## Avodah Zarah Daf 36a

###### Avodah Zarah 36a:1
[Avodah Zarah 36a:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/36a:1)

זְלִיפָתָן שֶׁל כֵּלִים טְמֵאִים אוֹסַרְתָּן. אַטּוּ כּוּלֵּי עָלְמָא אוֹכְלֵי טְהָרוֹת נִינְהוּ? אֶלָּא, זְלִיפָתָן שֶׁל כֵּלִים אֲסוּרִין אוֹסַרְתָּן.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The **secretion of ritually impure vessels prohibits** the oil that gentiles pour into them. The Gemara asks: **Is that to say that all** people **are consumers of** only ritually **pure** substances? Since it is common practice to eat ritually impure foods, why should the secretion of impure vessels render the oil prohibited? The Gemara emends Shmuel’s statement: **Rather, the secretion of prohibited vessels prohibits** the oil, as it absorbs the prohibited substances.


###### Avodah Zarah 36a:2
[Avodah Zarah 36a:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/36a:2)

אֲמַר לֵיהּ שְׁמוּאֵל לְרַב: בִּשְׁלָמָא לְדִידִי דְּאָמֵינָא זְלִיפָתָן שֶׁל כֵּלִים אֲסוּרִין אוֹסַרְתָּן, הַיְינוּ דְּכִי אֲתָא רַב יִצְחָק בַּר שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר מָרְתָא וְאָמַר: דָּרֵישׁ רַבִּי שִׂמְלַאי בִּנְצִיבִין: שֶׁמֶן, רַבִּי יְהוּדָה וּבֵית דִּינוֹ נִמְנוּ עָלָיו וְהִתִּירוּהוּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Shmuel said to Rav: Granted,** according **to my** opinion, **as I say** that **the secretion of prohibited vessels prohibits** the oil, **this is** how one can understand **that when Rav Yitzḥak bar Shmuel bar Marta came, he said** that **Rabbi Simlai taught in Netzivin:** With regard to **oil, Rabbi Yehuda** HaNasi **and his court were counted,** i.e., voted, **on this** matter **and permitted it.**


###### Avodah Zarah 36a:3
[Avodah Zarah 36a:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/36a:3)

קָסָבַר: נוֹתֵן טַעַם לִפְגָם — מוּתָּר.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Shmuel elaborates: It can be explained that Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi **holds:** A prohibited substance that **imparts flavor to** the **detriment** of the mixture is **permitted.** According to Shmuel’s explanation, the prohibition was revoked because the taste absorbed by the oil would have impaired its flavor rather than enhanced it.


###### Avodah Zarah 36a:4
[Avodah Zarah 36a:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/36a:4)

אֶלָּא לְדִידָךְ דְּאָמְרַתְּ דָּנִיאֵל גָּזַר עָלָיו, דָּנִיאֵל גְּזַר וַאֲתָא רַבִּי יְהוּדָה הַנָּשִׂיא וּמְבַטֵּל לֵיהּ? וְהָתְנַן: אֵין בֵּית דִּין יָכוֹל לְבַטֵּל דִּבְרֵי בֵּית דִּין חֲבֵירוֹ, אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן גָּדוֹל הֵימֶנּוּ בְּחָכְמָה וּבְמִנְיָן!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**But according to you,** Rav, **who said** that **Daniel decreed** a prohibition **upon** the oil of gentiles, how can this be understood? Can it be said that **Daniel decreed** it, **and Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi came and voided** the decree? **But didn’t we learn** in a mishna (*Eduyyot* 1:5): **A court cannot void the statements of another court, unless it is greater than it in wisdom and in number?** According to Rav, how could Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi void a decree issued by Daniel?


