## Avodah Zarah Daf 16b

###### Avodah Zarah 16b:1
[Avodah Zarah 16b:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/16b:1)

וְאַלִּיבָּא דְּרַבִּי יְהוּדָה. רַב אָשֵׁי אָמַר: סְתָם אֲרִי שָׁבוּר הוּא אֵצֶל מְלָאכָה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**and** this is **in accordance with** the opinion **of Rabbi Yehuda** in the mishna on 14b, that it is permitted to sell to a gentile large livestock that are damaged. Yet, it is prohibited to sell large undamaged beasts, just as one may not sell large undamaged livestock. **Rav Ashi says:** It is not necessary to explain that the mishna is referring to such a specific case. Rather, **an ordinary lion is** considered **damaged with regard to labor,** as lions are not generally used to perform labor. Therefore there is no concern that a lion will be used to perform prohibited labor on Shabbat.


###### Avodah Zarah 16b:2
[Avodah Zarah 16b:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/16b:2)

מֵיתִיבִי: כְּשֵׁם שֶׁאֵין מוֹכְרִין לָהֶן בְּהֵמָה גַּסָּה, כָּךְ אֵין מוֹכְרִין לָהֶן חַיָּה גַּסָּה, וַאֲפִילּוּ בִּמְקוֹם שֶׁמּוֹכְרִין לָהֶן בְּהֵמָה דַּקָּה — חַיָּה גַּסָּה אֵין מוֹכְרִין לָהֶן. תְּיוּבְתָּא דְּרַב חָנָן בַּר רָבָא, תְּיוּבְתָּא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara **raises an objection** from a *baraita*: **Just as one may not sell large livestock to** gentiles, **so too one may not sell large beasts to them. And even in a place where** the people were accustomed to **sell small livestock to** gentiles; nevertheless, **one may not sell large beasts to** them. The Gemara concludes: **The refutation of** the opinion of **Rav Ḥanan bar Rava** is **a conclusive refutation.**


###### Avodah Zarah 16b:3
[Avodah Zarah 16b:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/16b:3)

רָבִינָא רָמֵי מַתְנִיתִין אַבָּרַיְיתָא וּמְשַׁנֵּי, תְּנַן: אֵין מוֹכְרִין לָהֶן דּוּבִּין וַאֲרָיוֹת וְלֹא כׇּל דָּבָר שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ נֶזֶק לָרַבִּים, טַעְמָא דְּאִית בֵּיהּ נֶזֶק, הָא לֵית בֵּיהּ נֶזֶק — מוֹכְרִין.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara presents a different version of this discussion. **Ravina raises a contradiction between the mishna** here **and a *baraita* and resolves** the contradiction. **We learned** in the mishna: **One may not sell bears, or lions, or any item that can cause injury to the public, to** gentiles. Ravina analyzes the mishna: **The reason** a beast such as a lion cannot be sold to gentiles is **that it can cause injury to the public,** from which it may be inferred that with regard to another beast, which **does not cause injury to the public, one may sell** it to gentiles.


###### Avodah Zarah 16b:4
[Avodah Zarah 16b:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/16b:4)

וּרְמִינְהִי: כְּשֵׁם שֶׁאֵין מוֹכְרִין בְּהֵמָה גַּסָּה, כָּךְ אֵין מוֹכְרִין חַיָּה גַּסָּה, וַאֲפִילּוּ בִּמְקוֹם שֶׁמּוֹכְרִין בְּהֵמָה דַּקָּה, חַיָּה גַּסָּה אֵין מוֹכְרִין. וּמְשַׁנֵּי: בַּאֲרִי שָׁבוּר, וְאַלִּיבָּא דְּרַבִּי יְהוּדָה. רַב אָשֵׁי אָמַר: סְתָם אֲרִי שָׁבוּר הוּא אֵצֶל מְלָאכָה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And** Ravina **raises a contradiction** from a *baraita*: **Just as one may not sell large livestock** to gentiles, **so too, one may not sell large beasts** to them. **And even in a place where** the people were accustomed to **sell small livestock** to gentiles, **one may not sell large beasts** to them. The *baraita* indicates that one may never sell large beasts to gentiles, even if it poses no danger to the public. **And** Ravina **resolves** the contradiction between the mishna and the *baraita*: The ruling of the mishna is stated **with regard to a damaged lion, in accordance with** the opinion **of Rabbi Yehuda. Rav Ashi says** there is a different explanation: **An ordinary lion is** considered **damaged with regard to labor.**


###### Avodah Zarah 16b:5
[Avodah Zarah 16b:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/16b:5)

מַתְקֵיף לַהּ רַב נַחְמָן: מַאן לֵימָא לַן דַּאֲרִי חַיָּה גַּסָּה הִיא? דִּלְמָא חַיָּה דַּקָּה הִיא!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rav Naḥman objects to** the inference drawn from the mishna: **Who will tell us that a lion is** considered **a large beast? Perhaps it is** considered **a small beast,** in which case it cannot be inferred that the mishna permits the sale of large beasts.


