Avodah Zarah, Daf Samekh, Part 5

 

נפל לבור ועלה: אמר רב פפא לא שנו אלא שעלה מת אבל עלה חי אסור

מ"ט אמר רב פפא דדמי עליה כיום אידם:

 

If [a non-Jew] fell into a vat and climbed out.

R. Papa said: This was taught only if he came out dead, but if he climbed out alive it is prohibited.

What is the reason? Because it would be to him like an idolatrous festival.

 

According to the mishnah, if a non-Jew falls into a vat of wine, the wine may be sold (R. Shimon allows it to be drunk). R. Papa says this is true only if the non-Jew dies in the vat (ewww, not sure I d want to drink it after that). If he comes out then the wine is strictly prohibited because we can assume that he libated some of it. Surviving the fall into the wine vat is cause for him to celebrate as he would on a festival.

 

מדדו בקנה כל אלו היה מעשה ואמרו ימכר ור"ש מתיר:

אמר רב אדא בר אהבה ינוחו לו לר"ש ברכות על ראשו כשהוא מתיר מתיר אפילו בשתיה וכשהוא אוסר אוסר אפילו בהנאה

 

Or measured it with a reed All of these things actually happened, and [the Rabbis] said that the wine may be sold, but Rabbi Shimon permits it [even to be drunk].

R. Adda b. Ahavah said: May blessings fall on the head of R. Shimon, because when he permits, he permits even the drinking [of the wine] and when he prohibits he prohibits it for all use!

 

R. Shimon s methodology is quite straightforward. When he permits, he permits the wine all the way it can even be drunk. When he prohibits, he is also clear the wine cannot even be sold.

 

א"ר חייא בריה דאבא בר נחמני אמר רב חסדא אמר רב ואמרי לה אמר רב חסדא אמר זעירי הלכה כר"ש

איכא דאמרי אמר רב חסדא אמר לי אבא בר חנן הכי אמר זעירי הלכה כר"ש ואין הלכה כר"ש:

 

R. Hiyya the son of Abba b. Nahmani said that R. Hisda said in the name of Rav and others that R. Hisda said in the name of Ze’iri: The halakhah follows R. Shimon.

There are those that say that R. Hisda said: Abba b. Hanan told me that Ze’iri said: The halakhah agrees with R. Simeon.

But the halachah is not in accord with R. Shimon.

 

A whole bunch of amoraim rule like R. Shimon one can even drink the wine. But the anonymous voice at the end rules against him. He who rules last rules!