## Avodah Zarah Daf 26b

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

וְלֹא מוֹרִידִין, אֲבָל הַמִּינִין וְהַמָּסוֹרוֹת וְהַמְשׁוּמָּדִים — מוֹרִידִין וְלֹא מַעֲלִין.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**and one may not lower** them into a pit. **But the heretics, and the informers, and the apostates [*vehameshummadim*] are lowered** into a pit, **but not raised** out of it.


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

אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אֲנִי שׁוֹנֶה ״לְכׇל אֲבֵדַת אָחִיךָ״ לְרַבּוֹת אֶת הַמְשׁוּמָּד, וְאַתְּ אָמְרַתְּ מוֹרִידִין? סְמִי מִכָּאן מְשׁוּמָּד!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Rabbi Yoḥanan **said to** Rabbi Abbahu: **I teach** that the verse: “And so you shall do **with every lost item of your brother”** (Deuteronomy 22:3), serves **to include the apostate** in one’s obligation to return a lost item to another Jew; **and you say** that **one may lower** him into a pit? **Remove** the term **apostate from here.**


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

וְלִישַׁנֵּי לֵיהּ: כָּאן בִּמְשׁוּמָּד אוֹכֵל נְבֵילוֹת לְתֵיאָבוֹן, כָּאן בִּמְשׁוּמָּד אוֹכֵל נְבֵילוֹת לְהַכְעִיס! קָסָבַר: אוֹכֵל נְבֵילוֹת לְהַכְעִיס — מִין הוּא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **And let** Rabbi Abbahu **answer** Rabbi Yoḥanan as follows: **Here,** with regard to a lost item, the verse includes an apostate because it is referring **to an apostate** who **eats non-kosher meat due to** his **appetite,** i.e., he succumbs to the temptation. Conversely, **there,** with regard to raising an apostate from a pit, I am referring to **an apostate** who **eats non-kosher meat to express insolence.** The Gemara answers: Rabbi Abbahu **holds** that one who **eats non-kosher meat to express insolence is a heretic,** rather than an apostate.


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

אִיתְּמַר מְשׁוּמָּד, פְּלִיגִי רַב אַחָא וְרָבִינָא: חַד אָמַר: לְתֵיאָבוֹן — מְשׁוּמָּד, לְהַכְעִיס — מִין הָוֵי, וְחַד אָמַר: אֲפִילּוּ לְהַכְעִיס נָמֵי מְשׁוּמָּד. אֶלָּא אֵיזֶהוּ מִין? זֶה הָעוֹבֵד עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ It **was stated** with regard to the definition of **an apostate** that **Rav Aḥa and Ravina disagree. One says** that someone who transgresses a prohibition **due to** his **appetite** is **an apostate,** while one who transgresses a prohibition in order **to express insolence is a heretic. And one says** that **even** one who sins **to express insolence** is considered **an apostate. Rather, who is** considered **a heretic? This is an idol worshipper.**


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

מֵיתִיבִי: אָכַל פַּרְעוֹשׁ אֶחָד אוֹ יַתּוּשׁ אֶחָד — הֲרֵי זֶה מְשׁוּמָּד; וְהָא הָכָא דִּלְהַכְעִיס הוּא, וְקָתָנֵי מְשׁוּמָּד! הָתָם בָּעֵי לְמִיטְעַם טַעְמָא דְּאִיסּוּרָא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara **raises an objection** from a *baraita* against the opinion that one who sins to express insolence is considered a heretic. The *baraita* teaches: If **one ate a single flea or a single mosquito, he is** considered **an apostate.** The Gemara clarifies the objection: **But here** it must be assumed **that** the insect was eaten **to express insolence,** as it is unappetizing, **and** yet this *baraita* **teaches** that one who eats a flea or a mosquito is **an apostate.** The Gemara answers: **There, he desires to experience the taste of forbidden** food, and therefore he is considered to be eating only due to temptation.


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

אָמַר מָר: מוֹרִידִין אֲבָל לֹא מַעֲלִין. הַשְׁתָּא אַחוֹתֵי מַחֲתִינַן, אַסּוֹקֵי מִיבְּעֵי? אָמַר רַב יוֹסֵף בַּר חָמָא אָמַר רַב שֵׁשֶׁת: לֹא נִצְרְכָה, שֶׁאִם הָיְתָה מַעֲלָה בַּבּוֹר — מְגָרְרָהּ, דְּנָקֵיט לֵיהּ עִילָּא וְאָמַר: לָא תֵּיחוֹת חֵיוְתָא עִלָּוֵיהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ The Gemara returns to the subject of lowering someone into a pit. **The Master said:** Heretics, informers, and apostates **are lowered** into a pit **but not raised** out of it. The Gemara analyzes this statement: **Now** that it is known that one actively **lowers** them into a pit, **is it necessary** to teach that one does not **raise** them from it? **Rav Yosef bar Ḥama said** that **Rav Sheshet said: No,** it is **necessary** to teach this *halakha* because it can be inferred from here **that if there was a ledge in the pit,** a Jew **scrapes it off** so that the one in the pit cannot ascend from it, **as** the Jew **employs a pretext and says** that he is removing the ledge so that **animals do not descend upon** the one in the pit while he is trapped in the pit.


