## Avodah Zarah Daf 11a

###### Avodah Zarah 11a:1
[Avodah Zarah 11a:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/11a:1)

נִתְפָּרְדָה חֲבִילָה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**The bundle is separated.**


###### Avodah Zarah 11a:2
[Avodah Zarah 11a:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/11a:2)

אוּנְקְלוֹס בַּר קְלוֹנִימוּס אִיגַּיַּיר, שַׁדַּר קֵיסָר גּוּנְדָּא דְּרוֹמָאֵי אַבָּתְרֵיהּ, מַשְׁכִינְהוּ בִּקְרָאֵי, אִיגַּיּוּר. הֲדַר שַׁדַּר גּוּנְדָּא דְּרוֹמָאֵי [אַחֲרִינָא] אַבָּתְרֵיהּ, אֲמַר לְהוּ: לָא תֵּימְרוּ לֵיהּ וְלָא מִידֵּי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ The Gemara mentions other Romans who converted to Judaism. It relates: **Onkelos bar Kelonimos converted** to Judaism. The Roman **emperor sent a troop [*gunda*] of Roman** soldiers **after him** to seize Onkelos and bring him to the emperor. Onkelos **drew them** toward him **with verses** that he cited and learned with them, and **they converted.** The emperor **then sent another troop of Roman** soldiers **after him,** and **said to them: Do not say anything to him,** so that he cannot convince you with his arguments. The troops followed this instruction, and took Onkelos with them.


###### Avodah Zarah 11a:3
[Avodah Zarah 11a:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/11a:3)

כִּי הֲווֹ שָׁקְלִי וְאָזְלִי, אֲמַר לְהוּ אֵימָא לְכוּ מִילְּתָא בְּעָלְמָא: נִיפְיוֹרָא נָקֵט נוּרָא קַמֵּי אַפִּיפְיוֹרָא, אַפִּיפְיוֹרָא לְדוּכָּסָא, דּוּכָּסָא לְהֶגְמוֹנָא, הַגְמוֹנָא לְקוֹמָא, קוֹמָא מִי נָקֵט נוּרָא מִקַּמֵּי אִינָשֵׁי? אָמְרִי לֵיהּ: לָא. אֲמַר לְהוּ: הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא נְקַט נוּרָא קַמֵּי יִשְׂרָאֵל, דִּכְתִיב: ״וַה׳ הֹלֵךְ לִפְנֵיהֶם יוֹמָם וְגוֹ׳״. אִיגַּיּוּר כּוּלְּהוּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**When they were walking,** Onkelos **said to** the troop of soldiers: **I will say a mere statement to you: A minor official [*nifyora*] holds a torch before a high official [*apifyora*], the high official** holds a torch **for a duke [*dukasa*], a duke for the governor,** and **the governor for the ruler [*koma*]. Does the ruler hold a torch before** the common **people?** The soldiers **said to** Onkelos: **No.** Onkelos **said to them:** Yet **the Holy One, Blessed be He, holds a torch before the Jewish people, as it is written: “And the Lord went before them by day** in a pillar of cloud, to lead them the way, and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light” (Exodus 13:21). **They all converted.**


###### Avodah Zarah 11a:4
[Avodah Zarah 11a:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/11a:4)

הֲדַר שַׁדַּר גּוּנְדָּא אַחֲרִינָא אַבָּתְרֵיהּ, אֲמַר לְהוּ: לָא תִּשְׁתַּעוּ מִידֵּי בַּהֲדֵיהּ. כִּי נָקְטִי לֵיהּ וְאָזְלִי, חֲזָא מְזוּזְתָּא דְּמַנְּחָא אַפִּתְחָא, אוֹתֵיב יְדֵיהּ עֲלַהּ, וַאֲמַר לְהוּ: מַאי הַאי? אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ: אֵימָא לַן אַתְּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The emperor **then sent another troop** of soldiers **after him,** to bring Onkelos, and **said to them: Do not converse with him at all.** The troops followed this instruction, and took Onkelos with them. **While they grabbed him and were walking,** Onkelos **saw a *mezuza* that was placed on the doorway. He placed his hand upon it and said to** the soldiers: **What is this? They said to him: You tell us.**


