## Avodah Zarah Daf 10a

###### Avodah Zarah 10a:1
[Avodah Zarah 10a:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/10a:1)

״שֵׁית שְׁנִין יַתִּירָתָא״, סְבוּר רַבָּנַן קַמֵּיהּ דְּרַבָּה לְמֵימַר: הַאי שְׁטָר מְאוּחָר הוּא, נִיעַכְּבֵיהּ עַד דְּמָטֵיא זִמְנֵיהּ וְלָא טָרֵיף. אָמַר רַב נַחְמָן: הַאי סָפְרָא דַּוְקָנָא כַּתְבֵיהּ, וְהָנָךְ שֵׁית שְׁנִין דִּמְלַכוּ בְּעֵילָם, דַּאֲנַן לָא חָשְׁבִינַן לְהוּ, הוּא קָחָשֵׁיב (לֵיהּ) [לְהוּ], וּבְזִמְנֵיהּ כַּתְבֵיהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
a date that had **six additional years** relative to the correct scribal date, which takes for its starting point the beginning of Greek rule. **The Sages** who studied **before Rabba thought to say: This is a postdated** promissory **note,** which can be used only from the date it specifies. Therefore, **let us hold it until its time arrives** so that the creditor **will not repossess** property that the debtor sold prior to the date that appears in the note. **Rav Naḥman** disagreed and **said: This** promissory note **was written by an exacting scribe, and those six years** are referring to the years **when** the Greeks **ruled** only **in Elam. We do not count them,** as Greek rule had not yet spread throughout the world, but **he does count them. And** therefore **he wrote in** the promissory note the correct **time,** as the date does in fact match the year in which the promissory note was written.


###### Avodah Zarah 10a:2
[Avodah Zarah 10a:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/10a:2)

דְּתַנְיָא, רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אוֹמֵר: שֵׁשׁ שָׁנִים מָלְכוּ בְּעֵילָם, וְאַחַר כָּךְ פָּשְׁטָה מַלְכוּתָן בְּכׇל הָעוֹלָם כּוּלּוֹ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Rav Naḥman cites a proof for his resolution: **As it is taught** in a *baraita* that **Rabbi Yosei says:** The Greeks **ruled for six years in Elam** alone, **and afterward their dominion spread throughout the entire world.** It is the later event that serves as the basis for the dating system used by most scribes.


###### Avodah Zarah 10a:3
[Avodah Zarah 10a:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/10a:3)

מַתְקֵיף לַהּ רַב אַחָא בַּר יַעֲקֹב: מִמַּאי דִּלְמַלְכוּת יְוָנִים מָנֵינַן? דִּלְמָא לִיצִיאַת מִצְרַיִם מָנֵינַן, וְשַׁבְקֵיהּ לְאַלְפָּא קַמָּא וְנַקְטֵיהּ אַלְפָּא בָּתְרָא, וְהַאי מְאוּחָר הוּא! אָמַר רַב נַחְמָן: בַּגּוֹלָה אֵין מוֹנִין אֶלָּא לְמַלְכֵי יְוָנִים בִּלְבַד.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rav Aḥa bar Ya’akov objects to** Rav Naḥman’s answer: **From where** is it known **that we count** years according **to** the **Greek rule,** and that this promissory note was dated according to a system that uses the Greek rule as a starting point and was written by an exacting scribe? **Perhaps we count** the years using **the exodus from Egypt** as the starting point, which occurred one thousand years before the start of the Greek rule, **and** in this case the scribe **left** out **the first thousand years** from the time of the exodus **and held on** only **to the last thousand years,** omitting the thousands digit and writing merely the hundreds, tens, and single digits. **And** if so, **this** promissory note **is postdated. Rav Naḥman said** in response: The practice is that **in the exile we count** years **only** according **to the Greek kings.**


###### Avodah Zarah 10a:4
[Avodah Zarah 10a:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/10a:4)

הוּא סָבַר דַּחוֹיֵי קָא מְדַחֵי לֵיהּ, נְפַק דָּק וְאַשְׁכַּח, דְּתַנְיָא: בַּגּוֹלָה אֵין מוֹנִין אֶלָּא לְמַלְכֵי יְוָנִים בִּלְבָד.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Upon hearing this reply, Rav Aḥa bar Ya’akov **thought:** Rav Naḥman **is** merely **deflecting** my legitimate questions with this answer. Afterward, **he went out, examined** the matter, **and discovered** that it was as Rav Naḥman said. **As it is taught** in a *baraita*: **In the exile we count** years **only** according **to the Greek kings.**


