Avodah Zarah, Daf Samekh Daled, Part 1

 

Introduction

Today s section asks whether a Jew can work together with a non-Jew to destroy yayin nesekh.

 

יתיב רב נחמן ועולא ואבימי בר פפי ויתיב רבי חייא בר אמי גבייהו ויתבי וקא מיבעיא להו שכרו לשבור ביין נסך מהו מי אמרינן כיון דרוצה בקיומו אסור או דלמא כל למעוטי תיפלה שפיר דמי

אר"נ ישבור ותבא עליו ברכה

 

R. Nahman, Ulla and Avimi b. Papi were sitting together and R. Hiyya b. Ammi sat with them. As they were sitting the question was asked: What is the rule if [a Jew] was hired to break [a jug of] yayin nesekh? Do we say that since his wish is the preservation [of the cask] it is prohibited, or perhaps any case where improper things are wasted is okay?

R. Nahman said: Let him break it and may a blessing come upon him.

 

The Jew is hired to break the jugs, which would end in the destruction of the wine inside. But until that point, he wants the jugs to continue to exist. Are his wages prohibited because he does want the caskets to continue to exist at least until he breaks them? Or are they permitted because ultimately he is causing the wine s destruction?

R. Nahman allows the Jew to do this work.

 

לימא מסייע ליה אין עודרין עם העובד כוכבים בכלאים אבל עוקרין עמו כדי למעוטי את התיפלה

אבל עוקרין עמו כדי למעוטי את התיפלה

 

Shall we say that the following supports his opinion: We may not hoe together with a non-Jew among mixed seeds but we may uproot them together with him in order to reduce what is improper!

 

The Talmud cites a baraita concerning working in a field with mixed seeds. A Jew may not work such a field with a non-Jew but he may work together to uproot them, because ultimately this is uprooting what is improper. So too, a Jew may work with a non-Jew to break casks of yayin nesekh.

Tomorrow we will see whether this comparison stands.