Avodah Zarah, Daf Lamed Vav, Part 1
Introduction
This week s daf begins by discussing the prohibition of oil made by non-Jews.
והשמן שלהן: שמן רב אמר דניאל גזר עליו
ושמואל אמר זליפתן של כלים טמאים אוסרתן אטו כולי עלמא אוכלי טהרות נינהו
אלא זליפתן של כלים אסורין אוסרתן
And their oil:
Oil: Rav said: Daniel decreed against its use.
But Shmuel said: The residue from their defiled vessels renders it prohibited.
Is this to say that people generally are concerned to eat their food in a state of ritual purity! Rather: The residue from their prohibited vessels renders it prohibited.
According to Rav, Daniel (from the Bible) made a decree against using Gentile oil. While the Talmud does not explain here what Daniel s reasoning was, we can assume that it was to prevent Jews from fraternizing with non-Jews. In other words, the prohibition of Gentile oil was a step to keep Jews from assimilating with non-Jews.
Shmuel seems to fear that the oil actually has prohibited ingredients in it. While there is nothing wrong with the oil, if the oil was used in vessels that had been previously used with forbidden foods, then the oil is forbidden.
א"ל שמואל לרב בשלמא לדידי דאמינא זליפתן של כלים אסורין אוסרתן היינו דכי אתא רב יצחק בר שמואל בר מרתא ואמר דריש רבי שמלאי בנציבין שמן ר’ יהודה ובית דינו נמנו עליו והתירוהו קסבר נותן טעם לפגם מותר
Shmuel said to Rav: It makes sense according to my explanation that the residue from their prohibited vessels renders it prohibited, that when R. Yitzchak bar Shmuel b. Marta came [from Eretz Yisrael] he stated that R. Simlai expounded in Nisibis: As regards oil R. Judah and his court took a vote and declared it permitted, holding the opinion that [when the forbidden element] imparts a worsened flavor [the mixture] is permitted.
The Talmud recalls that R. Judah [assumed below to be R. Judah Hanasi, but probably referring to his grandson], the rabbis took a vote and allowed Jews to use Gentile oil. If the reason for the prohibition was that the vessels of non-Jews imparted forbidden flavor to the oil, then we can understand why it was overturned. Some rabbis thought that since this flavor does not improve the taste of the oil, the oil is permitted.
אלא לדידך דאמרת דניאל גזר עליו דניאל גזר ואתא רבי יהודה הנשיא ומבטל ליה והתנן אין ב"ד יכול לבטל דברי ב"ד חבירו אלא א"כ גדול הימנו בחכמה ובמנין
But according to your statement that [it is prohibited because] Daniel decreed against it, can it Daniel make a decree and R. Judah the Prince come and annul it? For have we not learned: A Court is unable to annul the decisions of another Court, unless it is superior to it in wisdom and numerical strength.
If Rav is correct, that Daniel made a decree to prohibit oil, then how could another court overturn it. Later courts are almost never allowed to overturn decisions made by earlier courts.
א"ל שמלאי לודאה קא אמרת שאני לודאי דמזלזלו
א"ל אשלח ליה
איכסיף
Rav said to him: You quote Simlai of Lod; but the inhabitants of Lod are different because they are neglectful.
[Shmuel] said to him: Shall I send for him? Rav became embarrassed.
Rav discounts Shmuel s statement because it is attributed to R. Simlai who is from Lod, and in Lod they are not respectful of rabbinic statements.
Shmuel boldly offers to send for Simlai to check to see if his statement is accurate. Rav becomes embarrassed. He does not want to criticize Simlai to his face.
אמר רב אם הם לא דרשו אנן לא דרשינן והכתיב (דניאל א, ח) וישם דניאל על לבו אשר לא יתגאל בפת בג המלך וביין משתיו בשתי משתאות הכתוב מדבר אחד משתה יין ואחד משתה שמן רב סבר על לבו שם ולכל ישראל הורה ושמואל סבר על לבו שם ולכל ישראל לא הורה
Rav said: If [R. Judah and his Court] did not expound [correctly], shall we not expound correctly? Surely it is written, But Daniel put on his heart that he would not defile himself with the king’s meat nor with the wine which he drank (Daniel 1:8): the verse speaks of two drinkings, the drinking of wine and the drinking of oil!
Rav held that Daniel put on his own heart [not to drink the oil] and decided similarly for all of Israel; whereas Shmuel held that he set on his own heart [not to drink the oil] but did not decide similarly for all Israel.
Here we see the source of the notion that Jews should not eat certain foods made by non-Jews. Daniel refused to eat the king s bread or drink his wine. The rabbis read from this that he did not drink their oil either. After all, oil is like wine and bread it is a product refined from raw ingredients. The dispute between Rav and Shmuel is over whether this was a decree for all of Israel. Rav holds that it was, and therefore it can never be overturned. Shmuel holds that this was a private behavior, not obligatory for all of Israel, forever.