## Avodah Zarah Daf 26a

###### Avodah Zarah 26a:1
[Avodah Zarah 26a:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/26a:1)

לְבֵי תוֹרְתָּא, פְּגַעוּ בֵּיהּ גַּנָּבֵי, אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ: לְאָן קָאָזְלַתְּ? אָמַר לָהֶן: לְפוּמְבְּדִיתָא. כִּי מְטָא לְבֵי תוֹרְתָּא, פָּרֵישׁ. אֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ: תַּלְמִידָא דִּיהוּדָה רַמָּאָה אַתְּ! אֲמַר לְהוּ: יָדְעִיתוּ לֵיהּ? יְהֵא רַעֲוָא דְּלִיהְווֹ הָנְהוּ אִינָשֵׁי בְּשַׁמְתֵּיהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**to Bei Torta.** Along the way, **thieves encountered him,** and **said to him: Where are you going?** Rav Menashe **said to them: To Pumbedita,** which was farther away than Bei Torta. **When he arrived at Bei Torta, he separated** from the thieves, who had planned to steal from him. **They said to him: You are a student of Yehuda the swindler!** Rav Menashe **said to them: Do you know him** so well that you can accuse him of swindling others? **May it be** God’s **will that these people be subject to** Rav Yehuda’s ban of **excommunication.**


###### Avodah Zarah 26a:2
[Avodah Zarah 26a:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/26a:2)

אֲזַלוּ עֲבַדוּ גְּנֵיבָתָא עֶשְׂרִין וְתַרְתֵּין שְׁנִין וְלָא אַצְלַחוּ, כֵּיוָן דַּחֲזוֹ, אֲתוֹ כּוּלְּהוּ תְּבַעוּ שַׁמְתַּיְיהוּ, וַהֲוָה בְּהוּ חַד גִּירְדְּנָא דְּלָא אֲתָא לְשָׁרוֹיֵה שַׁמְּתֵיהּ, אַכְלֵיהּ אַרְיָא. הַיְינוּ דְּאָמְרִי אִינָשֵׁי: גִּירְדָּנָא דְּלָא טַיְיזָן, שַׁתָּא (בציר משני) [בְּצִירָא מִשְּׁנֵיהּ].

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara continues: This curse was effective, as the thieves subsequently **went** and **carried out thefts** for **twenty-two years, but they were unsuccessful. Once they saw** that their efforts were for naught, **they all went and claimed their curse,** i.e., they asked forgiveness and requested that the curse be lifted. **But there was one weaver among them who did not come to lift his curse,** and **a lion ate him.** The Gemara notes that **this** explains the adage **that people say:** With regard to **a weaver [*girdana*] who** is **not shy [*taizan*]** but impudent, **a year is deducted from** his allotted **years.**


###### Avodah Zarah 26a:3
[Avodah Zarah 26a:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/26a:3)

תָּא חֲזִי, מָה בֵּין גַּנָּבֵי בָבֶל וְלִסְטִין דְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
With regard to these two anecdotes, the Gemara comments: **Come** and **see what** the difference **is between the thieves of Babylonia and the bandits of Eretz Yisrael.** Although thieves are typically less violent than bandits, the thieves in Babylonia reacted to Rav Menashe’s action by denouncing Rav Yehuda, whereas the bandits in Eretz Yisrael praised the wisdom of Rabbi Akiva.


###### Avodah Zarah 26a:4
[Avodah Zarah 26a:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/26a:4)

**מַתְנִי׳** בַּת יִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא תְּיַילֵּד אֶת הַנׇּכְרִית, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁמְּיַלֶּדֶת בֵּן לַעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, אֲבָל נׇכְרִית מְיַלֶּדֶת בַּת יִשְׂרָאֵל. בַּת יִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא תָּנִיק בְּנָהּ שֶׁל נׇכְרִית, אֲבָל נׇכְרִית מְנִיקָה בְּנָהּ שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּרְשׁוּתָהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**MISHNA:** **A Jewish woman may not deliver** the child of **a gentile woman, because** in doing so **she is delivering a child** who will engage in **idol worship. But** one **may** allow **a gentile woman** to **deliver** the child of **a Jewish woman.** Similarly, **a Jewish woman may not nurse the child of a gentile woman, but** one **may** allow **a gentile woman** to **nurse the child of a Jewish woman** while the gentile woman is **on** the Jewish woman’s **property.**