###### Avodah Zarah 11a:5
[Avodah Zarah 11a:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/11a:5)

אֲמַר לְהוּ: מִנְהָגוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, מֶלֶךְ בָּשָׂר וָדָם יוֹשֵׁב מִבִּפְנִים, וַעֲבָדָיו מְשַׁמְּרִים אוֹתוֹ מִבַּחוּץ, וְאִילּוּ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, עֲבָדָיו מִבִּפְנִים וְהוּא מְשַׁמְּרָן מִבַּחוּץ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״ה׳ יִשְׁמׇר צֵאתְךָ וּבוֹאֶךָ מֵעַתָּה וְעַד עוֹלָם״. אִיגַּיּוּר תּוּ לָא שַׁדַּר בָּתְרֵיהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Onkelos **said to them: The** standard **practice** throughout the **world** is that **a king** of **flesh and blood sits inside** his palace, **and his servants** stand **guard,** protecting **him outside; but** with regard to **the Holy One, Blessed be He, His servants,** the Jewish people, sit **inside** their homes **and He guards over them outside. As it is stated: “The Lord shall guard your going out and your coming in, from now and forever”** (Psalms 121:8). Upon hearing this, those soldiers also **converted** to Judaism. After that, the emperor **sent no more** soldiers **after him.**


###### Avodah Zarah 11a:6
[Avodah Zarah 11a:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/11a:6)

״וַיֹּאמֶר ה׳ לָהּ, שְׁנֵי גוֹיִם בְּבִטְנֵךְ״. אָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה אָמַר רַב: אַל תִּקְרֵי ״גּוֹיִם״ אֶלָּא ״גֵּיִים״, זֶה אַנְטוֹנִינוּס וְרַבִּי, שֶׁלֹּא פָּסְקוּ מֵעַל שׁוּלְחָנָם לֹא חֲזֶרֶת וְלֹא קִישּׁוּת וְלֹא צְנוֹן, לֹא בִּימוֹת הַחַמָּה וְלֹא בִּימוֹת הַגְּשָׁמִים, דְּאָמַר מָר: צְנוֹן מְחַתֵּךְ אוֹכֶל, חֲזֶרֶת מְהַפֵּךְ מַאֲכָל, קִישּׁוּת מַרְחִיב מֵעַיִים.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ The Gemara returns to its discussion of Antoninus: When the matriarch Rebecca was pregnant with Jacob and Esau, **“the Lord said to her: Two nations [*goyim*] are in your womb”** (Genesis 25:23). **Rav Yehuda says** that **Rav says: Do not read** it as ***goyim*,** meaning nations; **rather** read it as ***geyim*,** meaning proud ones. **This** verse was fulfilled in two prominent individuals who descended from Rebecca, **Antoninus and Rabbi** Yehuda HaNasi, **whose tables,** due to their wealth, **never lacked for lettuce, nor cucumbers, nor radish, neither in the summer nor in the rainy season,** despite the fact that these foods do not grow year round. The reason they ensured that these items were always present at their tables is **that the Master said: A radish breaks up food, lettuce stirs up food,** and **cucumbers expand the intestines.**


###### Avodah Zarah 11a:7
[Avodah Zarah 11a:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/11a:7)

וְהָא תָּנָא דְּבֵי רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל: לָמָּה נִקְרָא שְׁמָן קִישּׁוּאִין? מִפְּנֵי שֶׁקָּשִׁין לְגוּפוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם כַּחֲרָבוֹת! לָא קַשְׁיָא: הָא בְּרַבְרְבֵי, הָא בְּזוּטְרֵי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **But isn’t it taught** in the **school of Rabbi Yishmael: Why are they called cucumbers [*kishuin*]?** It is **because they are as harmful [*kashim*] to a person’s body as swords.** The Gemara answers: This is **not difficult. This** statement, that they are harmful to the body, is referring **to large** cucumbers, whereas **that** statement, explaining why they were always present on the tables of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi and Antoninus, is referring **to small ones.**


