Avodah Zarah, Daf Yod Bet, Part 3
Introduction
This section proceeds with the next clause in the Mishnah.
מהו לילך לשם וכו’: ת"ר עיר שיש בה עבודת כוכבים אסור ליכנס לתוכה ולא מתוכה לעיר אחרת דברי רבי מאיר.
וחכ"א כל זמן שהדרך מיוחדת לאותו מקום אסור אין הדרך מיוחדת לאותו מקום מותר.
What about going there? etc.
Our Rabbis taught: A city that has idolatrous worship taking place there, it is forbidden to enter it, or [to go] from there to another city, the words of R. Meir.
But the Sages say, only when the road leads solely to that city is it forbidden; if however the road does not lead exclusively to that place it is permitted.
R. Meir says that it is forbidden to travel on a road that heads towards a city with idolatry going on in it because it looks like he is going to worship idols. But the sages say one can travel on a road that leads to a city with idolatry in it as long as the road does not lead only to that city.
ישב לו קוץ בפני עבודת כוכבים לא ישחה ויטלנה מפני שנראה כמשתחוה לעבודת כוכבים ואם אינו נראה מותר.
נתפזרו לו מעותיו בפני עבודת כוכבים לא ישחה ויטלם מפני שנראה כמשתחוה לעבודת כוכבים ואם אינו נראה מותר
מעיין המושך לפני עבודת כוכבים לא ישחה וישתה מפני שנראה כמשתחוה לעבודת כוכבים ואם אינו נראה מותר
פרצופות המקלחין מים לכרכין לא יניח פיו על פיהם וישתה מפני שנראה כמנשק לעבודת כוכבים כיוצא בו לא יניח פיו על סילון וישתה מפני הסכנה.
If a splinter got into his [foot] while in front of an idol, he should not bend down to get it out, because it looks as if he is bowing to the idol; but if this is not apparent it is permitted.
If his coins got scattered in front of an idol he should not bend and pick them up, for it looks as if he is bowing to the idol; but if this is not apparent it is permitted.
If there is a spring flowing in front of an idol he should not bend down and drink, because it looks like he is bowing to the idol; but if this is not apparent it is permitted.
Human faces that spout water in the cities one should not place his mouth on them and drink; because he may seem as kissing the idolatrous figure.
So also one should not place one’s mouth on a water pipe and drink from it for fear of danger.
A person has to make sure it does not even look like he is bowing down to an idol. We will deal with the final clause later.
אילימא דלא מתחזי והאמר רב יהודה אמר רב כל מקום שאסרו חכמים מפני מראית העין אפילו בחדרי חדרים אסור
אלא אימא אם אינו נראה כמשתחוה לעבודת כוכבים מותר
What is meant by not apparent ? If we say that he is not seen [by others], but did not Rav Judah say in the name of Rav that whatever the Sages prohibited because it looks like he is transgressing, is also forbidden in one’s innermost chamber!
Rather, it means that it does not look as if he is bowing to the idol.
When the rabbis prohibit an act because it merely looks to others as if he is transgressing (even though he is not) the act is prohibited even in private. Therefore, these acts cannot be permitted simply because no one is looking. Rather, they are permitted if it does not look like he is bowing down to an idol.