## Avodah Zarah Daf 17b

###### Avodah Zarah 17b:1
[Avodah Zarah 17b:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/17b:1)

דִּנְכִיס יִצְרֵיהּ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ אִידַּךְ: נֵיזִיל אַפִּיתְחָא דְּבֵי זוֹנוֹת וְנִכְפְּיֵיהּ לְיִצְרִין וּנְקַבֵּל אַגְרָא. כִּי מָטוּ הָתָם, חֲזוֹנְהוּ [לְזוֹנוֹת], אִיתְכְּנַעוּ מִקַּמַּיְיהוּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**as the inclination** to engage in idol worship **has been slaughtered** and the temptation to sin in this manner no longer exists. **The other said to him: Let us go by** the path that leads to **the entrance of** the **brothel and overpower our inclination, and** thereby **receive a reward. When they arrived there, they saw** that **the prostitutes yielded before their presence,** i.e., they entered the building out of respect for the Sages.


###### Avodah Zarah 17b:2
[Avodah Zarah 17b:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/17b:2)

אֲמַר לֵיהּ: מְנָא לָךְ הָא? אֲמַר לֵיהּ: ״מְזִמָּה תִּשְׁמֹר עָלֶיךָ תְּבוּנָה תִנְצְרֶכָּה״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
One **said to** the other: **From where did you know this,** that the prostitutes would retreat from us in embarrassment? **He said to him:** It is written: **“From lewdness [*mezimma*] it shall watch over you; discernment shall guard you”** (Proverbs 2:11), i.e., the Torah will serve as a safeguard against lewdness.


###### Avodah Zarah 17b:3
[Avodah Zarah 17b:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/17b:3)

אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ רַבָּנַן לְרָבָא: מַאי ״מְזִמָּה״? אִילֵימָא תּוֹרָה, דִּכְתִיב בַּהּ ״זִמָּה״ וּמְתַרְגְּמִינַן: עֵצַת חִטְאִין, וּכְתִיב: ״הִפְלִיא עֵצָה הִגְדִּיל תּוּשִׁיָּה״. אִי הָכִי, ״זִמָּה״ מִבְּעֵי לֵיהּ! הָכִי קָאָמַר: מִדְּבַר זִימָּה תִּשְׁמוֹר עָלֶיךָ, תּוֹרָה תִנְצְרֶכָּה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**The Sages said to Rava: What** is the meaning of ***mezimma*? If we say** that it is referring to the **Torah** that will guard you, **as it is written in it: “*Zimma*”** (Leviticus 18:17), **and we translate** this term as: **The counsel of [*atzat*] the sinners,** demonstrating that *zimma* is referring to counsel or wisdom, **and** the term *etza* **is** also **written** with regard to the Torah: “This also comes forth from the Lord of hosts: **Wonderful is His counsel [*etza*], and great is His wisdom”** (Isaiah 28:29), this is difficult. The Gemara explains the difficulty: **If so,** the verse **should have** said: ***Zimma*,** and not *mezimma*. Rather, **this** is what the verse **is saying: From lewd matters [*midevar zimma*], it shall watch over you, the Torah shall guard you,** i.e., the term discernment is a reference to the Torah.


###### Avodah Zarah 17b:4
[Avodah Zarah 17b:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/17b:4)

תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: כְּשֶׁנִּתְפְּסוּ רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן פַּרְטָא וְרַבִּי חֲנִינָא בֶּן תְּרַדְיוֹן, אָמַר לוֹ רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן פַּרְטָא לְרַבִּי חֲנִינָא בֶּן תְּרַדְיוֹן: אַשְׁרֶיךָ שֶׁנִּתְפַּסְתָּ עַל דָּבָר אֶחָד, אוֹי לִי שֶׁנִּתְפַּסְתִּי עַל חֲמִשָּׁה דְּבָרִים.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ The Gemara returns to its discussion of the judgments of the Sages by the Roman rulers. **The Sages taught: When Rabbi Elazar ben Perata and Rabbi Ḥanina ben Teradyon were arrested** by the Romans during the time of the religious persecution of the Jewish people, **Rabbi Elazar ben Perata said to Rabbi Ḥanina ben Teradyon: Fortunate are you, as you were arrested on one charge** only, of teaching Torah publicly; **woe is me, as I have been arrested on five charges.**


