## Avodah Zarah Daf 15a

###### Avodah Zarah 15a:1
[Avodah Zarah 15a:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/15a:1)

וְרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אוֹמֵר: אַף בְּמָקוֹם שֶׁאָסְרוּ לְיַיחֵד, מוּתָּר לִמְכּוֹר. מַאי טַעְמָא? גּוֹי חָס עַל בְּהֶמְתּוֹ שֶׁלֹּא תֵּעָקֵר. וְאַף רַב הֲדַר בֵּיהּ, דְּאָמַר רַב תַּחְלִיפָא אָמַר רַב שֵׁילָא בַּר אֲבִימִי מִשְּׁמֵיהּ דְּרַב: גּוֹי חָס עַל בְּהֶמְתּוֹ שֶׁלֹּא תֵּעָקֵר.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And Rabbi Elazar says: Even in a place where they prohibited leaving** an animal **in seclusion** with a gentile, it is **permitted to sell** it to a gentile. **What is the reason?** Once the animal is sold to the gentile, there is no concern that he will engage in bestiality. This is because **a gentile spares his** own **animal** from bestiality, **as** he does **not** want it to **become sterile** through this practice. By contrast, it is prohibited to leave one’s animal in seclusion with a gentile, as he would have no such compunction with regard to an animal belonging to others. The Gemara notes: **And even Rav retracted his** opinion; **as Rav Taḥlifa says** that **Rav Sheila bar Avimi says in the name of Rav: A gentile spares his animal, as** he does **not** want it to **become sterile.**


###### Avodah Zarah 15a:2
[Avodah Zarah 15a:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/15a:2)

וּבְכׇל מָקוֹם אֵין מוֹכְרִין בְּהֵמָה גַּסָּה כּוּ׳. מַאי טַעְמָא? נְהִי דְּלִרְבִיעָה לָא חָיְישִׁינַן, מֶעְבַּיד בַּיהּ מְלָאכָה חָיְישִׁינַן.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ The mishna teaches: **But in every place one may not sell** to gentiles **large livestock,** calves, or foals, whether these animals are whole or damaged. The Gemara explains: **What is the reason?** The Gemara explains: **Granted, we are not concerned about** the gentile engaging in **bestiality** with the animal, but **we are concerned** about him **putting** the animal **to work** on Shabbat.


###### Avodah Zarah 15a:3
[Avodah Zarah 15a:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/15a:3)

וְנֶיעְבֵּיד, כֵּיוָן דְּזַבְנַהּ קַנְיַיהּ! גְּזֵירָה מִשּׁוּם שְׁאֵלָה וּמִשּׁוּם שְׂכִירוּת.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara expresses puzzlement: **And let** the gentile **put** it **to work.** Why should one be concerned about this possibility? **Since he bought it, he acquires it** and may put it to work on Shabbat, as it no longer belongs to the Jew. The Gemara answers: Selling it is prohibited by rabbinic **decree due to** the concern of **lending and due to** the concern of **leasing** the animal to the gentile, as in those cases the animal would be performing work on Shabbat when it is owned by a Jew.


###### Avodah Zarah 15a:4
[Avodah Zarah 15a:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/15a:4)

שַׁאֲלַהּ קַנְיַיהּ, וְאַגְרַהּ קַנְיַיהּ!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara raises a further difficulty: But during that time period, the act of **borrowing** the animal causes the gentile to temporarily **acquire it, and** likewise, by **leasing** the animal, he temporarily **acquires it.** Why, then, is it a problem if the gentile puts the animal to work on Shabbat?


