## Avodah Zarah Daf 13a

###### Avodah Zarah 13a:1
[Avodah Zarah 13a:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/13a:1)

אֲבָל מְהַנֶּה שְׁרֵי. וְרַבִּי יוֹחָנָן אָמַר: אֲפִילּוּ מְעוּטָּרוֹת בְּפֵירוֹת נָמֵי אָסוּר, קַל וָחוֹמֶר: נֶהֱנֶה — אָסוּר, מְהַנֶּה — לֹא כׇּל שֶׁכֵּן!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**but it is permitted to cause benefit.** Although by buying from the store one indirectly supports idol worship, as a portion of the sales are given to support idol worship, this is not prohibited by Torah law. **And Rabbi Yoḥanan says: Even** if the stores are **adorned** only **with fruit** one is **also prohibited** from buying from them. This is derived by **an *a fortiori*** inference: If it is **prohibited** to **derive benefit** from idol worship, is it **not all the more so** prohibited to **cause benefit** to idol worship?


###### Avodah Zarah 13a:2
[Avodah Zarah 13a:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/13a:2)

מֵיתִיבִי, רַבִּי נָתָן אוֹמֵר: יוֹם שֶׁעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה מַנַּחַת בּוֹ אֶת הַמֶּכֶס, מַכְרִיזִין וְאוֹמְרִים: כׇּל מִי שֶׁנּוֹטֵל עֲטָרָה וְיַנִּיחַ בְּרֹאשׁוֹ וּבְרֹאשׁ חֲמוֹרוֹ לִכְבוֹד עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה — יַנִּיחַ לוֹ אֶת הַמֶּכֶס, וְאִם לָאו — אַל יַנִּיחַ לוֹ אֶת הַמֶּכֶס.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara **raises an objection** to Reish Lakish’s opinion from a *baraita*. **Rabbi Natan says:** On the **day in which a reduction** is made from **the tax** in honor of **idol worship, they announce and say: Anyone who takes a wreath** of roses **and places** it **on his head and on the head of his donkey in honor of** the object of **idol worship, his tax will be reduced. And if** one does **not** place a wreath on one’s head, **his tax will not be reduced.**


###### Avodah Zarah 13a:3
[Avodah Zarah 13a:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/13a:3)

יְהוּדִי שֶׁנִּמְצָא שָׁם מָה יַעֲשֶׂה? יַנִּיחַ — נִמְצָא נֶהֱנֶה, לֹא יַנִּיחַ — נִמְצָא מְהַנֶּה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**What should a Jew who is present there do?** If **he places** the wreath on his head and on the head of his donkey, he will **be found to derive benefit** from idol worship. And if **he does not place** the wreath on his head, he will **be found to cause benefit** to idol worship, through the tax that he pays.


###### Avodah Zarah 13a:4
[Avodah Zarah 13a:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/13a:4)

מִכָּאן אָמְרוּ: הַנּוֹשֵׂא וְנוֹתֵן בְּשׁוּק שֶׁל עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, בְּהֵמָה תֵּיעָקֵר, פֵּירוֹת כְּסוּת וְכֵלִים יֵרָקְבוּ, מָעוֹת וּכְלֵי מַתָּכוֹת יוֹלִיכֵם לְיָם הַמֶּלַח, וְאֵיזֶהוּ עִיקּוּר? הַמְנַשֵּׁר פַּרְסוֹתֶיהָ מִן הָאַרְכּוּבָּה וּלְמַטָּה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**From here** the Sages **stated: One who conducts business in a market of idol worship** will be forced either to benefit from or cause benefit to idol worship. Therefore, any **animal** he bought there **should be destroyed,** any **produce, clothing or vessels should** be left to **decompose,** and with regard to any **money or metal vessels,** which would not decompose on their own, **one should take them** and cast them **into the Dead Sea. And what** constitutes **destroying** the animal? **One cuts** off **the hooves of** the animal **from the knee and below.**


###### Avodah Zarah 13a:5
[Avodah Zarah 13a:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/13a:5)

קָתָנֵי מִיהַת: יַנִּיחַ — נִמְצָא נֶהֱנֶה, לֹא יַנִּיחַ — נִמְצָא מְהַנֶּה!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara explains the objection to Reish Lakish’s statement. **In any event,** the *baraita* **teaches** that it is prohibited to cause benefit to idol worship, as it states: If **he places** the wreath on his head then he will **be found to derive benefit** from idol worship, and if **he does not place** the wreath on his head, he will **be found to cause benefit** to idol worship. How, then, can Reish Lakish claim that it is permitted to cause benefit to idol worship?