###### Avodah Zarah 17b:5
[Avodah Zarah 17b:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/17b:5)

אָמַר לוֹ רַבִּי חֲנִינָא: אַשְׁרֶיךָ שֶׁנִּתְפַּסְתָּ עַל חֲמִשָּׁה דְּבָרִים וְאַתָּה נִיצּוֹל, אוֹי לִי שֶׁנִּתְפַּסְתִּי עַל דָּבָר אֶחָד וְאֵינִי נִיצּוֹל, שֶׁאַתָּה עָסַקְתָּ בַּתּוֹרָה וּבִגְמִילוּת חֲסָדִים, וַאֲנִי לֹא עָסַקְתִּי אֶלָּא בַּתּוֹרָה [בִּלְבָד].

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rabbi Ḥanina** ben Teradyon **said to him: Fortunate are you, as you were arrested on five charges but you will be saved; woe is me, as I have been arrested on one charge, but I will not be saved.** You will be saved **because you engaged in Torah** study **and in acts of charity, and I engaged in Torah** study **alone.**


###### Avodah Zarah 17b:6
[Avodah Zarah 17b:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/17b:6)

וְכִדְרַב הוּנָא, דְּאָמַר רַב הוּנָא: כׇּל הָעוֹסֵק בַּתּוֹרָה בִּלְבַד דּוֹמֶה כְּמִי שֶׁאֵין לוֹ אֱלוֹהַּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְיָמִים רַבִּים לְיִשְׂרָאֵל לְלֹא אֱלֹהֵי אֱמֶת וְגוֹ׳״. מַאי ״לְלֹא אֱלֹהֵי אֱמֶת״? שֶׁכׇּל הָעוֹסֵק בַּתּוֹרָה בִּלְבַד דּוֹמֶה כְּמִי שֶׁאֵין לוֹ אֱלוֹהַּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara comments: **And** this is **in accordance with** a statement **of Rav Huna, as Rav Huna says: Anyone who occupies himself with Torah** study **alone is considered like one who does not have a God. As it is stated: “Now for long seasons Israel was without the true God,** and without a teaching priest, and without the Torah” (II Chronicles 15:3). **What** is meant by **“without the true God”?** This teaches **that anyone who engages in Torah** study **alone is considered like one who does not have** a true **God.**


###### Avodah Zarah 17b:7
[Avodah Zarah 17b:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/17b:7)

וּבִגְמִילוּת חֲסָדִים לֹא עָסַק? וְהָתַנְיָא: רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בֶּן יַעֲקֹב אוֹמֵר: לֹא יִתֵּן אָדָם מְעוֹתָיו לְאַרְנָקִי שֶׁל צְדָקָה אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן מְמוּנֶּה עָלָיו תַּלְמִיד חָכָם כְּרַבִּי חֲנִינָא בֶּן תְּרַדְיוֹן! (הֵימְנוּהּ) [הֵימוֹנֵי] הוּא דַּהֲוָה מְהֵימַן, מֶיעְבַּד לָא עֲבַד.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **And** is it true that Rabbi Ḥanina ben Teradyon **did not engage in acts of charity? But isn’t it taught** in a *baraita* that **Rabbi Eliezer ben Ya’akov says: A person should not donate his money to the charity purse [*le’arnakei*] unless a Torah scholar like Rabbi Ḥanina ben Teradyon is appointed** as supervisor **over it?** The Gemara answers: **He was trusted** to distribute the charity with honesty and integrity, but he himself **did not perform** charitable acts.


###### Avodah Zarah 17b:8
[Avodah Zarah 17b:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/17b:8)

וְהָתַנְיָא, אָמַר לוֹ: מָעוֹת שֶׁל פּוּרִים נִתְחַלְּפוּ לִי בְּמָעוֹת שֶׁל צְדָקָה וְחִלַּקְתִּים לַעֲנִיִּים! מֶיעְבַּד עֲבַד, כִּדְבָעֵי לֵיהּ לָא עֲבַד.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **But isn’t it taught** in a *baraita* that Rabbi Ḥanina ben Teradyon **said to** Rabbi Yosei ben Kisma: **I confused** my own **coins** that I needed **for** the festivities of **Purim with coins of charity, and I distributed them** all **to the poor** at my own expense. How then can it be said that he never engaged in charitable acts? The Gemara responds: **He did perform** acts of charity, but **he did not perform as** many acts as **he should have,** in light of his wealth.