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

רַבָּה וְרַב יוֹסֵף דְּאָמְרִי תַּרְוַיְיהוּ: לֹא נִצְרְכָה, שֶׁאִם הָיְתָה אֶבֶן עַל פִּי הַבְּאֵר, מְכַסָּהּ, אָמַר: לְעַבּוֹרֵי חַיּוּתָא עִילָּוַיהּ. רָבִינָא אָמַר: שֶׁאִם הָיָה סוּלָּם, מְסַלְּקוֹ, אָמַר: בָּעֵינָא לְאַחוֹתֵי בְּרִי מֵאִיגָּרָא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rabba and Rav Yosef both say** a different answer: **No,** it is **necessary** to teach this, as it can be inferred from here **that if there was a stone at the mouth of the well** that one had fallen into, a Jew **covers it** and **says** that he is covering the opening in order **to pass his animals over it. Ravina said:** One can learn from here **that if there was a ladder** in the pit, a Jew **removes it** and **says: I require** the ladder **to lower my son from the roof.**


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

תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: יִשְׂרָאֵל מָל אֶת הַגּוֹי לְשׁוּם גֵּר, לְאַפּוֹקֵי לְשׁוּם מוּרְנָא דְּלָא, וְגוֹי לֹא יָמוּל יִשְׂרָאֵל, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁחֲשׁוּדִין עַל שְׁפִיכוּת דָּמִים, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי מֵאִיר.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ The Gemara discusses the subject of assisting or receiving aid from a gentile in the context of circumcision. **The Sages taught: A Jew may circumcise a gentile for the sake of** making him **a convert.** This is **to the exclusion of** circumcising a gentile **for the sake of** removing **a worm [*murna*], which** is **not** permitted, as it is forbidden to heal a gentile. **But** one **may not** allow **a gentile** to **circumcise a Jew** in any situation, **because** gentiles **are suspected of bloodshed.** This is **the statement of Rabbi Meir.**


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

וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים: גּוֹי מָל אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּזְמַן שֶׁאֲחֵרִים עוֹמְדִין עַל גַּבּוֹ, אֲבָל בֵּינוֹ לְבֵינוֹ — לָא. וְרַבִּי מֵאִיר אוֹמֵר: אֲפִילּוּ אֲחֵרִים עוֹמְדִים עַל גַּבּוֹ נָמֵי לָא, דְּזִימְנִין דְּמַצְלֵי לֵיהּ סַכִּינָא וּמְשַׁוֵּי לֵיהּ כְּרוּת שׇׁפְכָה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And the Rabbis say:** One **may** allow **a gentile** to **circumcise a Jew while others are standing over him** and observing his actions, **but not** when they are **alone together. And Rabbi Meir says: Even** where **others are standing over him** it is **also not** permitted, **as** there are **times when** a gentile might **tilt the knife and render** the Jew **one whose penis has been severed,** and he will be unable to father children.


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

וְסָבַר רַבִּי מֵאִיר גּוֹי לָא? וּרְמִינְהוּ: עִיר שֶׁאֵין בָּהּ רוֹפֵא יִשְׂרָאֵל וְיֵשׁ בָּהּ רוֹפֵא כּוּתִי וְרוֹפֵא אַרְמַאי — יָמוּל אַרְמַאי וְאַל יָמוּל כּוּתִי, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי מֵאִיר. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר: יָמוּל כּוּתִי וְאַל יָמוּל אַרְמַאי!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **But does Rabbi Meir hold** that one **may not** allow **a gentile** to circumcise a Jew? **And** the Gemara **raises a contradiction** against this claim from the following *baraita*: In **a city in which there is no Jewish physician, and in which there is a Samaritan physician and an Aramean,** i.e., a gentile, **physician,** it is preferable that the **Aramean circumcise** the Jewish boys of the city **and** the **Samaritan not circumcise** them. This is **the statement of Rabbi Meir. Rabbi Yehuda says:** It is preferable that the **Samaritan circumcise** the boys **and** the **Aramean not circumcise** them. Rabbi Meir holds that it is preferable for an Aramean gentile to perform circumcision despite the fact that Samaritans are considered Jewish to a certain extent.


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

אֵיפוֹךְ, רַבִּי מֵאִיר אוֹמֵר: יָמוּל כּוּתִי וְלֹא אַרְמַאי, רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר: אַרְמַאי וְלֹא כּוּתִי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara answers: **Reverse** their opinions, so that **Rabbi Meir says:** It is preferable that the **Samaritan circumcise** the boys **and not** the **Aramean,** and **Rabbi Yehuda says:** It is preferable that the **Aramean** circumcise them **and not** the **Samaritan.**


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

וְסָבַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אַרְמַאי שַׁפִּיר דָּמֵי? וְהָתַנְיָא: רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר: מִנַּיִן לְמִילָה בְּגוֹי שֶׁהִיא פְּסוּלָה? שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְאַתָּה אֶת בְּרִיתִי תִשְׁמֹר״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **And does Rabbi Yehuda hold** that it is **permitted** for circumcision to be performed by **an Aramean? But isn’t it taught** in a *baraita* that **Rabbi Yehuda says: From where** is it derived with regard **to circumcision** performed **by a gentile that** it **is not valid?** It is derived from a verse, **as it is stated:** “And God said to Abraham: **And as for you, you shall keep My covenant,** you, and your seed after you throughout their generations” (Genesis 17:9). “My covenant [*beriti*]” here is a reference to circumcision [*berit mila*], and therefore the verse is teaching that only Abraham and his descendants, i.e., Jews, are qualified to perform circumcision.


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

אֶלָּא, לְעוֹלָם לָא תֵּיפוֹךְ, וְהָכָא בְּמַאי עָסְקִינַן?

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rather,** the Gemara suggests, **actually do not reverse it.** As for the apparent contradiction between the two statements of Rabbi Meir, the Gemara explains: **And what are we dealing with here?**