###### Avodah Zarah 15a:5
[Avodah Zarah 15a:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/15a:5)

אֶלָּא אָמַר רָמֵי בְּרֵיהּ דְּרַב יֵיבָא: גְּזֵירָה מִשּׁוּם נִסְיוֹנֵי, דְּזִמְנִין דְּזַבְּנַהּ לַהּ נִיהֲלֵיהּ סָמוּךְ לִשְׁקִיעַת הַחַמָּה דְּמַעֲלֵי שַׁבְּתָא, וַאֲמַר לֵיהּ: ״תָּא נַסְּיַיהּ נִיהֲלֵיהּ״, וְשָׁמְעָה לֵיהּ לְקָלֵיהּ וְאָזְלָא מֵחֲמָתֵיהּ, וְנִיחָא לֵיהּ דְּתֵיזִיל, וְהָוֵה לֵיהּ מְחַמֵּר אַחֵר בְּהֶמְתּוֹ בְּשַׁבָּת, וְהַמְחַמֵּר אַחֵר בְּהֶמְתּוֹ בְּשַׁבָּת חַיָּיב חַטָּאת.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rather, Rami, son of Rav Yeiva, said:** Selling is prohibited by rabbinic **decree due to** the concern with regard to **testing. As at times, one sells** an animal **to** a gentile when it is **close to sunset of Shabbat eve, and** one **says to him: Go** and **test** the animal, **and it hears the voice of** its Jewish owner **and walks because of his** command. **And it is beneficial to** the Jewish seller **that** the animal **should walk,** as he wants to demonstrate to the gentile that it is fit for labor. **And** in this manner, **he is** considered **one who drives his** laden **animal on Shabbat. And one who drives his** laden **animal on Shabbat** is **liable** to bring **a sin-offering.**


###### Avodah Zarah 15a:6
[Avodah Zarah 15a:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/15a:6)

מַתְקֵיף לַהּ רַב שִׁישָׁא בְּרֵיהּ דְּרַב אִידִי: וּשְׂכִירוּת מִי קָנְיָא? וְהָתְנַן: אַף בְּמָקוֹם שֶׁאָמְרוּ לְהַשְׂכִּיר — לֹא לְבֵית דִּירָה אָמְרוּ, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁמַּכְנִיס לְתוֹכוֹ עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה. וְאִי סָלְקָא דַעְתָּךְ שְׂכִירוּת קָנְיָא, הַאי כִּי קָא מְעַיֵּיל — לְבֵיתֵיהּ קָא מְעַיֵּיל!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rav Sheisha, son of Rav Idi, objects to** the Gemara’s assumption that leasing confers ownership. **And** by **leasing** an item, **does one** actually **acquire** it? **But didn’t we learn** in the mishna (21a): **Even in a place** with regard to **which** the Sages **said** that it is permitted for a Jew **to rent** a house to a gentile, **they did not say** that one may rent it **for** use as **a residence, because** the gentiles will **bring** objects of **idol worship into it?** The objection is as follows: **And if it enters your mind** to say that through **leasing** one **acquires** an item or property, then **when this** gentile **brings** the idols **into** the house **he brings them into his** own **house.** Why, then, is it prohibited for a Jew to rent a residence to a gentile?


###### Avodah Zarah 15a:7
[Avodah Zarah 15a:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/15a:7)

שָׁאנֵי עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה דַּחֲמִירָא, דִּכְתִיב: ״וְלֹא תָבִיא תוֹעֵבָה אֶל בֵּיתֶךָ״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara answers: **Idol worship is different, as it is** a particularly **severe** prohibition, and therefore even an item that does not entirely belong to a Jew is treated with great stringency. **As it is written: “And you shall not bring an abomination into your house”** (Deuteronomy 7:26), and this house still retains the name of its Jewish owner.


