Avodah Zarah, Daf Zayin, Part 5

 

Introduction

This section continues to discuss Nahum the Mede s opinion that only one day before the festival is prohibited.

 

גופא נחום המדי אומר אינו אסור אלא יום אחד לפני אידיהן.

אמרו לו נשתקע הדבר ולא נאמר.

 

To revert to [the above text]: Nahum the Mede says: The prohibition applies to only one day before their festivals. They said to him: Let this matter be suppressed and left unsaid.

 

The other rabbis wish to suppress Nahum the Mede s opinion. It seems that they consider it too lenient.

 

והאיכא רבנן בתראי דקיימי כוותיה? מאן חכמים נחום המדי הוא

But are there not our latter rabbis who hold the same opinion?

Our latter Rabbis may be none other than Nahum the Mede.

 

In yesterday s section the Talmud proposed that the other rabbis agree with Nahum the Mede. But these rabbis may be none other than Nahum the Mede himself.

תניא אידך נחום המדי אומר מוכרין להן סוס זכר וזקן במלחמה. אמרו לו נשתקע הדבר ולא נאמר.

 

Another [baraita] taught: Nahum the Mede says: One may sell [to idolaters] an old male horse in war time. They said to him: Let this matter be suppressed and left unsaid.

There is a prohibition of selling large animals to idolaters. The issue seems to be that the idolater will use the animal on Shabbat. We will discuss this more later in the tractate. But Nahum the Mede allows one to sell an old horse during times of war, for such a horse will not have much use and may even end up killing its owner. People won t learn from this rare case that it is permitted to sell large animals in general.

 

והאיכא בן בתירא דקאי כוותיה דתנן בן בתירא מתיר בסוס.

בן בתירא לא מפליג בין זכרים לנקבות איהו מדקא מפליג בין זכרים לנקבות כרבנן סבירא ליה

ולרבנן נשתקע הדבר ולא נאמר

 

But is there not Ben Batera who holds the same opinion; for we learned: Ben Batera permits [the sale of] a horse?

Ben Batera does not distinguish between the sale of horses and mares, whereas Nahum the Mede does make that distinction, and thus holds like the rabbis; and according to the rabbis: This matter ought to be suppressed and left unsaid.

 

There seems to be another sage who holds the same opinion as Nahum the Mede. Ben Batera also allows selling a horse. But when we look deeper, we will see that they do not hold the same opinion. Ben Batera allows one to sell any horse to an idolater. This is because a horse s work is to carry a rider, and carrying a rider is not considered work. But the other sages still prohibit selling horses, less one come to sell an ox, which pulls a plow. Nahum the Mede does not allow any horse, just old male horses. Thus he must hold like the other rabbis, and the other rabbis say that Nahum the Mede s leniency should be hidden.

 

תניא נחום המדי אומר השבת מתעשר זרע וירק וזירין אמרו לו נשתקע הדבר ולא נאמר

 

It is [further] taught: Nahum the Mede says: The dill plant is subject to tithe whether [in its state of] seeds, or vegetables, or pods. They said to him: Let this matter be suppressed and left unsaid.

 

Only the edible portions of vegetables must be tithed. According to Nahum the Mede, all three parts of the dill plant are edible and therefore, all three must be tithed.

 

והאיכא ר"א דקאי כוותיה דתנן ר’ אליעזר אומר השבת מתעשרת זרע וירק וזירין

התם בדגנוניתא

 

But is there not R. Eliezer who holds the same opinion; for we learned: R. Eliezer said: The dill plant is subject to tithe whether in its state of seeds, or vegetable, or pods?

That refers to the garden variety.

 

R. Eliezer seems to agree with Nahum so why do the rabbis oppose him. The answer is that R. Eliezer refers only to the garden variety of dill. Wild dill does not require tithing for all three parts.