###### Avodah Zarah 16b:6
[Avodah Zarah 16b:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/16b:6)

רַב אָשֵׁי דָּיֵיק מַתְנִיתִין וּמוֹתֵיב תְּיוּבְתָּא, תְּנַן: אֵין מוֹכְרִין לָהֶן דּוּבִּים וַאֲרָיוֹת וְלֹא כׇּל דָּבָר שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ נֶזֶק לָרַבִּים. טַעְמָא דְּאִית בֵּיהּ נֶזֶק, הָא לֵית בֵּיהּ נֶזֶק מוֹכְרִין.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara explains: **Rav Ashi examined the mishna** here carefully, **and** from it he **raises a refutation** of the opinion of Rav Ḥanan bar Rava, who permitted the sale of large beasts. **We learned** in the mishna: **One may not sell bears, or lions, or any item that can cause injury to the public, to** gentiles. Rav Ashi inferred two conclusions from here. First, **the reason** a beast such as a lion cannot be sold to gentiles is **because it can cause injury to the public,** whereas with regard to a beast that **does not cause injury to the public, one may sell** it to gentiles. This inference was cited in contradiction of the opinion of Rav, as explained before.


###### Avodah Zarah 16b:7
[Avodah Zarah 16b:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/16b:7)

וְטַעְמָא אֲרִי, דִּסְתָם אֲרִי שָׁבוּר הוּא אֵצֶל מְלָאכָה, אֲבָל מִידֵּי אַחֲרִינָא דְּעָבֵיד מְלָאכָה — לָא. תְּיוּבְתָּא דְּרַב חָנָן בַּר רָבָא, תְּיוּבְתָּא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And** Rav Ashi then inferred, in resolution of Rav’s opinion, that **the reason** the mishna specifies that one may sell **a lion** if it does not pose a danger to the public is **that an ordinary lion is** considered **damaged with regard to labor. But a different** animal **that performs labor** may **not** be sold. This presents a difficulty to the opinion of Rav Ḥanan bar Rava. The Gemara concludes: **The refutation of** the opinion of **Rav Ḥanan bar Rava** is **a conclusive refutation.**


###### Avodah Zarah 16b:8
[Avodah Zarah 16b:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/16b:8)

וְחַיָּה גַּסָּה מִיהַת מַאי מְלָאכָה עָבְדָא? אָמַר אַבָּיֵי: אֲמַר לִי מָר יְהוּדָה, דְּבֵי מָר יוֹחָנִי טָחֲנִי רֵיחַיִם בַּעֲרוֹדֵי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **But in any event, what labor can a large beast perform?** Why is it necessary to prohibit the sale of large beasts if they are not trained to perform any labor? **Abaye said: Mar Yehuda said to me** that **in the house of Mar Yoḥani, they grind the mill with wild asses,** which are considered large beasts.


###### Avodah Zarah 16b:9
[Avodah Zarah 16b:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/16b:9)

אָמַר רַבִּי זֵירָא: כִּי הֲוֵינַן בֵּי רַב יְהוּדָה, אֲמַר לַן: גְּמִירוּ מִינַּאי הָא מִילְּתָא, דְּמִגַּבְרָא רַבָּה שְׁמִיעַ לִי, וְלָא יָדַעְנָא אִי מֵרַב אִי מִשְּׁמוּאֵל: חַיָּה גַּסָּה הֲרֵי הִיא כִּבְהֵמָה דַּקָּה לְפִירְכּוּס.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ **Rabbi Zeira said: When we were in the** study **hall of Rav Yehuda, he said to us: Learn from me this matter, which I heard from a great man, but I do not know if** I heard it **from Rav or from Shmuel:** The status of **a large beast is like** that of **small livestock with regard to a spasm,** i.e., the symptoms of vitality required at the time of slaughtering.


