## Avodah Zarah Daf 48b

###### Avodah Zarah 48b:1
[Avodah Zarah 48b:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/48b:1)

**מַתְנִי׳** לֹא יֵשֵׁב בְּצִילָּהּ, וְאִם יָשַׁב — טָהוֹר, וְלֹא יַעֲבוֹר תַּחְתֶּיהָ, וְאִם עָבַר — טָמֵא. הָיְתָה גּוֹזֶלֶת אֶת הָרַבִּים וְעָבַר תַּחְתֶּיהָ — טָהוֹר.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**MISHNA:** With regard to an *ashera*, **one may not sit in its shade, but if one sat** in its shade he remains **ritually pure. And one may not pass beneath it, and if one passed** beneath it he is **ritually impure.** If the tree **was robbing the public,** i.e., if its branches extended over public property, **and one passed beneath it,** he remains **pure.**


###### Avodah Zarah 48b:2
[Avodah Zarah 48b:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/48b:2)

**גְּמָ׳** לֹא יֵשֵׁב בְּצִילָּהּ. פְּשִׁיטָא! אָמַר רַבָּה בַּר בַּר חָנָה אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: לֹא נִצְרְכָא אֶלָּא לְצֵל צִילָּהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**GEMARA:** The mishna teaches: **One may not sit in its shade.** The Gemara asks: Isn’t this **obvious?** He is directly benefiting from an object of idol worship. **Rabba bar bar Ḥana said** that **Rabbi Yoḥanan said: It is necessary only with regard to the shade of its shade.** The shade that extends as far as the height of the tree is considered its shade. The less significant shade, that which extends further than the tree’s height, is referred to as the shade of its shade. The mishna is teaching that even this secondary shade is forbidden.


###### Avodah Zarah 48b:3
[Avodah Zarah 48b:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/48b:3)

מִכְּלָל דִּבְצֵל קוֹמָתָהּ, אִם יָשַׁב — טָמֵא? לֹא, דַּאֲפִילּוּ לְצֵל קוֹמָתָהּ נָמֵי, אִם יָשַׁב — טָהוֹר, וְהָא קָא מַשְׁמַע לַן, דַּאֲפִילּוּ לְצֵל צִילָּהּ לֹא יֵשֵׁב.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara comments: **By inference, with regard to the shade of its height,** its primary shade, **if one sat** there he is **impure.** The Gemara rejects this inference: **No,** this inference is not correct, **as even with regard to the shade of its height, if one sat** there he remains **pure. And this** is what the mishna **is teaching us: That even with regard to the shade of its shade, one may not sit** in it.


###### Avodah Zarah 48b:4
[Avodah Zarah 48b:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/48b:4)

אִיכָּא דְּמַתְנֵי לַהּ אַסֵּיפָא, וְאִם יָשַׁב טָהוֹר. פְּשִׁיטָא? אָמַר רַבָּה בַּר בַּר חָנָה אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: לֹא נִצְרְכָא אֶלָּא לְצֵל קוֹמָתָהּ. מִכְּלָל דִּלְצֵל צִילָּהּ אֲפִילּוּ לְכַתְּחִלָּה יֵשֵׁב? לָא, הָא קָא מַשְׁמַע לַן, דַּאֲפִילּוּ לְצֵל קוֹמָתָהּ אִם יָשַׁב — טָהוֹר.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**There are those who teach** this discussion **with regard to the latter clause** of that part of the mishna, which states: **But if one sat** in its shade he remains **ritually pure.** The Gemara asks: Isn’t this **obvious?** Why should he be rendered impure? **Rabba bar bar Ḥana said** that **Rabbi Yoḥanan said: It is necessary only with regard to the** direct **shade of its height.** Even in this case, he remains pure. The Gemara comments: **By inference, with regard to the shade of its shade, one may even sit** there ***ab initio*.** The Gemara answers: **No,** this inference is not correct. Rather, **this** is what the mishna **is teaching us: That even with regard to the shade of its height, if one sat** there he remains **pure.**


###### Avodah Zarah 48b:5
[Avodah Zarah 48b:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/48b:5)

וְלֹא יַעֲבוֹר תַּחְתֶּיהָ, וְאִם עָבַר — טָמֵא. מַאי טַעְמָא? אִי אֶפְשָׁר דְּלֵיכָּא תִּקְרוֹבֶת עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ The mishna teaches: **And one may not pass beneath** an *ashera*, **and if one passed** beneath it he is **ritually impure.** The Gemara asks: **What is the reason?** The Gemara answers: Because **it is impossible that there is no** remnant of an **idolatrous offering** underneath the tree.