###### Avodah Zarah 26a:5
[Avodah Zarah 26a:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/26a:5)

**גְּמָ׳** תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: בַּת יִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא תְּיַילֵּד אֶת הַנׇּכְרִית, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁמְּיַלֶּדֶת בֵּן לַעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, וְנׇכְרִית לֹא תְּיַילֵּד אֶת בַּת יִשְׂרָאֵל, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁחֲשׁוּדִין עַל שְׁפִיכוּת דָּמִים — דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי מֵאִיר.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**GEMARA:** The Gemara cites a dispute related to the ruling of the mishna. **The Sages taught: A Jewish woman may not deliver** the child of **a gentile woman because** in doing so **she is delivering a child** who will engage in **idol worship. And** one **may not** allow **a gentile woman** to **deliver** the child of **a Jewish woman because** gentiles **are suspected of bloodshed;** this is **the statement of Rabbi Meir.**


###### Avodah Zarah 26a:6
[Avodah Zarah 26a:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/26a:6)

וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים: נׇכְרִית מְיַלֶּדֶת אֶת בַּת יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּזְמַן שֶׁאֲחֵרוֹת עוֹמְדוֹת עַל גַּבָּהּ, אֲבָל לֹא בֵּינָהּ לְבֵינָהּ. וְרַבִּי מֵאִיר אוֹמֵר: אֲפִילּוּ אֲחֵרוֹת עוֹמְדוֹת עַל גַּבָּהּ נָמֵי לָא, דְּזִימְנִין דְּמַנְּחָא לֵיהּ יְדָא אַפּוּתֵאּ וְקָטְלָא לֵיהּ, וְלָא מִתְחֲזֵי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And the Rabbis say:** One **may** allow **a gentile woman** to **deliver** the child of **a Jewish woman when other women are standing over her** watching her actions, **but not** when they are **alone together. And Rabbi Meir says: Even** when **other women are standing over her** one **may not** allow a gentile woman to deliver the child of a Jewish woman, **because** there are **times when** the midwife **places her hand on** the infant’s **temple and kills him** by applying pressure to the area, **and** the act **is not seen.**


###### Avodah Zarah 26a:7
[Avodah Zarah 26a:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/26a:7)

כִּי הָהִיא אִיתְּתָא דַּאֲמַרָה לַחֲבֶרְתַּהּ: מוֹלְדָא יְהוּדַיָּיתָא בַּת מוֹלְדָא יְהוּדַיָּיתָא! אֲמַרָה לַהּ: נְפִישִׁין בִּישָׁתָא דְּהַהִיא אִיתְּתָא, דְּקָא מַשְׁפֵּילְנָא מִינַּיְיהוּ דְּמָא כִּי אוּפְיָא דְּנַהֲרָא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara relates a story that validates this concern. This is **like** that incident involving **a certain** gentile **woman who said to her fellow** gentile: You are **the midwife of Jewish women, the daughter of a midwife of Jewish women.** This was meant as an insult. In response, the other gentile **said to her:** May as **many evils** befall **that woman,** i.e., you, as the number of Jewish infants that I have killed, **as I extract blood from them like the foam [*ufeya*] of a river.** This gentile midwife claimed to have caused the deaths of many Jewish children.


###### Avodah Zarah 26a:8
[Avodah Zarah 26a:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/26a:8)

וְרַבָּנַן אֲמַרוּ לָךְ: לָא הִיא, בְּמִילְּתָא בְּעָלְמָא הוּא דְּאוֹקֵימְתַּהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara clarifies the opinion of the Rabbis: **And the Rabbis,** who are not concerned to the same extent as Rabbi Meir, would **say to you:** That **is not so;** it was **merely** through **words that** the gentile midwife **was establishing herself.** In other words, she was bragging in order to intimidate her antagonist, whereas in reality she did not kill any infants.