###### Avodah Zarah 16b:10
[Avodah Zarah 16b:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/16b:10)

כִּי אֲתַאי לְקוּרְקוּנְיָא, אַשְׁכַּחְתֵּיהּ לְרַב חִיָּיא בַּר אָשֵׁי, וְיָתֵיב וְקָאָמַר מִשְּׁמֵיהּ דִּשְׁמוּאֵל: חַיָּה גַּסָּה הֲרֵי הִיא כִּבְהֵמָה דַּקָּה לְפִירְכּוּס. אָמֵינָא: שְׁמַע מִינַּהּ מִשְּׁמֵיהּ דִּשְׁמוּאֵל אִיתְּמַר. כִּי אֲתַאי לְסוּרָא, אַשְׁכַּחְתֵּיהּ לְרַבָּה בַּר יִרְמְיָה דְּיָתֵיב וְקָאָמַר לַהּ מִשְּׁמֵיהּ דְּרַב: חַיָּה גַּסָּה הֲרֵי הִיא כִּבְהֵמָה דַּקָּה לְפִירְכּוּס. אָמֵינָא: שְׁמַע מִינַּהּ אִיתְּמַר מִשְּׁמֵיהּ דְּרַב וְאִיתְּמַר מִשְּׁמֵיהּ דִּשְׁמוּאֵל.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Rabbi Zeira continued: **When I came to** the city of **Korkoneya, I found Rav Ḥiyya bar Ashi sitting and saying in the name of Shmuel:** The status of **a large beast is like** that of **small livestock with regard to a spasm. I said** to myself: One can **conclude from** here that this **was stated in the name of Shmuel. When I came to Sura, I found Rabba bar Yirmeya sitting and saying in the name of Rav:** The status of **a large beast is like** that of **small livestock with regard to a spasm. I said** to myself: One can **conclude from** here that this **was stated in the name of Rav, and** it **was** also **stated in the name of Shmuel.**


###### Avodah Zarah 16b:11
[Avodah Zarah 16b:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/16b:11)

כִּי סְלֵיקִית לְהָתָם, אַשְׁכַּחְתֵּיהּ לְרַב אַסִּי דְּיָתֵיב וְקָאָמַר: אָמַר רַב חָמָא בַּר גּוּרְיָא מִשְּׁמֵיהּ דְּרַב: חַיָּה גַּסָּה הֲרֵי הִיא כִּבְהֵמָה דַּקָּה לְפִירְכּוּס. אֲמַרִי לֵיהּ: וְלָא סָבַר לַהּ מָר דְּמַאן מָרָא דִּשְׁמַעְתְּתָא רַבָּה בַּר יִרְמְיָה? אָמַר לִי: פַּתְיָא אוּכָּמָא, מִינַּאי וּמִינָּךְ תִּסְתַּיֵּים שְׁמַעְתָּא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**When I ascended to there,** Eretz Yisrael, **I found Rav Asi sitting and saying** that **Rav Ḥama bar Gurya says in the name of Rav:** The status of **a large beast is like** that of **small livestock with regard to a spasm. I said to him: And doesn’t the Master hold that the Master** who is responsible for dissemination **of** this ***halakha*** is **Rabba bar Yirmeya?** Why don’t you attribute the statement to him? Rav Asi **said to me: Black pot [*patya*],** a term of endearment for a scholar who works hard studying Torah: **From me and from you** this ***halakha* may be concluded.** In other words, our two statements should be combined to form one accurate attribution of the *halakha*.


###### Avodah Zarah 16b:12
[Avodah Zarah 16b:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/16b:12)

אִיתְּמַר נָמֵי: אָמַר רַבִּי זֵירָא, אָמַר רַב אַסִּי, אָמַר רַבָּה בַּר יִרְמְיָה, אָמַר רַב חָמָא בַּר גּוּרְיָא, אָמַר רַב: חַיָּה גַּסָּה הֲרֵי הִיא כִּבְהֵמָה דַּקָּה לְפִירְכּוּס.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara notes that in fact this ruling **was also stated: Rabbi Zeira says** that **Rav Asi says** that **Rabba bar Yirmeya says** that **Rav Ḥama bar Gurya says** that **Rav says:** The status of **a large beast is like** that of **small livestock with regard to a spasm.**


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

אֵין בּוֹנִין כּוּ׳. אָמַר רַבָּה בַּר בַּר חָנָה אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: שָׁלֹשׁ בָּסִילְקָאוֹת הֵן, שֶׁל מְלָכִים, וְשֶׁל מֶרְחֲצָאוֹת, וְשֶׁל אוֹצָרוֹת. אָמַר רָבָא: שְׁתַּיִם לְהֶיתֵּר וְאֶחָד לְאִיסּוּר, וְסִימָן: ״לֶאְסֹר מַלְכֵיהֶם בְּזִקִּים״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ The mishna teaches that **one may not build** a basilica in conjunction with gentiles. **Rabba bar bar Ḥana says** that **Rabbi Yoḥanan says: There are three** types of **basilicas:** Those **of kings, and** those **of bathhouses, and** those **of storehouses. Rava says: Two** of these types **are permitted,** as they are not used for inflicting the death penalty, **and one is prohibited [*le’isor*]. And a mnemonic** device for this ruling, that the basilica of kings is prohibited, is the verse: **“To bind [*le’esor*] their kings with chains”** (Psalms 149:8).


