Avodah Zarah, Daf Nun Het, Part 2

 

Introduction

Rava stated that if a non-Jew put his finger in the wine to test if it is wine, it is permitted to sell the wine but not to drink it. Abaye raises difficulties on him, claiming it is even prohibited to sell such wine.

 

אמר רבא כי אתאי לפומבדיתא אקפן נחמני שמעתתא ומתניתא דאסיר

שמעתתא דההוא עובדא דהוה בנהרדעא ואסר שמואל בטבריא ואסר רבי יוחנן ואמרי ליה לפי שאינן בני תורה ואמר לי טבריא ונהרדעא אינן בני תורה דמחוזא בני תורה

 

Rava said, When I came to Pumbedita, Nahmani surrounded me with traditions and teachings according to which it is prohibited.

Traditions: It happened in Nehardea and Shmuel prohibited it. In Tiberias and R. Yohanan prohibited it; and when I said to him that [they ruled strictly because the inhabitants of those towns] were not students of Torah, he responded, "[The inhabitants of] Tiberias and Nehardea are not students of Torah and those of Mehoza are students of Torah!

 

Rava comes to Pumbedita, where Nahmani, another name for Abaye, is the head of the academy. Abaye proves to Rava that this wine is prohibited. First he cites some precedents, cases where rabbis actually ruled that it is prohibited.

Shmuel prohibited it in Nehardea. R. Yohanan prohibited it in Tiberias. Thus two great rabbis already ruled strictly.

Rava tries to argue that in these places they prohibited it because the people there are not students of Torah. Since they are not knowledgeable in the finer points of Torah, the law must be more stringent with them so that they will not come to transgress Torah law. But Abaye pushes back if the people in Nehardea and Tiberias are not students of Torah, then all the more so the people in Mehoza, Rava s place of residence, are not. Thus there is no justification for Rava to rule leniently.