###### Avodah Zarah 48b:6
[Avodah Zarah 48b:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/48b:6)

מַנִּי? רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בֶּן בְּתֵירָא הִיא, דְּתַנְיָא: רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בֶּן בְּתִירָא אוֹמֵר: מִנַּיִן לְתִקְרוֹבֶת עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה שֶׁמְּטַמְּאָה בְּאֹהֶל? שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַיִּצָּמְדוּ לְבַעַל פְּעוֹר וַיֹּאכְלוּ זִבְחֵי מֵתִים״ — מָה מֵת מְטַמֵּא בְּאֹהֶל, אַף תִּקְרוֹבֶת עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה מְטַמֵּא בְּאֹהֶל.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **Whose** opinion is this? **It is** the opinion of **Rabbi Yehuda ben Beteira, as it is taught** in a *baraita* that **Rabbi Yehuda ben Beteira says: From where** is it derived **that an idolatrous offering transmits impurity in a tent,** i.e., to that which is under the same roof? It is derived from **that** which **is stated: “And they joined themselves unto Ba’al-Peor, and ate the offerings to the dead”** (Psalms 106:28). It is derived from here that **just as a corpse transmits impurity in a tent, so too, an idolatrous offering transmits impurity in a tent.**


###### Avodah Zarah 48b:7
[Avodah Zarah 48b:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/48b:7)

הָיְתָה גּוֹזֶלֶת אֶת הָרַבִּים וְעָבַר תַּחְתֶּיהָ — טָהוֹר. אִיבַּעְיָא לְהוּ: עָבַר אוֹ עוֹבֵר? רַבִּי יִצְחָק בֶּן אֶלְעָזָר מִשְּׁמֵיהּ דְּחִזְקִיָּה אָמַר: עוֹבֵר, וְרַבִּי יוֹחָנָן אָמַר: אִם עָבַר.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ The mishna teaches: If the tree **was robbing the public and one passed beneath it** he remains **pure. A dilemma was raised before** the Sages: Does the mishna mean that if **one passed** under the tree he remains pure, but that it is prohibited to pass beneath it *ab initio*? **Or** does the mishna mean that **one may pass** beneath it *ab initio*? **Rabbi Yitzḥak ben Elazar says in the name of Ḥizkiyya: One may pass** *ab initio*. **And Rabbi Yoḥanan says:** The mishna means that **if one passed** he remains pure, but it is prohibited to pass *ab initio*.


###### Avodah Zarah 48b:8
[Avodah Zarah 48b:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/48b:8)

וְלָא פְּלִיגִי, הָא דְּאִיכָּא דִּירְכָּא אַחֲרִינָא, הָא דְּלֵיכָּא דִּירְכָּא אַחֲרִינָא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara explains: **And they do not disagree. This** opinion, that one may not pass beneath an *ashera*, is referring to a case **where there is another way** to get to his destination. **That** opinion, that it is permitted to pass beneath it *ab initio*, is referring to a case **where there is no other way.**


###### Avodah Zarah 48b:9
[Avodah Zarah 48b:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/48b:9)

אֲמַר לֵיהּ רַב שֵׁשֶׁת לְשַׁמָּעֵיהּ: כִּי מָטֵית לְהָתָם ״אַרְהֵיטְנִי״. הֵיכִי דָמֵי? אִי דְּלֵיכָּא דִּירְכָּא אַחֲרִינָא, לְמָה לִי ״אַרְהֵיטְנִי״? מִישְׁרָא שְׁרֵי! וְאִי דְּאִיכָּא דִּירְכָּא אַחְרִינָא, כִּי אָמַר ״אַרְהֵיטְנִי״ מִי שְׁרֵי?

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara relates: Rav Sheshet, who was blind, was being guided by his attendant toward his city, and there was an *ashera* shadowing the path. **Rav Sheshet said to his attendant: When you arrive at** the *ashera*, **have me run** past it quickly. The Gemara asks: **What were the circumstances? If there was no other way** to get to his destination, **why** did Rav Sheshet request: **Have me run** past it? In such circumstances, it is **permitted** to walk normally underneath an *ashera*. **And if there was another way** to get to his destination, **when** Rav Sheshet **said: Have me run** past it, **was it** then **permitted** for him to do so? He still passed under the *ashera*.


###### Avodah Zarah 48b:10
[Avodah Zarah 48b:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/48b:10)

לְעוֹלָם, דְּלֵיכָּא דִּירְכָּא אַחֲרִינָא, וְאָדָם חָשׁוּב שָׁאנֵי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara answers: **Actually,** it was a case **where there was no other way** to get to his destination. **And** although it was permitted for Rav Sheshet to walk normally underneath the *ashera*, Rav Sheshet wanted to run past it because **an important person is different.** An important person should try to pass under the *ashera* as quickly as possible, lest others misunderstand the circumstances and learn from him that it is permitted for one to walk underneath an *ashera* even when there is another way for him to reach his destination.


