום מוקצה ולא משום נעבד

בשלמא מוקצה ונעבד אם איתא דאקצייה ואם איתא דפלחיה לא הוה מזבין ליה אלא רובע ונרבע לחוש

 

GEMARA. They raised the following in contradiction: One may buy from them cattle for a sacrifice, and we need not fear lest they engaged in bestiality with it, or lest they designated as an offering to idols, or lest it had been worshipped.

Now it makes sense not to fear that it was designated as an offering to idols or made an object of worship, since if it had been so designated or worshipped, its owner would not have sold it; but we should be concerned lest it engaged in bestiality!

 

According to this baraita, we need not be concerned lest the animal engaged in bestiality. This directly contradicts our mishnah.

 

אמר רב תחליפא אמר רב שילא בר אבינא משמיה דרב עובד כוכבים חס על בהמתו שלא תעקר

 

R. Tahlifa said in the name of R. Shila b. Avina in the name of Rav: A non-Jew would have regard for his cattle, lest it becomes barren.

 

According to this resolution, the non-Jew might engage in bestiality with animals he does not own. Thus Jews should not leave our animals with them. But they will not engage in bestiality with their own animals. Therefore, Jews can buy their animals.

 

התינח נקבות זכרים מאי איכא למימר? אמר רב כהנא הואיל ומכחישין בבשר.

 

This makes sense in the case of female cattle but what do you say about the males?

R. Kahana said: Since it weakens their flesh.

 

Rav s reasoning for why non-Jews will not engage in bestiality with their own animals applies only to female animals. So R. Kahana explains that it applies to male animals as well. Having sex with human beings will weaken them. Please do not ask me if this is actually true. And probably not a good idea to google it either. Just go on to the next section.