Avodah Zarah, Daf Samekh Heh, Part 1
Introduction
This week s daf begins with a story of a rabbi sending a gift to an idolater on the day of his pagan feast. Note that this is only one example of a rabbi acting more leniently than the law requires.
רב יהודה שדר ליה קורבנא לאבידרנא ביום אידם אמר ידענא ביה דלא פלח לעבודת כוכבים
א"ל רב יוסף והתניא איזהו גר תושב כל שקיבל עליו בפני ג’ חברים שלא לעבוד עבודת כוכבים
Rav Judah sent a gift to Avidarna on the day of their feast saying, I know that he does not worship idols.
R. Joseph said to him: But it has been taught: Who is a ger toshav! Any [Gentile] who takes upon himself in the presence of three haverim not to worship idols!
Rav Judah proclaims personal confidence that a particular non-Jew does not worship idols and therefore the prohibition of giving him a gift on his feast day does not apply. But R. Joseph demurs in order to get out of the status of idol worshipper one must make a formal declaration in front of three haverim, a synonym (at least here) for those who observe the laws scrupulously.
כי תניא ההיא להחיותו
[Rav Judah] replied: This teaching applies only to the matter of supporting him.
Rav Judah limits the applicability of the ger toshav needing to make a declaration in front of three haverim. Such a declaration is necessary only in order to receive financial support from the Jewish community. But one may give any non-Jew a gift as long as one is sure that he will not go and thank his idols for the gift.
והאמר רבה בר בר חנה א"ר יוחנן גר תושב שעברו עליו י"ב חדש ולא מל הרי הוא כמין שבעובדי כוכבים
But did not Rabbah b. Bar Hanah say in the name of R. Yohanan: A ger toshav who allows twelve months to pass without becoming circumcised is to be regarded as a heretic among idolaters!
The Talmud responds with another difficulty. According to this baraita, becoming a ger toshav is the first step on the way to full conversion. The ger toshav has twelve months in which to convert. If he does not convert within this time period, he is considered to be a heretic and one certainly should not give him a gift. We can assume that Avidarna was not circumcised.
התם כגון שקיבל עליו למול ולא מל
This refers to a case where he accepted upon himself to be circumcised but did not circumcise.
R. Judah responds that this statement refers only to a case where the non-Jew promised to be circumcised but changed his mind. In other words, once a non-Jew accepts not to worship idols and to be circumcised, changing his mind is basically impossible. Accepting these things has essentially made him a Jew and there is no going back. But one can become a ger toshav and never want to fully convert. Avidarna never accepted upon himself to circumcise and therefore he need not do so.