###### Avodah Zarah 10a:5
[Avodah Zarah 10a:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/10a:5)

אָמַר רָבִינָא: מַתְנִיתִין נָמֵי דַּיְקָא, דִּתְנַן: ״בְּאֶחָד בְּנִיסָן רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה לַמְּלָכִים וְלָרְגָלִים״, וְאָמְרִינַן: לַמְּלָכִים — לְמַאי הִלְכְתָא? אָמַר רַב חִסְדָּא: לִשְׁטָרוֹת.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Ravina said: The mishna is also precisely** formulated, as it teaches that we calculate years according to the Greek kings. **As we learned** in a mishna (*Rosh HaShana* 2a): **On the first of Nisan is the New Year for kings and for the Festivals. And we say** about this: **With regard to what *halakha*** is it stated that the first of Nisan is the New Year **for kings? Rav Ḥisda said:** It is said **with regard to** dating **documents** and determining their validity.


###### Avodah Zarah 10a:6
[Avodah Zarah 10a:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/10a:6)

וּתְנַן: בְּאֶחָד בְּתִשְׁרִי רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה לַשָּׁנִים וְלַשְּׁמִיטִּין, וְאָמְרִינַן: לַשָּׁנִים — לְמַאי הִלְכְתָא? וְאָמַר רַב חִסְדָּא: לִשְׁטָרוֹת. קַשְׁיָא שְׁטָרוֹת אַהֲדָדֵי!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And we learned** in the same mishna: **On the first of Tishrei is the New Year for** counting **years and for** calculating **Sabbatical** cycles. **And we say: With regard to what *halakha*** is it stated that the first of Tishrei is the New Year **for** counting **years? And Rav Ḥisda said:** It is said **with regard to** dating **documents.** These two statements with regard to the dating of **documents** are **difficult** in light of **each other,** as according to one statement the dating system is based on Nisan as the first month, whereas according to the other the year begins in Tishrei.


###### Avodah Zarah 10a:7
[Avodah Zarah 10a:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/10a:7)

וּמְשַׁנֵּינַן: כָּאן לְמַלְכֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, כָּאן לְמַלְכֵי אוּמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם. לְמַלְכֵי אוּמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם מִתִּשְׁרִי מָנֵינַן, לְמַלְכֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מִנִּיסָן מָנֵינַן.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And we resolved** the contradiction by explaining that **here** the dating is according **to kings of Israel,** and **there** the dating is according **to the kings of the** gentile **nations of the world.** That is, when we date years according **to the kings of the nations of the world, we count from** the month of **Tishrei,** whereas when we date years according **to the kings of Israel, we count from** the month of **Nisan.**


###### Avodah Zarah 10a:8
[Avodah Zarah 10a:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/10a:8)

וַאֲנַן הַשְׁתָּא מִתִּשְׁרִי מָנֵינַן, וְאִי סָלְקָא דַעְתָּךְ לִיצִיאַת מִצְרַיִם מָנֵינַן — מִנִּיסָן בָּעֵינַן לְמִימְנֵי! אֶלָּא לָאו שְׁמַע מִינַּהּ לְמַלְכֵי יְוָנִים מָנֵינַן? שְׁמַע מִינַּהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Ravina explains his proof: **And now** that **we count from** the month of **Tishrei** when dating documents, one can claim as follows: **If it enters your mind** that **we count** and date years using **the exodus from Egypt** as the starting point, while leaving off the first thousand years, then **we should count from** the month of **Nisan,** when the exodus occurred. **Rather, isn’t it** correct to **conclude from** the mishna that **we count** years according **to the Greek kings?** The Gemara affirms: **Conclude from it** that the scribal years are in fact calculated according to the Greek kings. Therefore, one should explain as did Rav Naḥman: A promissory note that appears to be postdated by six years may not actually be a postdated promissory note; rather, it is assumed to have been written by an exacting scribe.


