Avodah Zarah, Daf Mem Het, Part 5

 

Introduction

Today s section discusses passing underneath an asherah tree.

 

ולא יעבור תחתיה ואם עבר טמא:

מ"ט אי אפשר דליכא תקרובת עבודת כוכבים

מני רבי יהודה בן בתירא היא דתניא רבי יהודה בן בתירא אומר מנין לתקרובת עבודת כוכבים שמטמאה באהל שנאמר (תהלים קו, כח) ויצמדו לבעל פעור ויאכלו זבחי מתים מה מת מטמא באהל אף תקרובת עבודת כוכבים מטמא באהל:

 

Nor may he pass beneath it, and if he passed [beneath it] he is impure. What is the reason?

Because it is impossible that there is not there [remains] of idolatrous sacrifices there.

Whose teaching is this? It is that of R. Judah b. Batera; for it has been taught: R. Judah b. Batera says: How do I know that an idolatrous sacrifice defiles inside a tent? Because it is said, They joined themselves also to Baal-Peor, and ate the sacrifices of the dead (Psalms 106:28) just as a dead body defiles in a tent, so an idolatrous offering defiles in a tent.

 

This section explains the source for the notion that walking under an asherah tree defiles. First of all, we need to assume that there are remnants of a sacrifice are under the tree. The tree itself does not defile. Second, we need a biblical source for the notion that idolatrous sacrifices defile. This is located in the juxtaposition of idol worship and sacrifices for the dead.

We should note the notion that idolatry ritually defiles is not found in the Bible. It seems to be the invention of the rabbis.

 

היתה גוזלת את הרבים ועבר תחתיה טהור:

איבעיא להו עבר או עובר? רבי יצחק בן אלעזר משמיה דחזקיה אמר עובר ורבי יוחנן אמר אם עבר

ולא פליגי הא דאיכא דירכא אחרינא הא דליכא דירכא אחרינא

 

If it encroaches upon the public road and he passed beneath it he is pure.

They asked: [Is the word to be read] passed or passes ?

R. Yitzchak b. Elazar said in the name of Hezekiah: Passes.

But R. Yohanan said: Passed.

But they do not really dispute: The one who says [passed] refers to a case where there is another road, and the one who says [passes] to a case where there is not another road.

 

If the mishnah reads passed it means that he should not pass under the tree, but if he does, he is pure. If it reads, passes it means that he can pass under the tree intentionally (ab initio).

The two amoraim seem to argue about the correct reading, or at least understanding of the mishnah. But the Talmud notes that they do not disagree. Both hold that if there is an alternative road one should not pass under the tree. And both hold that if there is no alternative road, he can pass under the tree even ab initio.

 

א"ל רב ששת לשמעיה כי מטית להתם ארהיטני היכי דמי אי דליכא דירכא אחרינא ל"ל ארהיטני מישרא שרי ואי דאיכא דירכא אחרינא כי אמר ארהיטני מי שרי לעולם דליכא דירכא אחרינא ואדם חשוב שאני:

R. Sheshet said to his attendant, When you reach there, run me past.

What was the case? If there was no other road, why does need he say, Run me past, since it is permitted?

If, however, there was another road, when he said, Run me past, is that permissible?

Certainly there was no other road; but with an important man it is different.

 

R. Sheshet was blind, so he needed his attendant to help show him where to walk. He told his attendant that when he gets to the place with an asherah tree, he should help him run past so that he spends as little time as possible going under the tree.

In light of what it said above, the Talmud struggles to figure out the circumstance of this instruction. If there was no other way around, then why should he hurry past? It is permissible to walk under the tree. And if there was another way around, then he should not go underneath it at all!

The answer is that there was no other road. While a normal person may pass underneath without concern, a rabbi of great eminence such as R. Sheshet should do all he can to avoid it. Since there is no other road, he has no choice. But at least he can rush through.