Avodah Zarah, Daf Kaf Zayin, Part 3

 

Introduction

Today s sugya begins with a new mishnah that deals with going to a non-Jewish doctor or barber.

מתני׳ מתרפאין מהן ריפוי ממון אבל לא ריפוי נפשות

We may allow them to heal us when the healing relates to money, but not personal healing;

 

The meaning of this mishnah is quite cryptic. The Talmud will explain it later on.

 

ואין מסתפרין מהן בכל מקום דברי רבי מאיר

וחכמים אומרים ברה"ר מותר אבל לא בינו לבינו:

 

Nor should we have our hair cut by them in any place, this is the opinion of Rabbi Meir.

But the Sages said: in a public place it is permitted, but not when the two persons are alone.

 

According to Rabbi Meir a Jew may never get his hair cut by a non-Jew, lest the non-Jew kill him with the scissors or razor. The Sages say that this is prohibited only in private. In public the non-Jew would not dare to kill the Jew.

 

גמ׳ מאי ריפוי ממון ומאי ריפוי נפשות? אילימא ריפוי ממון בשכר ריפוי נפשות בחנם ליתני מתרפאין מהן בשכר אבל לא בחנם

 

GEMARA. What is healing relating to money and what is personal healing ? Shall we say that healing relating to money means for payment and personal healing free? Then the Mishnah should have said: We may allow them to heal us for payment but not free!

 

If the mishnah meant to say that we can let them heal us for pay but not for free, then why not say this more directly.

 

אלא ריפוי ממון דבר שאין בו סכנה ריפוי נפשות דבר שיש בו סכנה והאמר רב יהודה אפילו ריבדא דכוסילתא לא מתסינן מינייהו

 

Rather healing related to money must therefore mean where no danger is involved and personal healing where there is danger. But has not Rav Judah said: Even the wound over a bloodletting incision should not be healed by them?

 

We cannot say that Jews may be healed by them only in cases where the healing is not dangerous for this would contradict a statement made by Rav Judah.

 

אלא ריפוי ממון בהמתו ריפוי נפשות גופיה והיינו דאמר רב יהודה אפילו ריבדא דכוסילתא לא מתסינן מינייהו

Rather, healing related to money therefore relates to one’s cattle, and personal healing to one’s own body, about which Rav Judah said: Even the wound over a bloodletting incision should not be healed by them.

 

The Talmud solves the puzzle by suggesting that a Jew may go to a non-Jewish veterinarian because there is no fear to his life. But he may not go to a non-Jewish doctor for his own healing because there is always the fear that the doctor will kill him.