###### Avodah Zarah 13a:6
[Avodah Zarah 13a:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/13a:6)

אָמַר רַב מְשַׁרְשְׁיָא בְּרֵיהּ דְּרַב אִידִי: קָסָבַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ, פְּלִיגִי רַבָּנַן עֲלֵיהּ דְּרַבִּי נָתָן, וַאֲנָא דַּאֲמַרִי כְּרַבָּנַן דִּפְלִיגִי עֲלֵיהּ. וְרַבִּי יוֹחָנָן סָבַר: לָא פְּלִיגִי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rav Mesharshiyya, son of Rav Idi, said: Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish holds** as follows: **The Rabbis disagree with Rabbi Natan,** whose opinion is cited in the *baraita*, **and I spoke in accordance with** the opinion of **the Rabbis who disagree with** Rabbi Natan. The Gemara notes: **And Rabbi Yoḥanan,** who rules in accordance with the statement of Rabbi Natan, **holds** that the Rabbis **do not disagree** with Rabbi Natan; rather, everyone agrees that it is prohibited to cause benefit to idol worship.


###### Avodah Zarah 13a:7
[Avodah Zarah 13a:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/13a:7)

וְלָא פְּלִיגִי? וְהָא תַּנְיָא: הוֹלְכִין לְיָרִיד שֶׁל גּוֹיִם, וְלוֹקְחִין מֵהֶם בְּהֵמָה, עֲבָדִים וּשְׁפָחוֹת, בָּתִּים וְשָׂדוֹת וּכְרָמִים, וְכוֹתֵב וּמַעֲלֶה בְּעַרְכָּאוֹת שֶׁלָּהֶן, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוּא כְּמַצִּיל מִיָּדָם.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **And** is it so that **they do not disagree? But isn’t it taught** in a *baraita*: **One may go to a fair of gentiles,** whose purpose is to honor idol worship, **and buy from** the gentiles **animals, and slaves, and maidservants,** as the purchase raises the items to a more sanctified state; and he may buy **houses, fields, and vineyards** from them, due to the mitzva to settle Eretz Yisrael. **And one may write** the necessary deeds **and confirm** them **in their** gentile **courts [*be’arkaot*],** although this involves an acknowledgement of their authority, **because it is as though he is rescuing** his property **from their hands,** as the court’s confirmation and stamp of approval prevents the seller from denying the sale and claiming that the property still belongs to him.


###### Avodah Zarah 13a:8
[Avodah Zarah 13a:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/13a:8)

וְאִם הָיָה כֹּהֵן — מִטַּמֵּא בְּחוּצָה לָאָרֶץ, לָדוּן וּלְעַרְעֵר עִמָּהֶם. וּכְשֵׁם שֶׁמִּטַּמֵּא בְּחוּצָה לָאָרֶץ, כָּךְ מִטַּמֵּא בְּבֵית הַקְּבָרוֹת.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And if he is a priest, he may become ritually impure by** going **outside Eretz** Yisrael, even though a priest is usually prohibited from leaving Eretz Yisrael to the impure land outside, in order **to litigate** with them **and to contest their** claims. **And just as** a priest **may become ritually impure** by going **outside Eretz** Yisrael, **so may he become ritually impure** for this purpose **by** entering **a cemetery.**


###### Avodah Zarah 13a:9
[Avodah Zarah 13a:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/13a:9)

בְּבֵית הַקְּבָרוֹת סָלְקָא דַּעְתָּךְ? טוּמְאָה דְּאוֹרָיְיתָא הִיא! אֶלָּא בֵּית הַפְּרָס דְּרַבָּנַן.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara interrupts its citation of the *baraita* to express surprise at this last ruling: **Can it enter your mind** to say that a priest may become impure **by** entering **a cemetery?** The *halakha* that a cemetery imparts **ritual impurity** to a priest is **by Torah law;** how could the Sages override this prohibition? **Rather,** the *baraita* is referring to **an area where there is uncertainty with regard to the location of a grave or a corpse [*beit haperas*],** owing to the fact that a grave had been unwittingly plowed over, and the bones may have become scattered throughout the field. Such a field imparts ritual impurity **by rabbinic law.**


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

וּמְטַמֵּא לִלְמוֹד תּוֹרָה וְלִישָּׂא אִשָּׁה, אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה: אֵימָתַי? בִּזְמַן שֶׁאֵין מוֹצֵא לִלְמוֹד, אֲבָל בִּזְמַן שֶׁמּוֹצֵא לִלְמוֹד — אֵינוֹ מְטַמֵּא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The *baraita* continues: **And** a priest **may** likewise **become ritually impure** and leave Eretz Yisrael in order **to study Torah or** in order **to marry a woman. Rabbi Yehuda says: When** does this allowance apply? It applies **when he cannot find** a place **to study** in Eretz Yisrael. **But when** the priest **can find** a place **to study** in Eretz Yisrael, **he may not become ritually impure** by leaving the country.