###### Avodah Zarah 11a:8
[Avodah Zarah 11a:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/11a:8)

יוֹם הַלֵּידָה וְיוֹם הַמִּיתָה. מִכְּלָל דְּרַבִּי מֵאִיר סָבַר: לָא שְׁנָא מִיתָה שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהּ שְׂרֵיפָה, וְלָא שְׁנָא מִיתָה שֶׁאֵין בָּהּ שְׂרֵיפָה — פָּלְחִי בַּהּ לַעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, אַלְמָא שְׂרֵיפָה לָאו חוּקָּה הִיא. מִכְּלָל דְּרַבָּנַן סָבְרִי: שְׂרֵיפָה חוּקָּה הִיא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ The mishna teaches that according to Rabbi Meir **the birthday** of the king **and the day of the death** of the king are considered gentile festivals, whereas the Rabbis hold that only a death that includes public burning is considered a festival that includes idol worship. The Gemara comments: **By inference,** this means **that Rabbi Meir holds** that **there is no difference** whether it is **a death that includes** public **burning, and there is no difference** whether it is **a death that does not include** public **burning;** in either case, **they engage in idol worship on** that occasion. **Evidently,** Rabbi Meir holds that the **burning** performed at the death of the king **is not** an idolatrous **custom,** as it is not the cause of the prohibition. The Gemara continues: From here, one can conclude **by inference that the Rabbis hold** that the **burning** upon the death of the king **is** an idolatrous **custom.**


###### Avodah Zarah 11a:9
[Avodah Zarah 11a:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/11a:9)

וְהָא תַּנְיָא: שׂוֹרְפִין עַל הַמְּלָכִים, וְלֹא מִדַּרְכֵי הָאֱמוֹרִי, וְאִי חוּקָּה הִיא, אֲנַן הֵיכִי שָׂרְפִינַן? וְהָכְתִיב: ״וּבְחֻקֹּתֵיהֶם לֹא תֵּלֵכוּ״!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara raises a difficulty: **But isn’t it taught** in a *baraita*: **We burn** items **upon the** death of **kings** as an expression of grief, **and** this is **not of the ways of the Amorites,** but rather a Jewish custom? **And if** this **is** an idolatrous **custom, how could we** perform this public **burning? But isn’t it written: “And you shall not walk in their statutes”** (Leviticus 18:3)?


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

אֶלָּא, דְּכוּלֵּי עָלְמָא שְׂרֵיפָה לָאו חוּקָּה הִיא, אֶלָּא חֲשִׁיבוּתָא הִיא, וְהָכָא בְּהָא קָמִיפַּלְגִי: רַבִּי מֵאִיר סָבַר — לָא שְׁנָא מִיתָה שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהּ שְׂרֵיפָה, וְלָא שְׁנָא מִיתָה שֶׁאֵין בָּהּ שְׂרֵיפָה — פָּלְחִי בַּהּ לַעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, וְרַבָּנַן סָבְרִי — מִיתָה שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהּ שְׂרֵיפָה חֲשִׁיבָא לְהוּ וּפָלְחִי בַּהּ, וְשֶׁאֵין בָּהּ שְׂרֵיפָה לָא חֲשִׁיבָא וְלָא פָּלְחִי בַּהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rather, everyone** agrees that the public **burning** itself **is not** an idolatrous **custom. Rather, it is** performed due to the great **importance** of the king who passed away. **And here,** in the mishna, **they disagree about this: Rabbi Meir holds** that **there is no difference** whether it is **a death that includes** public **burning and there is no difference** whether it is **a death that does not include** public **burning;** in either case, in practice **they engage in idol worship on** that occasion. **And the Rabbis hold** that **a death that includes** public **burning** is **important to** the gentiles, **and** therefore **they engage in** idol **worship on** that occasion, **but** a death **that does not include** public **burning** is **not important** to them, **and they do not engage in** idol **worship on** that occasion.