###### Avodah Zarah 48b:11
[Avodah Zarah 48b:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/48b:11)

**מַתְנִי׳** זוֹרְעִין תַּחְתֶּיהָ יְרָקוֹת בִּימוֹת הַגְּשָׁמִים, אֲבָל לֹא בִּימוֹת הַחַמָּה, וְהַחֲזֵירִין לֹא בִּימוֹת הַחַמָּה וְלֹא בִּימוֹת הַגְּשָׁמִים. רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אוֹמֵר: אַף לֹא יְרָקוֹת בִּימוֹת הַגְּשָׁמִים, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהַנְּבִיָּה נוֹשֶׁרֶת עֲלֵיהֶן וְהֹוָה לָהֶן לְזֶבֶל.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**MISHNA:** **One may plant vegetables underneath** an *ashera* **during the rainy season,** as the vegetables do not benefit from its shade; on the contrary, the tree’s foliage prevents the vegetables from being properly irrigated by the rain. **But** one may **not** plant vegetables under an *ashera* **during the summer,** as the shade benefits them. **And lettuce** may not be planted there at all, **neither in the summer nor in the rainy season,** because shade is always beneficial to lettuce. **Rabbi Yosei says:** One may **not** plant **vegetables** under an *ashera* **even during the rainy season, because the** tree’s **foliage [*shehaneviyya*] falls upon them and serves as fertilizer for them.**


###### Avodah Zarah 48b:12
[Avodah Zarah 48b:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/48b:12)

**גְּמָ׳** לְמֵימְרָא דְּרַבִּי יוֹסֵי סָבַר: זֶה וָזֶה גּוֹרֵם — אָסוּר, וְרַבָּנַן אָמְרִי: זֶה וָזֶה גּוֹרֵם — מוּתָּר?

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**GEMARA:** The mishna records a dispute between Rabbi Yosei and the Rabbis with regard to planting underneath an *ashera* in the rainy season when vegetables are fertilized by the tree’s forbidden fallen foliage. As the plant is also fertilized by the permitted nutrients of the ground, the plant’s growth is caused by both prohibited and permitted sources. Therefore, the Gemara asks: **Is this to say that Rabbi Yosei holds** that when both **this and that cause** it, i.e., when both permitted and forbidden items contribute to a result, the result is **forbidden,** and he therefore holds that it is prohibited to plant underneath an *ashera* in the rainy season; **and the Rabbis say** that when both **this and that cause** a result, the result is **permitted?**


###### Avodah Zarah 48b:13
[Avodah Zarah 48b:13](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/48b:13)

הָא אִיפְּכָא שָׁמְעִינַן לְהוּ, דִּתְנַן: רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אוֹמֵר: שׁוֹחֵק וְזוֹרֶה לָרוּחַ אוֹ מֵטִיל לַיָּם. אָמְרוּ לוֹ: אַף הִיא נַעֲשָׂה זֶבֶל, וְנֶאֱמַר: ״לֹא יִדְבַּק בְּיָדְךָ מְאוּמָה מִן הַחֵרֶם״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Didn’t we hear** that **they** stated **the opposite** rulings? **As we learned** in a mishna (43b): **Rabbi Yosei says:** When one encounters an idol, he should **grind** the idol **and throw** the dust **to the wind or cast** it **into the sea.** The Rabbis **said to him:** What is the good of that? **That also** gives a Jew benefit from the idol, as it **becomes fertilizer** for his crops, **and** deriving any kind of benefit is prohibited, as **it is written:** “And **nothing of the proscribed items shall cleave to your hand”** (Deuteronomy 13:18).


###### Avodah Zarah 48b:14
[Avodah Zarah 48b:14](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/48b:14)

קַשְׁיָא דְּרַבָּנַן אַדְּרַבָּנַן, קַשְׁיָא דְּרַבִּי יוֹסֵי אַדְּרַבִּי יוֹסֵי!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The contradiction between the statement **of the Rabbis** in that mishna **and** the statement **of the Rabbis** in the mishna here is **difficult,** and the contradiction between the statement **of Rabbi Yosei** in that mishna **and** the statement **of Rabbi Yosei** here is **difficult.**