###### Avodah Zarah 16b:14
[Avodah Zarah 16b:14](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/16b:14)

וְאִיכָּא דְּאָמְרִי, אָמַר רָבָא: כּוּלָּם לְהֶיתֵּר. וְהָתְנַן: אֵין בּוֹנִין עִמָּהֶן בָּסִילְקֵי, גַּרְדּוֹם, אִיצְטַדְיָיא וּבִימָה! אֵימָא: שֶׁל גַּרְדּוֹם וְשֶׁל אִיצְטַדְיָיא וְשֶׁל בִּימָה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And there are** those **who say** that this is what **Rava says: All** these types of basilica are **permitted.** The Gemara asks: How can it be permitted to build any type of basilica; **but didn’t we learn** in the mishna: **One may not build with them a basilica, a tribunal, a stadium, or a platform?** The Gemara answers: **Say** that the mishna means the following: One may not build in conjunction with gentiles a basilica **of a tribunal, or of a stadium, or of a platform.** But it is permitted to build a basilica that is not used for sentencing and inflicting the death penalty.


###### Avodah Zarah 16b:15
[Avodah Zarah 16b:15](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/16b:15)

תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: כְּשֶׁנִּתְפַּס רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר לְמִינוּת, הֶעֱלֻהוּ לַגַּרְדּוֹם לִידּוֹן. אָמַר לוֹ אוֹתוֹ הֶגְמוֹן: זָקֵן שֶׁכְּמוֹתְךָ יַעֲסוֹק בִּדְבָרִים בְּטֵלִים הַלָּלוּ?

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ Apropos the above discussion, the Gemara relates incidents involving Sages who were sentenced by the ruling authorities. **The Sages taught: When Rabbi Eliezer was arrested** and charged **with heresy** by the authorities, **they brought him up to a tribunal to be judged. A certain** judicial **officer [*hegemon*] said to him:** Why **should an elder like you engage in these frivolous matters** of heresy?


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

אָמַר לוֹ: נֶאֱמָן עָלַי הַדַּיָּין. כְּסָבוּר אוֹתוֹ הֶגְמוֹן: עָלָיו הוּא אוֹמֵר, וְהוּא לֹא אָמַר אֶלָּא כְּנֶגֶד אָבִיו שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם. אָמַר לוֹ: הוֹאִיל וְהֶאֱמַנְתִּי עָלֶיךָ, דִּימוֹס — פָּטוּר אַתָּה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Rabbi Eliezer **said to him: The Judge is trusted by me** to rule correctly. **That officer thought** that Rabbi Eliezer **was speaking about him; but** in fact **he said** this **only in reference to his Father in Heaven.** Rabbi Eliezer meant that he accepted God’s judgment, i.e., if he was charged he must have sinned to God in some manner. The officer **said to him: Since you** put **your trust in me,** you are **acquitted [*dimos*]; you are exempt.**


###### Avodah Zarah 16b:17
[Avodah Zarah 16b:17](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/16b:17)

כְּשֶׁבָּא לְבֵיתוֹ, נִכְנְסוּ תַּלְמִידָיו אֶצְלוֹ לְנַחֲמוֹ, וְלֹא קִיבֵּל עָלָיו תַּנְחוּמִין. אָמַר לוֹ רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא: רַבִּי, תַּרְשֵׁינִי לוֹמַר דָּבָר אֶחָד מִמַּה שֶּׁלִּימַּדְתַּנִי? אָמַר לוֹ: אֱמוֹר. אָמַר לוֹ: רַבִּי, שֶׁמָּא מִינוּת בָּא לְיָדְךָ

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**When** Rabbi Eliezer **came home, his students entered to console him** for being accused of heresy, which he took as a sign of sin, **and he did not accept** their words of **consolation. Rabbi Akiva said to him: My teacher, allow me to say one matter from** all of **that which you taught me.** Rabbi Eliezer **said to him: Speak.** Rabbi Akiva **said to him: My teacher, perhaps** some statement of **heresy came before you**