###### Avodah Zarah 26a:9
[Avodah Zarah 26a:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/26a:9)

בַּת יִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא תָּנִיק. תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: בַּת יִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא תָּנִיק בְּנָהּ שֶׁל נׇכְרִית, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁמְּגַדֶּלֶת בֵּן לַעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, וְנׇכְרִית לֹא תָּנִיק אֶת בְּנָהּ שֶׁל בַּת יִשְׂרָאֵל, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁחֲשׁוּדָה עַל שְׁפִיכוּת דָּמִים, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי מֵאִיר. וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים: נׇכְרִית מְנִיקָה אֶת בְּנָהּ שֶׁל בַּת יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּזְמַן שֶׁאֲחֵרוֹת עוֹמְדוֹת עַל גַּבָּהּ, אֲבָל לֹא בֵּינוֹ לְבֵינָהּ. וְרַבִּי מֵאִיר אוֹמֵר: אֲפִילּוּ אֲחֵרוֹת עוֹמְדוֹת עַל גַּבָּהּ נָמֵי לָא, דְּזִימְנִין דְּשָׁיְיפָא לֵיהּ סַמָּא לְדַד מֵאַבָּרַאי וְקָטְלָא לֵיהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ The mishna teaches that **a Jewish woman may not nurse** the child of a gentile woman. **The Sages taught: A Jewish woman may not nurse the child of a gentile woman because** in doing so **she is** effectively **raising a child** who will engage in **idol worship. And** one **may not** allow **a gentile woman** to **nurse the child of a Jewish woman because she is suspected of bloodshed;** this is **the statement of Rabbi Meir. And the Rabbis say:** One **may** allow **a gentile woman** to **nurse the child of a Jewish woman when other women are standing over her, but not** when the gentile woman is **alone together** with the child. **And Rabbi Meir says: Even** when **other women are standing over her** one **may not** allow a gentile woman to nurse the child, **because** there are **times when she smears poison** intended **for him upon** her **breast** when she is **outside** the house, **and** subsequently **kills him** with it while nursing.


###### Avodah Zarah 26a:10
[Avodah Zarah 26a:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/26a:10)

וּצְרִיכָא, דְּאִי אַשְׁמְעִינַן מְיַלֶּדֶת, בְּהַהִיא קָאָמְרִי רַבָּנַן דִּשְׁרֵי, דְּלָא אֶפְשָׁר מִשּׁוּם דַּאֲחֵרוֹת רוֹאוֹת אוֹתָהּ, אֲבָל מְנִיקָה דְּאֶפְשָׁר דְּשָׁיְיפָא לֵיהּ סַם לְדַד מֵאַבָּרַאי וְקָטְלָא לֵיהּ — אֵימָא מוֹדֵי לֵיהּ לְרַבִּי מֵאִיר.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara remarks: **And it is necessary** for the dispute between Rabbi Meir and the Rabbis to be stated with regard to both the case of a midwife and that of a wet nurse. The reason is **that if** the *tanna* had **taught us** only the *halakha* of **a midwife,** one might assume that it is only **in that** case that **the Rabbis said that it is permitted** to allow the gentile to deliver a Jewish infant, **because it is not possible** for her to kill him, **due to** the fact **that other women see her. But** with regard to **a wet nurse, as it is possible that she** might **smear poison upon** her **breast** while she is still **outside** the house **and** then **kill him** with it, one might **say** that the Rabbis **concede to Rabbi Meir** that a gentile woman may not be allowed to nurse the son of a Jewish woman under any circumstances.


###### Avodah Zarah 26a:11
[Avodah Zarah 26a:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/26a:11)

וְאִי אַשְׁמְעִינַן מְנִיקָה, בְּהַהִיא קָאָמַר רַבִּי מֵאִיר דְּאָסוּר, מִשּׁוּם דְּשָׁיְיפָא לֵיהּ סַם לְדַד מֵאַבָּרַאי וְקָטְלָא לֵיהּ, אֲבָל מְיַלֶּדֶת, דְּלָא אֶפְשָׁר הֵיכָא דַּאֲחֵרוֹת עוֹמְדוֹת עַל גַּבָּהּ, אֵימָא מוֹדֵי לְהוּ לְרַבָּנַן — צְרִיכָא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And if** the *tanna* **had taught us** only the *halakha* of **a wet nurse,** one might assume that it is only **in that** case that **Rabbi Meir said that it is prohibited** for a gentile to nurse a Jewish infant, **due to** the fact **that she** might **smear poison upon** her **breast** while **outside** the house **and kill him** with it. **But** with regard to **a midwife, since it is not possible** for her to kill him **where other women are standing over her,** one might **say** that Rabbi Meir **concedes to the Rabbis.** The Gemara concludes: It is therefore **necessary** for this dispute to be stated with regard to both cases.


###### Avodah Zarah 26a:12
[Avodah Zarah 26a:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/26a:12)

וּרְמִינְהוּ: יְהוּדִית מְיַלֶּדֶת אֲרַמִּית בְּשָׂכָר, אֲבָל לֹא בְּחִנָּם! אָמַר רַב יוֹסֵף: בְּשָׂכָר שְׁרֵי מִשּׁוּם אֵיבָה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ Based on the above discussion, all agree that a Jewish woman may not deliver the child of a gentile woman. **And** the Gemara **raises a contradiction** from a *baraita*: **A Jewish woman may deliver** the child of **an Aramean woman** in exchange **for payment, but not for free. Rav Yosef said** in response: **It is permitted** in exchange **for payment due to** the **enmity** that would be engendered if Jews refused to deliver gentile infants despite being offered money to do so.