###### Avodah Zarah 48b:15
[Avodah Zarah 48b:15](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/48b:15)

בִּשְׁלָמָא דְּרַבִּי יוֹסֵי אַדְּרַבִּי יוֹסֵי לָא קַשְׁיָא: הָתָם, דְּקָאָזֵיל לְאִיבּוּד — מַתִּיר, הָכָא, דְּלָא קָאָזֵיל לְאִיבּוּד — אָסוּר.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara explains: **Granted,** the contradiction between one statement **of Rabbi Yosei and** the other statement **of Rabbi Yosei** is **not difficult.** It may be resolved as follows: **There,** in the earlier mishna, **since** the ground-up idol is dispersed and is **going to be** completely **lost,** Rabbi Yosei **permits** deriving benefit from the fertilizer. By contrast, in the mishna **here, where** the fallen leaves are **not going to be lost** so quickly, as they fall together on top of the vegetables and provide direct benefit as fertilizer, deriving benefit from them is **prohibited.**


###### Avodah Zarah 48b:16
[Avodah Zarah 48b:16](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/48b:16)

אֶלָּא דְּרַבָּנַן אַדְּרַבָּנַן קַשְׁיָא, אֵיפוֹךְ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**But** the contradiction between one statement **of the Rabbis and** the other statement **of the Rabbis** is **difficult.** Therefore, the Gemara concludes: **Reverse** the attribution of the statements, so that the mishna teaches that it is the Rabbis who deem it prohibited to plant under an *ashera* in the rainy season, while Rabbi Yosei deems it permitted.


###### Avodah Zarah 48b:17
[Avodah Zarah 48b:17](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/48b:17)

וְאִיבָּעֵית אֵימָא: לָא תֵּיפוֹךְ, דְּרַבִּי יוֹסֵי כִּדְשַׁנִּין, דְּרַבָּנַן כִּדְאָמַר רַב מָרִי בְּרֵיהּ דְּרַב כָּהֲנָא: מָה שֶׁמַּשְׁבִּיחַ בָּעוֹר — פּוֹגֵם בַּבָּשָׂר.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And if you wish, say** instead: **Do not reverse** the statements. The contradiction between the statements **of Rabbi Yosei** can be resolved **as we answered** before. The contradiction between the statements **of the Rabbis** can be resolved **in accordance with that which Rav Mari, son of Rav Kahana, says** about an animal offering that became disqualified for sacrifice. The *halakha* is that this animal is sold and the proceeds are dedicated to the Temple treasury. One may not skin the hide of the animal whole even though this would make the hide more valuable than if it were cut up into pieces. Rav Mari, son of Rav Kahana, explains that this is because the value **that is enhanced with regard to the hide** is offset by **the damage caused to the flesh.** The process of skinning the hide devalues the animal’s flesh; therefore, there is no overall monetary gain for the Temple treasury.


###### Avodah Zarah 48b:18
[Avodah Zarah 48b:18](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/48b:18)

הָכָא נָמֵי, מָה שֶׁמַּשְׁבִּיחַ בַּנְּבִיָּה, פּוֹגֵם בַּצֵּל.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Here too,** the value **that is enhanced** with regard to the planted vegetables **by the foliage** of the tree is offset by **the damage caused by** its **shade.** Therefore, since there is no overall benefit gained from the *ashera*, the Rabbis deem it permitted to plant underneath it in the winter.


###### Avodah Zarah 48b:19
[Avodah Zarah 48b:19](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/48b:19)

וְסָבַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי זֶה וָזֶה גּוֹרֵם אָסוּר? וְהָתַנְיָא: רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אוֹמֵר: נוֹטְעִין יִחוּר שֶׁל עׇרְלָה, וְאֵין נוֹטְעִין אֱגוֹז שֶׁל עׇרְלָה, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוּא פֶּרִי. וְאָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה אָמַר רַב: מוֹדֶה רַבִּי יוֹסֵי שֶׁאִם נָטַע וְהִבְרִיךְ וְהִרְכִּיב — מוּתָּר.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **And does Rabbi Yosei hold** that when **both this and that cause it,** i.e., when both permitted and forbidden items contribute to a result, the result is **forbidden? But isn’t it taught** in a mishna (*Orla* 1:9) that **Rabbi Yosei says: One may plant the branch of an *orla*** tree, i.e., a tree during the first three years after its planting, despite the prohibition against eating or deriving benefit from its fruit; **but one may not plant an *orla* nut, because it is a fruit. And Rav Yehuda says** that **Rav says: Rabbi Yosei concedes that if one planted** an *orla* nut, **or sank** the shoot of an *orla* tree into the ground, **or grafted** an *orla* tree, deriving benefit from that which grows as a result is **permitted.** This is apparently because the growth is caused by both a forbidden cause, the *orla* nut, and a permitted cause, the ground’s nutrients.


###### Avodah Zarah 48b:20
[Avodah Zarah 48b:20](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/48b:20)

וְתַנְיָא נָמֵי הָכִי: מוֹדֶה רַבִּי יוֹסֵי

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara adds: **And that** which Rav Yehuda says that Rav says **is also taught** in a *baraita*: **Rabbi Yosei concedes**