Avodah Zarah, Daf Kaf Vav, Part 3
Introduction
The sugya continues discussing the issue of acting as a midwife or nursing a non-Jew.
ורמינהו יהודית מילדת ארמית בשכר אבל לא בחנם
אמר רב יוסף בשכר שרי משום איבה.
The following was cited in contradiction: A Jewish woman may act as midwife for a non-Jewish woman for payment but not for free.
R. Yoseph said: Payment is permitted to prevent enmity.
The baraita cited here allows a Jew to act as a midwife for a non-Jew, as long as she is paid for her services. This seems to contradict the mishnah categorically prohibits a Jewish woman for acting as a midwife.
R. Yoseph solves the difficulty by claiming that this was permitted to prevent enmity. In other words, in principle it should be prohibited, but it is permitted because such a law would create enmity between Jews and non-Jews.
סבר רב יוסף למימר אולודי נכרית בשבתא בשכר שרי משום איבה
אמר ליה אביי יכלה למימר לה דידן דמינטרי שבתא מחללינן עלייהו דידכו דלא מינטרי שבתא לא מחללינן
R. Joseph thought that even on Shabbat it is permitted to act as midwife for a non-Jew for payment, so as to avoid enmity.
Abaye said to him: The Jewish woman could say [in excuse], For our own, who keep the Shabbat, we desecrate it, but for you, who do not observe Shabbat, we do not desecrate it.
R. Joseph here thinks that a Jew should be allowed to act as a midwife on Shabbat for a non-Jew even though this would involve desecration of Shabbat. This would be to avoid enmity.
Abaye remarks to him that the Jew could offer an excuse so as to avoid enmity without having to actually desecrate Shabbat. As we shall see, Abaye offers the same type of comment in each of the following cases below.
סבר רב יוסף למימר אנוקי בשכר שרי משום איבה אמר ליה אביי יכלה למימר אי פנויה היא בעינא לאינסובי אי אשת איש היא לא קא מזדהמנא באפי גברא
R. Joseph thought that even nursing for payment should be allowed because of enmity
Abaye said to him: She can say to him [in excuse], if she is unmarried, I want to get married, or, if she is married, I will not pollute myself before my husband.
Abaye here provides excuses for how a Jewish woman can avoid enmity and still not nurse the child of an idolater.
סבר רב יוסף למימר הא דתניא הגוים ורועי בהמה דקה לא מעלין ולא מורידין אסוקי בשכר שרי משום איבה
אמר ליה אביי יכול לומר לו קאי ברי אאיגרא אי נמי נקיטא לי זימנא לבי דואר
R. Joseph thought to say in regard to what has been taught: Idolaters and shepherds of small cattle one is not obligated to bring them up [from a pit] but one should not cast them in it; but for payment it is permitted to bring them up to prevent enmity.
Abaye said to him: He could say [in excuse], My son is on the roof , or, I have to keep an appointment at the court.
The source quoted here is a pretty harsh and violent source. The baraita states that while a Jew may not actively kill non-Jews and shepherds (who are considered low life thieves), one is not obligated to save their lives either. R. Joseph thinks that as long as one is paid to do so, it should be permitted. But Abaye says that one should offer a flimsy excuse rather than save their lives. I must admit that I find it hard to believe that such an excuse would avoid enmity– Sorry, I can t save your life because I have to go help my son off the roof.