Avodah Zarah, Daf Tet Zayin, Part 5

 

Introduction

Today s section begins to explain the next section of the mishnah, which prohibited joining idolaters in building certain structures.

 

אין בונין כו’: אמר רבה בר בר חנה א"ר יוחנן ג’ בסילקאות הן: של מלכי עובדי כוכבים ושל מרחצאות ושל אוצרות

אמר רבא ב’ להיתר ואחד לאיסור וסימן (תהלים קמט, ח) לאסור מלכיהם בזיקים

 

One should not join them in building a basilica, an executioner’s scaffold, a stadium or a tribune.

Rabbah b. Bar-Hana said in the name of R. Yohanan: There are three kinds of basilica-buildings: those of kings, baths, or store-houses. Rava said: Two of these are permitted and one is forbidden; as a reminder, To bind their kings with chains (Psalms 149:8).

 

R. Yohanan says that there are three kinds of basilicas, and Rava elaborates that only one of these is prohibited the basilica associated with the king. One may build with idolaters basilicas associated with bath-houses and store-houses.

 

ואיכא דאמרי אמר רבא כולם להיתר.

והתנן אין בונין עמהן בסילקי גרדום איצטדייא ובימה

אימא של גרדום ושל איצטדייא ושל בימה

 

There are those who say: Rava said: All [basilicas] are permitted.

But have we not learned, one should not join them in building a basilica, an executioner’s scaffold, a stadium or a tribune ? Say a basilica attached to an executioner’s scaffold, a stadium or a tribune.

 

In this version of the material Rava permits all basilicas to be built with non-Jews accept for those attached to the other structures mentioned in the mishnah that one may not build with a non-Jew.

As we often see, there is a tendency towards leniency in these passages.