Avodah Zarah, Daf Yod, Part 2

 

Introduction

Today s section continues with the next part of the Mishnah, according to which the anniversary of the ascension of the foreign ruler to the throne is a holiday on which it is forbidden to engage in business with Gentiles.

 

ויום גינוסיא של מלכיהם וכו’: מאי ויום גינוסיא של מלכיהם?

אמר רב יהודה יום שמעמידין בו עובדי כוכבים את מלכם.

והתניא יום גינוסיא ויום שמעמידין בו את מלכם?

לא קשיא הא דידיה הא דבריה

 

The day of the genosia of their kings etc.

What is the day of the genosia of their kings ?

Rav Judah said: It is the day on which the idolaters coronate their king.

But has it not been taught [elsewhere] The day of genosia and the day they coronate their king.

This is not a difficulty; the one refers to the king’s own ascension, the other to that of his son.

 

Genosia refers to the ascension to the throne. The pagans, according to the baraita, celebrate both the old king s ascension as well as that of his son.

 

ומי מוקמי מלכא בר מלכא? והתני רב יוסף (עובדיה א, ב) "הנה קטן נתתיך בגוים" שאין מושיבין מלך בן מלך (עובדיה א, ב) "בזוי אתה מאד" שאין להן לא כתב ולא לשון.

 

But do [the Romans] ever appoint a king’s son as king? Did not R. Joseph teach: Behold I made you small among the nations (Obadiah 1:2) in that they do not appoint a king s son a king. You are greatly despised, for they do not possess a script or tongue?

 

R. Joseph interprets a verse in Obadiah in reference to the Romans. According to R. Joseph, they did not practice a hereditary monarchy. Nor do they have their own script or tongue

 

אלא מאי יום גינוסיא?

יום הלידה. והתניא יום גינוסיא ויום הלידה? לא קשיא הא דידיה הא דבריה

והתניא יום גינוסיא שלו יום גינוסיא של בנו ויום הלידה שלו ויום הלידה של בנו

 

What then does the day of genosia mean? [The King’s] birthday.

But we learn [elsewhere] The day of genosia and the birthday.

That, too, is no contradiction. the one refers to the king’s own birthday, the other to that of his son.

But we have also the wording: The king’s Genosia and his son’s Genosia, his own birthday and his son’s birthday !

 

The Talmud tries to interpret the day of genosia as reference to the king s birthyday. But this fails too.

 

אלא מאי יום גינוסיא? יום שמעמידין בו מלכם ולא קשיא הא דידיה הא דבריה

ואי קשיא לך דלא מוקמי מלכא בר מלכא ע"י שאלה מוקמי כגון אסוירוס בר אנטונינוס דמלך

 

Then [as said previously] Genosia means indeed the day they corrronated the kind. But there is no difficulty, the one aplies to his own accession, the other to that of his son; and as to your question about their not appointing a king’s son as king, if the king requested it, they would appoint him, such as Severus son of Antoninus who did rule.

 

The Talmud now goes back to suggesting the genosia is a coronation day. The Romans do appoint sons as kings, but only upon request. Hereditary monarchy is possible but not automatic.