###### Avodah Zarah 17b:9
[Avodah Zarah 17b:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/17b:9)

אַתְיוּהּ לְרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן פַּרְטָא, אֲמַרוּ: מַאי טַעְמָא תָּנֵית, וּמַאי טַעְמָא גָּנְבַתְּ? אֲמַר לְהוּ: אִי סַיָּיפָא לָא סָפְרָא, וְאִי סָפְרָא לָא סַיָּיפָא, וּמִדְּהָא לֵיתַהּ הָא נָמֵי לֵיתַהּ. וּמַאי טַעְמָא קָרוּ לָךְ ״רַבִּי״? רַבָּן שֶׁל תַּרְסִיִּים אֲנִי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara returns to the description of the trial of the Sages. The Romans **brought Rabbi Elazar ben Perata** for his trial and **said: What is the reason** that **you taught** Torah, **and what is the reason** that **you stole,** as these were the crimes of which he was accused. Rabbi Elazar ben Perata **said to them: If one is an armed robber [*sayafa*], he is not a scholar [*safra*], and if one is a scholar he is not an armed robber,** i.e., I am accused of two mutually exclusive crimes; **and from** the fact **that this** characterization **is not** true, one may also conclude that **that** characterization **is also not** true. They asked him: **But** if you do not teach Torah, then **what is the reason** that **they call you rabbi?** He answered: **I am the master [*rabban*] of weavers [*tarsiyyim*].**


###### Avodah Zarah 17b:10
[Avodah Zarah 17b:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/17b:10)

אַיְיתוֹ לֵיהּ תְּרֵי קִיבּוּרֵי, אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ: הֵי דְּשִׁתְיָא וְהֵי דְּעִרְבָּא? אִיתְרְחִישׁ לֵיהּ נִיסָּא, (אָתְיָא) [אֲתַאי] זִיבּוּרִיתָא אִיתִּיב עַל דְּשִׁתְיָא, וַאֲתָאי זִיבּוּרָא וִיתֵיב עַל דְּעִרְבָּא. אֲמַר לְהוּ: הַאי דְּשִׁתְיָא וְהַאי דְּעִרְבָּא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
In order to ascertain whether Rabbi Elazar ben Perata was in fact an expert weaver, **they brought him two coils** of wool and **said to him: Which is** the **warp, and which is** the **woof?** The threads used for each differ in their thickness and strength and would be immediately recognizable to an expert. **A miracle occurred,** as **a female hornet came** and **sat on** the coil **of warp, and a male hornet came and sat on** the coil **of woof.** Rabbi Elazar ben Perata **said to them: This** is a coil **of warp, and that** is a coil **of woof.** He realized that the male hornet was a sign that the coil was the woof, as the woof is threaded through the warp, while the warp, which is fixed in the loom and receives the woof, was the one on which the female hornet sat, as the female of a species receives the male.


###### Avodah Zarah 17b:11
[Avodah Zarah 17b:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/17b:11)

אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ: וּמַאי טַעְמָא לָא אָתֵית לְבֵי אֲבִידָן? אֲמַר לְהוּ: זָקֵן הָיִיתִי וּמִתְיָירֵא אֲנִי שֶׁמָּא תִּרְמְסוּנִי בְּרַגְלֵיכֶם. [אֲמַרוּ]: וְעַד הָאִידָּנָא כַּמָּה סָבֵי אִיתְרְמוּס? אִתְרְחִישׁ נִיסָּא, הַהוּא יוֹמָא אִירְמַס חַד סָבָא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Romans **said to him: And what is the reason** that **you did not come to the house of Abidan?** This was a gathering place where debates on wisdom and faith were conducted. Rabbi Elazar ben Perata **said to them: I was old and feared** that **perhaps I would be trampled under your feet,** due to the huge crowds. The Romans **said: And until now, how many elders have been trampled** there, that you would be worried about such a possibility? The Gemara comments: **A miracle occurred,** and on **that day, one old man was trampled.**