###### Avodah Zarah 10a:9
[Avodah Zarah 10a:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/10a:9)

וְיוֹם גִּינּוּסְיָא שֶׁל מַלְכֵיהֶם וְכוּ׳. מַאי ״וְיוֹם גִּינּוּסְיָא שֶׁל מַלְכֵיהֶם״? אָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה: יוֹם שֶׁמַּעֲמִידִין בּוֹ גּוֹיִם אֶת מַלְכָּם. וְהָתַנְיָא: יוֹם גִּינּוּסְיָא וְיוֹם שֶׁמַּעֲמִידִין בּוֹ אֶת מַלְכָּם! לָא קַשְׁיָא, הָא דִידֵיהּ, הָא דִּבְרֵיהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ One of the gentile festivals listed in the mishna is **the day of the festival [*geinuseya*] of their kings.** The Gemara asks: **What is** meant by: **The day of *geinuseya* of their kings? Rav Yehuda says:** This is referring to the **day on which the gentiles appoint** and crown **their king.** The Gemara asks: **But isn’t it taught** in a *baraita*: Two gentile festivals are **the day of *geinuseya* and** the **day on which the gentiles appoint their king?** This indicates that these are two separate occasions. The Gemara answers that it is **not difficult: This,** the day of *geinuseya*, is referring to the coronation of the king **himself,** whereas **that,** the day on which the gentiles appoint and crown their king, is referring to the coronation **of his son,** when a son is crowned during his father’s lifetime.


###### Avodah Zarah 10a:10
[Avodah Zarah 10a:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/10a:10)

וּמִי מוֹקְמִי מַלְכָּא בַּר מַלְכָּא? וְהָתָנֵי רַב יוֹסֵף: ״הִנֵּה קָטֹן נְתַתִּיךָ בַּגּוֹיִם״ — שֶׁאֵין מוֹשִׁיבִין מֶלֶךְ בֶּן מֶלֶךְ, ״בָּזוּי אַתָּה מְאֹד״ — שֶׁאֵין לָהֶן לֹא כְּתָב וְלֹא לָשׁוֹן. אֶלָּא מַאי יוֹם גִּינּוּסְיָא? יוֹם הַלֵּידָה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **And do** the Romans actually **appoint** as **king the son of the king? But didn’t Rav Yosef teach:** The verse relating a prophesy about Edom, associated with the Roman Empire: **“Behold, I made you small among the nations”** (Obadiah 1:2), is a reference to the fact **that** the Romans **do not place** on the throne as **king the son of the king.** The continuation of the verse: **“You are greatly despised,”** is a reference to the fact **that** the Romans **have neither** their own **script nor** their own **language,** but use those of other nations. The Gemara therefore rejects the explanation of the *baraita* that distinguishes between coronation of a king and coronation of the king’s son: **Rather, what is the day of *geinuseya*?** It is **the** king’s **birthday.**


###### Avodah Zarah 10a:11
[Avodah Zarah 10a:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/10a:11)

וְהָתַנְיָא: יוֹם גִּינּוּסְיָא וְיוֹם הַלֵּידָה! לָא קַשְׁיָא: הָא דִידֵיהּ, הָא דִּבְרֵיהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **But isn’t it taught** in a *baraita*: Two gentile festivals are **the day of *geinuseya* and the birthday.** Once again, these two events cannot be the same. The Gemara answers: It is **not difficult: This,** the day of *geinuseya*, is referring to the birthday of the king **himself,** whereas **that,** the birthday mentioned in the *baraita*, is referring to the birthday **of his son.**


###### Avodah Zarah 10a:12
[Avodah Zarah 10a:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/10a:12)

וְהָתַנְיָא: יוֹם גִּינּוּסְיָא שֶׁלּוֹ, יוֹם גִּינּוּסְיָא שֶׁל בְּנוֹ, וְיוֹם הַלֵּידָה שֶׁלּוֹ, וְיוֹם הַלֵּידָה שֶׁל בְּנוֹ! אֶלָּא מַאי ״יוֹם גִּינּוּסְיָא״? יוֹם שֶׁמַּעֲמִידִין בּוֹ מַלְכָּם, וְלָא קַשְׁיָא — הָא דִידֵיהּ, הָא דִּבְרֵיהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara further asks: **But isn’t it taught** in a *baraita*: **The day of *geinuseya* of** the king, **the day of *geinuseya* of his son, and** the king’s **birthday and the birthday of his son?** If so, the *geinuseya* cannot be either his or his son’s birthday. **Rather, what** is meant by the **day of *geinuseya*?** In fact it is referring to the **day on which** the gentiles **appoint** and crown **their king. And** the fact that a *baraita* mentions both the day of *geinuseya* and the day on which the gentiles appoint and crown their king is **not difficult,** as **this,** the day of *geinuseya*, is referring to **his** own coronation, whereas **that,** the day on which the gentiles appoint and crown their king, is referring to the coronation **of his son.**