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

גּוּפָא: שׂוֹרְפִין עַל הַמְּלָכִים, וְאֵין בּוֹ מִשּׁוּם דַּרְכֵי הָאֱמוֹרִי, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״בְּשָׁלוֹם תָּמוּת וּבְמִשְׂרְפוֹת אֲבוֹתֶיךָ הַמְּלָכִים וְגוֹ׳״, וּכְשֵׁם שֶׁשּׂוֹרְפִין עַל הַמְּלָכִים, כָּךְ שׂוֹרְפִין עַל הַנְּשִׂיאִים.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Having mentioned this *baraita*, the Gemara returns to discuss **the** matter **itself.** The *baraita* teaches: **One burns** items **due to the** death of **kings** as an expression of grief, **and** this **is not subject to** the prohibition of imitating **the ways of the Amorites,** since it is a Jewish custom. **As it is stated** that Jeremiah prophesied to Zedekiah king of Judah: **“You shall die in peace; and with the burnings of your fathers, the former kings** that were before you, so shall they make a burning for you” (Jeremiah 34:5). **And just as one burns** items **upon** the death of **the kings, so too one burns** items **upon** the death of **the heads of the Sanhedrin.**


###### Avodah Zarah 11a:12
[Avodah Zarah 11a:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/11a:12)

וּמָה הֵם שׂוֹרְפִין עַל הַמְּלָכִים? מִיטָּתָן וּכְלֵי תַּשְׁמִישָׁן, וּמַעֲשֶׂה שֶׁמֵּת רַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל הַזָּקֵן, וְשָׂרַף עָלָיו אוּנְקְלוֹס הַגֵּר שִׁבְעִים מָנֶה צוֹרִי. וְהָאָמְרַתְּ: מָה הֵן שׂוֹרְפִין עֲלֵיהֶם — מִיטָּתָן וּכְלֵי תַּשְׁמִישָׁן! אֵימָא: בְּשִׁבְעִים מָנֶה צוֹרִי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And what** items **do they burn upon the** death of **kings?** They burn the kings’ **beds and their utensils,** so that no one else can make use of them. **And** there was **an incident in which Rabban Gamliel the Elder died, and upon** his death **Onkelos the convert burned seven thousand dinars** in valuable **Tyrian** coinage. The Gemara asks: **But didn’t you state** in response to the question: **What do they burn upon** the death of kings, that they burn **their beds and their utensils?** Why, then, did Onkelos burn money? The Gemara answers: **Say** that Onkelos burned items that were valued **at seven thousand dinars** in **Tyrian** coinage.


###### Avodah Zarah 11a:13
[Avodah Zarah 11a:13](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/11a:13)

וּמִידֵּי אַחֲרִינָא לָא? וְהָתַנְיָא: עוֹקְרִין עַל הַמְּלָכִים, וְאֵין בּוֹ מִשּׁוּם דַּרְכֵי הָאֱמוֹרִי! אָמַר רַב פָּפָּא: סוּס שֶׁרָכַב עָלָיו.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **And** are **other items not** destroyed in order to accord honor to the deceased king, apart from his utensils? **But isn’t it taught** in a *baraita* that **we detach** the hooves of livestock **upon the** death of **kings, and** this **is not subject to** the prohibition of **the ways of the Amorites? Rav Pappa says:** That *baraita* is referring to **the horse upon which** the king **rode.** Since that animal was designated as the king’s personal item, it is therefore rendered unusable for anyone else, like his personal utensils.


###### Avodah Zarah 11a:14
[Avodah Zarah 11a:14](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/11a:14)

וּבְהֵמָה טְהוֹרָה לָא? וְהָתַנְיָא: עִיקּוּר שֶׁיֵּשׁ בָּהּ טְרֵיפָה — אָסוּר, וְשֶׁאֵין בָּהּ טְרֵיפָה — מוּתָּר, וְאֵיזֶהוּ עִיקּוּר שֶׁאֵין בָּהּ טְרֵיפָה?

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **And** did they **not** detach the hooves of the king’s **kosher animals,** which are not used by the king for riding? **But isn’t it taught** in a *baraita*: If **removing** the hooves of an animal would **entail** that it becomes **an animal with a wound that will cause it to die within twelve months [*tereifa*],** it is **prohibited** to do so. **And when** doing so would **not entail** rendering it **a *tereifa*,** it is **permitted. And what is** a way of **removing** hooves **that does not entail** rendering the animal **a *tereifa*?**