###### Avodah Zarah 17b:12
[Avodah Zarah 17b:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/17b:12)

וּמַאי טַעְמָא קָא שָׁבְקַתְּ עַבְדָּךְ לְחֵירוּת? אֲמַר לְהוּ: לֹא הָיוּ דְבָרִים מֵעוֹלָם. קָם חַד [מִינַּיְיהוּ] לְאַסְהוֹדֵי בֵּיהּ, אֲתָא אֵלִיָּהוּ אִידְּמִי לֵיהּ כְּחַד מֵחַשִּׁובֵי דְּמַלְכוּתָא, אֲמַר לֵיהּ: מִדְּאִתְרְחִישׁ לֵיהּ נִיסָּא בְּכוּלְּהוּ, בְּהָא נָמֵי אִתְרְחִישׁ לֵיהּ נִיסָּא, וְהָהוּא גַּבְרָא בִּישׁוּתֵיהּ הוּא דְּקָא (אַחְוִי) [מַחְוֵי].

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Romans asked Rabbi Elazar ben Perata: **And what is the reason** that **you emancipated your slave?** Rabbi Elazar ben Perata **said to them: This matter never happened. One of them stood to testify against him,** and **Elijah came disguised as one of the of the Roman noblemen,** and he **said to** that individual: **From** the fact **that miracles occurred for** Rabbi Elazar ben Perata **in every** other case, **in this** instance **as well a miracle will occur for him, and that man,** i.e., you, **is** only **demonstrating his wickedness,** since you cannot succeed in your aim and are merely showing yourself to be desperate to cause harm.


###### Avodah Zarah 17b:13
[Avodah Zarah 17b:13](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/17b:13)

וְלָא אַשְׁגַּח בֵּיהּ, קָם לְמֵימַר לְהוּ. הֲוָה כְּתִיבָא אִיגַּרְתָּא, דַּהֲוָה כְּתִיב מֵחַשִּׁיבֵי דְּמַלְכוּת לְשַׁדּוֹרֵי לְבֵי קֵיסָר, וְשַׁדְּרוּהָ עַל יְדֵיהּ דְּהָהוּא גַּבְרָא. אֲתָא אֵלִיָּהוּ פַּתְקֵיהּ אַרְבַּע מְאָה פַּרְסֵי, אֲזַל וְלָא אֲתָא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**But** the man **paid him no heed,** and he **stood to say** his testimony **to them.** At that time **there was a written letter that was composed by** some **of the** most **important people of** the Roman **Empire** in order **to send** it **to the Emperor’s court, and they** had **sent it in the possession of that man,** i.e., the potential witness. **Elijah came** and **threw it** a distance of **four hundred parasangs.** The man **went and did not come** back, and therefore all the charges against Rabbi Elazar ben Perata were dropped.


###### Avodah Zarah 17b:14
[Avodah Zarah 17b:14](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/17b:14)

אַתְיוּהּ לְרַבִּי חֲנִינָא בֶּן תְּרַדְיוֹן, אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ: אַמַּאי קָא עָסְקַתְּ בְּאוֹרָיְיתָא? אֲמַר לְהוּ: ״כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוַּנִי ה׳ אֱלֹהָי״. מִיָּד גָּזְרוּ עָלָיו לִשְׂרֵיפָה, וְעַל אִשְׁתּוֹ לַהֲרִיגָה, וְעַל בִּתּוֹ לֵישֵׁב בְּקוּבָּה שֶׁל זוֹנוֹת. עָלָיו לִשְׂרֵיפָה — שֶׁהָיָה

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Romans **brought Rabbi Ḥanina ben Teradyon** for judgment, and they **said to him: Why did you occupy yourself with the Torah?** Rabbi Ḥanina ben Teradyon **said to them,** citing a verse: **“As the Lord my God commanded me”** (Deuteronomy 4:5). **They immediately sentenced him to** death by means of **burning, and** they sentenced **his wife to execution** by decapitation, **and his daughter** was condemned **to sit in a brothel [*kubba shel zonot*].** The Gemara explains the Divine decree that he should receive this punishment: **He** was sentenced **to** death by **burning, as he would**