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

רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אוֹמֵר: אֲפִילּוּ בִּזְמַן שֶׁמּוֹצֵא לִלְמוֹד — יִטַּמֵּא, לְפִי שֶׁאֵין אָדָם זוֹכֶה לִלְמוֹד מִכֹּל.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rabbi Yosei says: Even when he can find** a place **to study** Torah in Eretz Yisrael, **he may** leave the country and **become ritually impure, because a person does not merit to learn from everyone,** and it is possible that the more suitable teacher for him lives outside of Eretz Yisrael.


###### Avodah Zarah 13a:12
[Avodah Zarah 13a:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/13a:12)

אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי: מַעֲשֶׂה בְּיוֹסֵף הַכֹּהֵן שֶׁהָלַךְ אַחַר רַבּוֹ לְצִידוֹן לִלְמוֹד תּוֹרָה. וְאָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: הֲלָכָה כְּרַבִּי יוֹסֵי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rabbi Yosei says,** in support of his opinion: There was **an incident involving Yosef the priest, who followed his teacher to** the city of **Sidon,** outside of Eretz Yisrael, **to learn Torah** even though the preeminent Sage of his generation, Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai, lived in Eretz Yisrael. **And Rabbi Yoḥanan says** about this: The ***halakha*** is **in accordance with** the opinion of **Rabbi Yosei.**


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

אַלְמָא פְּלִיגִי! אָמַר לָךְ רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: לְעוֹלָם לָא פְּלִיגִי,

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara returns to the issue at hand. This *baraita* **apparently** indicates that the Rabbis do **disagree** with Rabbi Natan, as they hold that it is permitted to buy items from a gentile fair and cause benefit to idol worship, whereas the ruling of Rabbi Natan is a minority opinion. The Gemara responds: **Rabbi Yoḥanan** could have **said to you: Actually,** the Rabbis **do not disagree** with Rabbi Natan, and even according to this *baraita* one is prohibited from causing benefit for idol worship.


###### Avodah Zarah 13a:14
[Avodah Zarah 13a:14](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/13a:14)

וְלָא קַשְׁיָא, כָּאן — בְּלוֹקֵחַ מִן הַתַּגָּר, דְּשָׁקְלִי מִיכְסָא מִינֵּיהּ; כָּאן — בְּלוֹקֵחַ מִבַּעַל הַבַּיִת, דְּלָא שָׁקְלִי מִיכְסָא מִינֵּיהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara elaborates: **And** the fact that the *baraita* permits buying at a gentile fair is **not difficult,** as **here,** where Rabbi Natan prohibits buying items from a gentile fair, he states his ruling **with regard to one who buys from a merchant, as a tax is taken from him** for the benefit of idol worship; whereas **there,** in the *baraita* that permits buying items at the fair, it states its ruling **with regard to one who buys from a homeowner,** i.e., a private individual, **where a tax is not taken from him.**


###### Avodah Zarah 13a:15
[Avodah Zarah 13a:15](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/13a:15)

אָמַר מָר: בְּהֵמָה תֵּיעָקֵר. וְהָא אִיכָּא צַעַר בַּעֲלֵי חַיִּים! אָמַר אַבָּיֵי: אָמַר רַחֲמָנָא ״אֶת סוּסֵיהֶם תְּעַקֵּר״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ The Gemara returns to discuss the *baraita* that cited the opinion of Rabbi Natan. **The Master said** above: Any **animal** that one bought there **should be destroyed.** The Gemara asks: **But isn’t there** a requirement to prevent **suffering to animals? Abaye said:** Although there is an enjoinder against causing suffering to a living creature, it is permitted when necessary, as **the Merciful One states** to Joshua: **“You shall destroy their horses”** (Joshua 11:6).


###### Avodah Zarah 13a:16
[Avodah Zarah 13a:16](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/13a:16)

אָמַר מָר: וְאֵיזֶהוּ עִיקּוּר? מְנַשֵּׁר פַּרְסוֹתֶיהָ מִן הָאַרְכּוּבָּה וּלְמַטָּה. וּרְמִינְהִי: אֵין מַקְדִּישִׁין, וְאֵין מַחְרִימִין, וְאֵין מַעֲרִיכִין בַּזְּמַן הַזֶּה, וְאִם הִקְדִּישׁ וְהֶחְרִים וְהֶעֱרִיךְ — בְּהֵמָה תֵּיעָקֵר, פֵּירוֹת כְּסוּת וְכֵלִים.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**The Master said** above: **And what constitutes destroying** the animal? **One cuts the hooves of** the animal **from the knee and below.** The Gemara **raises a contradiction** from a *baraita*: **One may neither consecrate** objects, **nor dedicate** items for sacred use, **nor valuate** an item’s worth based on its appraisal (see Leviticus, chapter 27) and dedicate its monetary worth to the Temple treasury, **in the present** time, when the Temple no longer exists. **And if one did consecrate, or dedicate, or valuate** items for sacred use, the presence of these items might lead to the violation of the prohibition against using consecrated property. Therefore, if one dedicated **an animal it should be destroyed.** If he dedicated **produce, garments, or vessels** made from materials that decompose,