###### Avodah Zarah 15a:8
[Avodah Zarah 15a:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/15a:8)

מַתְקֵיף לַהּ רַב יִצְחָק בְּרֵיהּ דְּרַב מְשַׁרְשְׁיָא: וּשְׂכִירוּת מִי קָנְיָא? וְהָא תְּנַן: יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁשָּׂכַר פָּרָה מִכֹּהֵן — יַאֲכִילֶנָּה כַּרְשִׁינֵּי תְרוּמָה, וְכֹהֵן שֶׁשָּׂכַר פָּרָה מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁמְּזוֹנוֹתֶיהָ עָלָיו — לָא יַאֲכִילֶנָּה כַּרְשִׁינֵּי תְרוּמָה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rav Yitzḥak, son of Rav Mesharshiyya,** also **objects to** the Gemara’s assumption that leasing confers ownership. **And** by **leasing** an item, **does one** actually **acquire** it? **But didn’t we learn** in a mishna (*Terumot* 11:9): **An Israelite who rented a cow from a priest may feed it vetches of *teruma*,** as the animal belongs to a priest; **and** conversely, **a priest who rented a cow from an Israelite, although the responsibility to feed it is incumbent upon him, he may not feed it vetches of *teruma*,** as it does not belong to him.


###### Avodah Zarah 15a:9
[Avodah Zarah 15a:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/15a:9)

וְאִי סָלְקָא דַעְתָּךְ שְׂכִירוּת קָנְיָא, אַמַּאי לָא יַאֲכִילֶנָּה? פָּרָה דִּידֵיהּ הִיא! אֶלָּא שְׁמַע מִינַּהּ שְׂכִירוּת לָא קָנְיָא. וְהַשְׁתָּא דְּאָמְרַתְּ שְׂכִירוּת לָא קָנְיָא, גְּזֵירָה מִשּׁוּם שְׂכִירוּת, וּגְזֵירָה מִשּׁוּם שְׁאֵלָה, וּגְזֵירָה מִשּׁוּם נִסְיוֹנֵי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And if it enters your mind** to say that through **leasing** one **acquires** the item, **why can’t** the priest **feed it** vetches of *teruma*? After all, **it is** currently **his own cow. Rather, learn from** here that one **does not acquire** an item through **leasing.** The Gemara comments: **And now that you** have **said** that one **does not acquire** an item through **leasing,** and therefore an animal that was leased to a gentile still belongs to the Jew, the original proposal can be accepted: The reason that one cannot sell large livestock to gentiles is a rabbinic **decree due to** the concern of **leasing, and a decree due to** the concern of **lending** the animal to the gentile, **and** also **a decree due to** the concern of **testing.**


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

רַב אַדָּא שְׁרָא לְזַבּוֹנֵי חֲמָרָא אַיְּדָא דְּסַפְסִירָא, אִי מִשּׁוּם נִסְיוֹנֵי — הָא לָא יָדְעָה לְקָלֵיהּ דְּאָזְלָא מֵחֲמָתֵיהּ, וְאִי מִשּׁוּם שְׁאֵלָה וּשְׂכִירוּת — כֵּיוָן דְּלָא דִּידֵיהּ הִיא לָא מוֹשֵׁיל וְלָא מוֹגַר, וְעוֹד — מִשּׁוּם דְּלָא נִיגַלֵּי בֵּיהּ מוּמָא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ The Gemara relates: **Rav Adda permitted** the owners of a donkey **to sell** their **donkey** to gentiles **by means of** a Jewish **middleman [*desafseira*].** He reasoned as follows: **If** the concern is **due to testing,** in this case the animal **does not recognize the voice of** the middleman so **that it would walk because of him. And if** the concern is **due to lending and leasing, since** the donkey **is not his,** that middleman **would neither lend nor lease** it. **Additionally,** the middleman would not lease or lend the animal **because** he wants to sell it and **does not** want any **blemish to be revealed in it.**


###### Avodah Zarah 15a:11
[Avodah Zarah 15a:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/15a:11)

רַב הוּנָא זַבֵּין הָהִיא פָּרָה לְגוֹי. אֲמַר לֵיהּ רַב חִסְדָּא: מַאי טַעְמָא עֲבַד מָר הָכִי? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אֵימוֹר לִשְׁחִיטָה זַבְנַהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara relates: **Rav Huna sold a certain cow to a gentile. Rav Ḥisda said to him: What is the reason** that **the Master acted in that manner?** Rav Huna **said to him:** I can **say** that **he purchased it** in order **to slaughter** it, not to use it for labor.