Avodah Zarah, Daf Samech Aleph, Part 5

 

Introduction

Today s section contains a story where one gentile leaves some wine made in purity by a Jew in the domain of another, the situation discussed in yesterday s mishnah. Interestingly, the

 

דבי פרזק רופילא אותיבו חמרא גבי אריסייהו סבור רבנן קמיה דרבא למימר כי חיישינן לגומלין הני מילי היכא דקא מותיב האי גבי האי אבל הכא כיון דאריסיה לאו דרכיה לאותוביה בי פרזק רופילא לגומלין לא חיישינן

 

Those of the house of Parzak, the king s officer, left [wine made in purity by Jews] in the domain of their sharecroppers. The rabbis who were in front of Rava thought to say that we are concerned with collusion only when one places in his domain, and the other places in his domain; but in this case since a share cropper does not place [wine] in the domain of the king’s officer, we are not worried about collusion.

 

The question is whether we have to be concerned that the sharecroppers drank some of the wine placed in their domain. Rava s students argue that we need not be concerned about collusion because this is not a case where each placed in the domain of the other. Essentially, the sharecroppers will not open the wine placed in their domain by the powerful officer of the king. So Jews can drink it.

 

אמר להו רבא אדרבה אפילו למ"ד לא חיישינן לגומלין ה"מ היכא דלא מירתת מיניה אבל הכא כיון דמירתת מיניה מחפי עליה זכותא

 

Rava said to them: On the contrary, even according to the one who maintains that we are not concerned about collution, that only applies where he is not afraid of him; but in this case since [the tenants] are afraid of him, they would cover up for him and testify on his behalf.

 

Rava points out that this case is actually more problematic. Even if we are not generally concerned with collusion, if one party is powerful, the other party might cover up for him. Here, the officer might open the wine and drink some and the sharecroppers would cover up for him. Therefore it is forbidden.