Avodah Zarah, Daf Kaf Vav, Part 1

 

Introduction

This week’s daf begins with a new mishnah dealing with issues of midwifery and nursing.

 

מתני׳ בת ישראל לא תיילד את הנכרית מפני שמילדת בן לעבודה זרה אבל נכרית מילדת בת ישראל

 

A Jewish woman should not act as midwife to a non-Jewish woman, because she would be delivering a child for idolatry.

But a non-Jewish woman may act as midwife to a Jewish woman.

 

A Jewish woman should not act as midwife for a non-Jew for this would abet idol worship.  In the Talmud it is explained that this is only prohibited if the Jewish woman works for free.  If she is paid for her work it is permitted. 

A non-Jewish woman may act as a midwife for a Jewish woman.

 

בת ישראל לא תניק בנה של נכרית אבל נכרית מניקה בנה של ישראל ברשותה

 

A Jewish woman should not suckle the child of a non-Jewish woman,

But a non-Jewish woman may suckle the child of a Jewish woman in her premises.

 

A Jewish woman may not act as a wet-nurse for a non-Jewish child.  This is for the same reason that she may not act as a midwife. 

A non-Jewish woman may be a wet-nurse to a Jewish child, provided she nurse the child on the premises of the Jewish family.  The Jewish family may not give over their child to the non-Jewish woman for fear that she will kill the child. 

 

גמ׳ תנו רבנן בת ישראל לא תיילד את הנכרית מפני שמילדת בן לעבודה זרה ונכרית לא תיילד את בת ישראל מפני שחשודין על שפיכות דמים דברי רבי מאיר

וחכמים אומרים נכרית מילדת את בת ישראל בזמן שאחרות עומדות על גבה אבל לא בינה לבינה

 

GEMARA. Our Rabbis taught: An Israelite woman should not act as midwife for an idolatrous woman, because she delivers a child to idolatry; nor should an idolatrous woman act as midwife to an Israelite woman because they are suspected of murder, the words of R. Meir. But the sages say: An idolatrous woman may act as midwife to an Israelite woman so long as there are others standing by, but not if she is acting on her own. 

 

This baraita expands on the mishnah, explaining it, limiting its applicability and bringing in a dissenting opinion. According to R. Meir, the idolatrous woman may not serve a midwife for a Jew even if others are watching her.

 

ורבי מאיר אומר אפילו אחרות עומדות על גבה נמי לא דזימנין דמנחא ליה ידא אפותא וקטלא ליה ולא מתחזי כי ההיא איתתא דאמרה לחברתה מולדא יהודייתא בת מולדא יהודייתא אמרה לה נפישין בישתא דההיא איתתא דקא משפילנא מינייהו דמא כי אופיא דנהרא ורבנן אמרו לך לא היא במילתא בעלמא הוא דאוקימתה

 

But R. Meir says: Even if others are standing by her [she may not act as midwife], for she may find an opportunity to put her hand on the [infant’s] soft spot and kill it, and they will not see her. Like the incident of that woman who, on called her neighbor, “Jewish midwife, the daughter of a Jewish midwife!” She said back, “May many evils befall that woman, as I have spilled their blood like the froth of the river.”

The Rabbis could say to you: This is not so; she may have merely given her some kind of retort.

 

R. Meir rules that even if the idolatrous woman is being watched, it is still prohibited for her to act as a midwife because a midwife can always find the opportunity to murder the newborn, especially by pushing in his soft spot (I was always freaked out by the soft spot with my own kids).

The Talmud illustrates this with a story whereby a woman, seemingly a midwife, brags how many Jewish children she has killed.

The rabbis read her words as an exaggeration. She’s just showing off by exclaiming how many Jewish children she has killed.