###### Avodah Zarah 36a:5
[Avodah Zarah 36a:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/36a:5)

אֲמַר לֵיהּ שִׂמְלַאי לוּדָּאָה קָא אָמְרַתְּ? שָׁאנֵי לוּדָּאֵי דִּמְזַלְזְלוּ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ: אֶשְׁלַח לֵיהּ? אִיכְּסִיף.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Rather than answering Shmuel’s question directly, Rav first rejects his proof: Rav **said to him:** Was it Rabbi **Simlai of Lod** of whom **you spoke? Residents of Lod are different, as they disparage** the Sages’ decrees, and therefore Rabbi Simlai’s testimony is unreliable. Shmuel **said to him: Shall I send for him?** As a result, Rav **became embarrassed.**


###### Avodah Zarah 36a:6
[Avodah Zarah 36a:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/36a:6)

אָמַר רַב: אִם הֵם לֹא דָּרְשׁוּ, אֲנַן לָא דָּרְשִׁינַן? וְהָכְתִיב: ״וַיָּשֶׂם דָּנִיֵּאל עַל לִבּוֹ אֲשֶׁר לֹא יִתְגָּאַל בְּפַת בַּג הַמֶּלֶךְ וּבְיֵין מִשְׁתָּיו״ — בִּשְׁתֵּי מִשְׁתָּאוֹת הַכָּתוּב מְדַבֵּר, אֶחָד מִשְׁתֵּה יַיִן וְאֶחָד מִשְׁתֵּה שֶׁמֶן.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Rav claimed that Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi and his court erred in permitting the oil of gentiles, which Daniel had prohibited. **Rav said: If they,** Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi and his court, **did not expound** the following verse, **will we not expound it?** We must certainly do so. **Isn’t it written: “But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the king’s food, nor with the wine which he drank [*mishtav*]”** (Daniel 1:8)? The word *mishtav* is in the plural, indicating that **the verse speaks of two** types of **drinking: One is the drinking of wine, and one is the drinking of oil.** Accordingly, Daniel himself refrained from consuming oil of gentiles, as he instituted this prohibition. Why does Shmuel reject this inference, which indicates that Daniel issued this decree?


###### Avodah Zarah 36a:7
[Avodah Zarah 36a:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/36a:7)

רַב סָבַר: עַל לִבּוֹ שָׂם, וּלְכׇל יִשְׂרָאֵל הוֹרָה; וּשְׁמוּאֵל סָבַר: עַל לִבּוֹ שָׂם, וּלְכׇל יִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא הוֹרָה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara explains that **Rav maintained:** Daniel **placed** the prohibition against consuming the oil of gentiles **upon his heart,** i.e., for himself, **and he instructed all Jews** to adhere to it as well. **And Shmuel held:** Daniel **placed** the prohibition **upon his heart, but he did not instruct all Jews** to accept it.


###### Avodah Zarah 36a:8
[Avodah Zarah 36a:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/36a:8)

וְשֶׁמֶן, דָּנִיאֵל גְּזַר? וְהָאָמַר בָּאלִי אֲבִימִי נִוְתָאָה מִשְּׁמֵיהּ דְּרַב: פִּיתָּן וְשַׁמְנָן, יֵינָן וּבְנוֹתֵיהֶן, כּוּלָּן מִשְּׁמֹנָה עָשָׂר דָּבָר הֵן.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **And** is it correct that **Daniel decreed** that **oil** is prohibited? **But doesn’t Balei say** that **Avimi of Nota [*Nota’a*]** says **in the name of Rav:** The prohibitions of gentiles’ **bread and their oil, their wine and their daughters, are all from the eighteen matters** decreed in a single day in the days of the students of Shammai and Hillel. Apparently, Rav himself maintains that the prohibition was not instituted by Daniel.


###### Avodah Zarah 36a:9
[Avodah Zarah 36a:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/36a:9)

וְכִי תֵּימָא: אֲתָא דָּנִיאֵל גְּזַר וְלָא קַיבֻּל, וַאֲתוֹ תַּלְמִידֵי דְּהִלֵּל וְשַׁמַּאי וּגְזוּר וְקַיבֻּל, אִם כֵּן מַאי אַסְהָדוּתֵיהּ דְּרַב? אֶלָּא, דָּנִיאֵל גָּזַר עָלָיו בָּעִיר, וַאֲתוֹ אִינְהוּ וּגְזוּר אֲפִילּוּ בַּשָּׂדֶה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara adds: **And if you would say** that **Daniel came** and **decreed but** the people **did not accept** it, **and** later **the students of Hillel and Shammai came and decreed** with regard to gentiles’ oil **and** the people **accepted** it, **if** that is **so, what is** the significance of **Rav’s testimony** that Daniel initially instituted the prohibition? The Gemara explains: **Rather, Daniel decreed upon** the oil of gentiles **in the city, and** the students of Shammai and Hillel **came and decreed** that it is prohibited **even in the field.**