###### Avodah Zarah 26a:13
[Avodah Zarah 26a:13](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/26a:13)

סָבַר רַב יוֹסֵף לְמֵימַר: אוֹלוֹדֵי נׇכְרִית בְּשַׁבְּתָא בְּשָׂכָר שְׁרֵי, מִשּׁוּם אֵיבָה. אֲמַר לֵיהּ אַבָּיֵי: יָכְלָה לְמֵימַר לַהּ — דִּידַן, דִּמְינַטְּרִי שַׁבְּתָא — מְחַלְּלִינַן עֲלַיְיהוּ; דִּידְכוּ, דְּלָא מְינַטְּרִי שַׁבְּתָא — לָא מְחַלְּלִינַן.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rav Yosef thought to say: Delivering** the child of **a gentile woman on Shabbat** in exchange **for payment is permitted due to enmity. Abaye said to him:** The concern of enmity does not apply here, because **she can say to** the gentile: With regard to **our** own women, **who keep Shabbat, we desecrate** Shabbat **for them;** with regard to **your** women, **who do not keep Shabbat, we do not desecrate** Shabbat for them.


###### Avodah Zarah 26a:14
[Avodah Zarah 26a:14](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/26a:14)

סָבַר רַב יוֹסֵף לְמֵימַר: אוֹנוֹקֵי בְּשָׂכָר שְׁרֵי מִשּׁוּם אֵיבָה. אֲמַר לֵיהּ אַבָּיֵי: יָכְלָה לְמֵימַר, אִי פְּנוּיָה הִיא — ״בָּעֵינָא לְאִינְּסוֹבֵי״, אִי אֵשֶׁת אִישׁ הִיא — ״לָא קָא מִזְדַּהַמְנָא בְּאַפֵּי גַּבְרַאי״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rav Yosef** also **thought to say: Nursing** the child of a gentile woman in exchange **for payment is permitted due to enmity. Abaye said to him:** The concern of enmity does not apply, because **she can say, if she is unmarried: I wish to get married.** And **if she is a married woman,** she may say: **I do not wish to become repulsive to my husband.** Since she can provide a reasonable excuse for refusing to nurse a gentile child, the concern of enmity does not apply.


###### Avodah Zarah 26a:15
[Avodah Zarah 26a:15](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/26a:15)

סָבַר רַב יוֹסֵף לְמֵימַר, הָא דְּתַנְיָא: הַגּוֹיִם וְרוֹעֵי בְּהֵמָה דַּקָּה לֹא מַעֲלִין וְלֹא מוֹרִידִין — אַסּוֹקֵי בְּשָׂכָר שְׁרֵי, מִשּׁוּם אֵיבָה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rav Yosef thought to say** a similar idea concerning **that which is taught** in a *baraita*: With regard to **gentiles and shepherds of small domesticated animals, one may not raise** them out of a pit **and one may not lower** them into a pit. Rav Yosef suggested that even so, **it is permitted to raise them** from the pit in exchange **for payment, due to enmity.**


###### Avodah Zarah 26a:16
[Avodah Zarah 26a:16](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/26a:16)

אֲמַר לֵיהּ אַבָּיֵי: יָכוֹל לוֹמַר לוֹ ״קָאֵי בְּרִי אַאִיגָּרָא״, אִי נָמֵי ״נְקִיטָא לִי זִימְנָא לְבֵי דַוָּאר״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Abaye said to him:** It is prohibited to raise a gentile from a pit even in exchange for payment, because one **can say** an excuse **to him,** such as: **My son is standing on the roof** and I must go use this ladder to help him down from the roof. **Alternatively,** he can say to him: **A time has been appointed for me to** appear in the **courthouse [*bei davar*]** and I must attend to this matter. Since the Jew can provide a legitimate excuse for refusing to aid the gentile, there is no need to extract him from the pit.


###### Avodah Zarah 26a:17
[Avodah Zarah 26a:17](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/26a:17)

תָּנֵי רַבִּי אֲבָהוּ קַמֵּיהּ דְּרַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: הַגּוֹיִם וְרוֹעֵי בְּהֵמָה דַּקָּה — לֹא מַעֲלִין

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Apropos the notion of raising someone from or lowering him into a pit, the Gemara notes that **Rabbi Abbahu taught** the following while standing **before Rabbi Yoḥanan:** With regard to **gentiles and shepherds of domesticated animals, one may not raise** them from a pit,