###### Avodah Zarah 10a:13
[Avodah Zarah 10a:13](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/10a:13)

וְאִי קַשְׁיָא לָךְ דְּלָא מוֹקְמִי מַלְכָּא בַּר מַלְכָּא, עַל יְדֵי שְׁאֵלָה מוֹקְמִי, כְּגוֹן אַסְוִירוּס בַּר אַנְטוֹנִינוּס דִּמְלַךְ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And if** it is **difficult for you that** which was stated earlier, **that** the Romans **do not appoint** as **king the son of the king,** in fact **they do appoint** a son of the king as king **through the request** of the king. **For example,** there was **Asveirus, son of Antoninus, who ruled** at the request of Antoninus.


###### Avodah Zarah 10a:14
[Avodah Zarah 10a:14](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/10a:14)

אֲמַר לֵיהּ אַנְטוֹנִינוּס לְרַבִּי: בָּעֵינָא דְּיִמְלוֹךְ אַסְוִירוּס בְּרִי תְּחוֹתַי, וְתִתְעֲבֵיד טְבֶרְיָא קָלָנְיָא, וְאִי אֵימָא לְהוּ חֲדָא — עָבְדִי, תְּרֵי — לָא עָבְדִי. אַיְיתִי גַּבְרָא, אַרְכְּבֵיהּ אַחַבְרֵיהּ, וִיהַב לֵיהּ יוֹנָה לְעִילַּאי (בִּידֵיהּ), וַאֲמַר לֵיהּ לְתַתַּאי: אֵימַר (לעילא דלמפרח) [לְעִילַּאי דְּנַפְרַח] יוֹנָה מִן יְדֵיהּ. אֲמַר: שְׁמַע מִינַּהּ הָכִי קָאָמַר לִי: אַתְּ בְּעִי מִינַּיְיהוּ דְּ״אַסְוִירוּס בְּרִי יִמְלוֹךְ תְּחוֹתַי״, וְאֵימָא לֵיהּ לְאַסְוִירוּס דְּתִעֲבֵיד טְבֶרְיָא קָלָנְיָא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara provides the background for this assertion. It is related that **Antoninus said to Rabbi** Yehuda HaNasi: **I wish for Asveirus my son to rule instead of me, and that** the city **Tiberias be released** [***kelaneya***] from paying taxes. **And if I tell** the Roman senate **one** of my wishes, **they will do** as I wish, but if I ask for **two** of them **they will not do** as I wish. Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi conveyed his answer in the following manner: **He brought a man, placed him on** the shoulders of **another** man, **and put a dove in the hands of the one on top. And he said to the one on the bottom: Tell the one on top that he should cause the dove to fly from his hands.** Antoninus **said** to himself: **Learn from it** that **this** is what Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi **is saying to me: You** should **ask** the Senate: **Let Asveirus my son rule instead of me, and say to Asveirus that he should release Tiberias** from paying taxes.


###### Avodah Zarah 10a:15
[Avodah Zarah 10a:15](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/10a:15)

אֲמַר לֵיהּ: מְצַעֲרִין לִי חֲשִׁיבִי רוֹמָאֵי. [הֲוָה] מְעַיֵּיל לֵיהּ (לגינא) [לְגִינְּתָא], כֹּל יוֹמָא עֲקַר לֵיהּ פּוּגְלָא מִמֵּשָׁרָא קַמֵּיהּ. אֲמַר: שְׁמַע מִינַּהּ הָכִי קָאָמַר לִי — אַתְּ קְטוֹל חַד חַד מִינַּיְיהוּ, וְלָא תִּתְגָּרֵה בְּהוּ בְּכוּלְּהוּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Antoninus also **said to** Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi: **Important Romans are upsetting me;** what can I do about them? Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi **brought him to** his **garden,** and **every day he uprooted a radish from the garden bed before him.** Antoninus **said** to himself: **Learn from it** that **this** is what Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi **is saying to me: You** should **kill them one** by **one, and do not incite all of them** at once.