###### Avodah Zarah 36a:10
[Avodah Zarah 36a:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/36a:10)

וְרַבִּי יְהוּדָה הַנָּשִׂיא הֵיכִי מָצֵי לְמִישְׁרֵא תַּקַּנְתָּא דְּתַלְמִידֵי שַׁמַּאי וְהִלֵּל? וְהָתְנַן: אֵין בֵּית דִּין יָכוֹל לְבַטֵּל דִּבְרֵי בֵּית דִּין חֲבֵירוֹ, אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן גָּדוֹל הֵימֶנּוּ בְּחָכְמָה וּבְמִנְיָן! וְעוֹד, הָא אָמַר רַבָּה בַּר בַּר חָנָה אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: בַּכֹּל יָכוֹל לְבַטֵּל בֵּית דִּין דִּבְרֵי בֵּית דִּין חֲבֵירוֹ, חוּץ מִשְּׁמוֹנָה עָשָׂר דָּבָר, שֶׁאֲפִילּוּ יָבֹא אֵלִיָּהוּ וּבֵית דִּינוֹ אֵין שׁוֹמְעִין לוֹ!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **And how could Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi permit an ordinance** issued **by the students of Shammai and Hillel? But didn’t we learn** in a mishna that **a court cannot void the statements of another court, unless it is greater than it in wisdom and in number? And furthermore, doesn’t Rabba bar bar Ḥana say** that **Rabbi Yoḥanan says: With regard to all** issues, **a court can void the statements of another court, except the eighteen matters** decreed by the students of Beit Shammai, **as, even** if **Elijah and his court** were to **come** and rescind them, **one** would **not listen to him.**


###### Avodah Zarah 36a:11
[Avodah Zarah 36a:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/36a:11)

אָמַר רַב מְשַׁרְשְׁיָא: מַה טַּעַם? הוֹאִיל וּפָשַׁט אִיסּוּרוֹ בְּרוֹב יִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁמֶן לֹא פָּשַׁט אִיסּוּרוֹ בְּרוֹב יִשְׂרָאֵל, דְּאָמַר רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר אַבָּא אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: יָשְׁבוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ וּבָדְקוּ עַל שֶׁמֶן שֶׁלֹּא פָּשַׁט אִיסּוּרוֹ בְּרוֹב יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְסָמְכוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ עַל דִּבְרֵי רַבָּן שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן גַּמְלִיאֵל וְעַל דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בַּר צָדוֹק, שֶׁהָיוּ אוֹמְרִים: אֵין גּוֹזְרִין גְּזֵירָה עַל הַצִּבּוּר אֶלָּא אִם כֵּן רוֹב צִבּוּר יְכוֹלִין לַעֲמוֹד בָּהּ, דְּאָמַר רַב אַדָּא בַּר אַהֲבָה: מַאי קְרָא?

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rav Mesharshiyya said: What is the reason** that none of the eighteen decrees can be voided? **Since** the **prohibition spread among the majority of the Jewish people,** it cannot be voided. But with regard to **oil, its prohibition did not spread among the majority of the Jewish people,** and therefore it can be voided. **As Rabbi Shmuel bar Abba says** that **Rabbi Yoḥanan says: Our Sages sat and inspected** the matter of gentiles’ **oil** and determined **that its prohibition had not spread among the majority of the Jewish people, and our Sages relied upon the statement of Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel and upon the statement of Rabbi Elazar bar Tzadok, who would say:** The Sages **issue a decree upon the community only if most of the community is able to abide by it. As Rav Adda bar Ahava said: What is the verse** from which it is derived?