## Avodah Zarah Daf 49b

###### Avodah Zarah 49b:1
[Avodah Zarah 49b:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/49b:1)

**מַתְנִי׳** נָטַל מִמֶּנָּה עֵצִים — אֲסוּרִין בַּהֲנָאָה. הִסִּיק בָּהֶן אֶת הַתַּנּוּר, אִם חָדָשׁ — יוּתַּץ, וְאִם יָשָׁן — יוּצַן. אָפָה בּוֹ אֶת הַפַּת — אֲסוּרָה בַּהֲנָאָה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**MISHNA:** If one **took wood from** an *ashera*, it is **prohibited to** derive **benefit** from it. In a case where one **kindled** a fire in **an oven with** the wood, **if** it is **a new** oven and by kindling the fire he hardened the oven and made it stronger for use in the future, then the oven **must be shattered.** Since forbidden items were used in the process of forming the oven, one may not derive benefit from the use of the forbidden items. **But if** it is **an old** oven **it may be cooled;** it is prohibited to use the oven only while it is still hot. If one **baked bread with** wood from the *ashera* as the fuel, it is **prohibited to** derive **benefit** from the bread.


###### Avodah Zarah 49b:2
[Avodah Zarah 49b:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/49b:2)

נִתְעָרְבָה בַּאֲחֵרוֹת — כּוּלָּן אֲסוּרוֹת בַּהֲנָאָה, רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר: יוֹלִיךְ הֲנָאָה לְיָם הַמֶּלַח, אָמְרוּ לוֹ: אֵין פִּדְיוֹן לַעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
If this bread **was intermingled with other** bread, it is **prohibited to** derive **benefit** from **all** the bread. **Rabbi Eliezer says:** One must take the **benefit** and **cast** it **into the Dead Sea.** In other words, one is not required to destroy all of the loaves. Instead, one should designate money equal in value to the wood that he used from the *ashera*, and he should destroy this money to offset the benefit he derived from the forbidden wood. The Rabbis **said to him: There is no** monetary **redemption for** objects that are forbidden due to **idol worship.** Once the bread becomes forbidden, it cannot be redeemed by having the value of the forbidden wood cast into the Dead Sea.


###### Avodah Zarah 49b:3
[Avodah Zarah 49b:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/49b:3)

נָטַל הֵימֶנָּה כַּרְכֵּור — אָסוּר בַּהֲנָאָה. אָרַג בּוֹ אֶת הַבֶּגֶד — אָסוּר בַּהֲנָאָה. נִתְעָרֵב בַּאֲחֵרִים וַאֲחֵרִים בַּאֲחֵרִים — כּוּלָּן אֲסוּרִין בַּהֲנָאָה. רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר: יוֹלִיךְ הֲנָאָה לְיָם הַמֶּלַח. אָמְרוּ לוֹ: אֵין פִּדְיוֹן לַעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
If one **took** wood **from** an *ashera* for use as a weaving **shuttle [*karkor*],** it is **prohibited to** derive **benefit** from it. If one **wove a garment with it,** it is **prohibited to** derive **benefit** from the garment. If the garment **was intermingled with other** garments, **and** those **other** garments were intermingled **with others,** it is **prohibited to** derive **benefit** from **all of them. Rabbi Eliezer says:** One must take the **benefit** and **cast** it **into the Dead Sea.** The Rabbis **said to him: There is no** monetary **redemption for** objects that are forbidden due to **idol worship.**


###### Avodah Zarah 49b:4
[Avodah Zarah 49b:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/49b:4)

**גְּמָ׳** וּצְרִיכָא, דְּאִי אַשְׁמְעִינַן קַמַּיְיתָא, בְּהָא קָאָמַר רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר, מִשּׁוּם דִּבְעִידָּנָא דְּקָא גָמְרָה פַּת קָלֵי לַהּ אִיסּוּרָא, אֲבָל כַּרְכֵּור דְּאִיתֵיהּ לְאִיסּוּרָא בְּעֵינֵיהּ, אֵימָא מוֹדֵי לְרַבָּנַן.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**GEMARA:** The mishna presents two cases where Rabbi Eliezer and the Rabbis disagree. The Gemara explains: **And** both are **necessary; as if** the mishna **had taught us** only **the first** case, concerning the forbidden bread, one might have thought that it is only **in this** case that **Rabbi Eliezer says** that the bread is permitted after casting the value gained from the forbidden wood into the Dead Sea, **because at the time that the bread has finished** baking, the **forbidden** wood **has burned** up. **But** in the case of the **shuttle, where** the original **forbidden** piece of wood **is** still **extant,** perhaps one will **say** that **he concedes to the Rabbis** that the forbidden garment may not be redeemed.


###### Avodah Zarah 49b:5
[Avodah Zarah 49b:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/49b:5)

וְאִי אַשְׁמְעִינַן כַּרְכֵּור, בְּהָא קָאָמְרִי רַבָּנַן, אֲבָל פַּת — אֵימָא מוֹדוּ לֵיהּ לְרַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר. צְרִיכָא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And if** the mishna **had taught us** only the case of the **shuttle,** one might have thought that it is only **in this** case that **the Rabbis say** that the forbidden garment may not be redeemed, because the original forbidden piece of wood is still extant. **But** in the case of the **bread,** where the forbidden wood was already burned up by the time the bread finished baking, perhaps one will **say** that **they concede to Rabbi Eliezer** that the bread may be redeemed. Therefore, both cases are **necessary.**


###### Avodah Zarah 49b:6
[Avodah Zarah 49b:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/49b:6)

אָמַר רַב חִיָּיא בְּרֵיהּ דְּרַבָּה בַּר נַחְמָנִי אָמַר רַב חִסְדָּא אָמַר זְעֵירִי: הֲלָכָה כְּרַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר. אִיכָּא דְּאָמְרִי, אָמַר רַב חִסְדָּא: אָמַר לִי אַבָּא בַּר רַב חִסְדָּא, הָכִי אָמַר זְעֵירִי: הֲלָכָה כְּרַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rav Ḥiyya, son of Rabba bar Naḥmani, says** that **Rav Ḥisda says** that **Ze’eiri says:** The ***halakha*** is **in accordance with** the opinion of **Rabbi Eliezer. There are** those **who say** there is a different version of this ruling: **Rav Ḥisda says: Abba bar Rav Ḥisda said to me** that **this** is what **Ze’eiri says:** The ***halakha*** is **in accordance with** the opinion of **Rabbi Eliezer.**


###### Avodah Zarah 49b:7
[Avodah Zarah 49b:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/49b:7)

אָמַר רַב אַדָּא בַּר אַהֲבָה: לֹא שָׁנוּ אֶלָּא פַּת, אֲבָל חָבִית — לָא, וְרַב חִסְדָּא אָמַר: אֲפִילּוּ חָבִית מוּתֶּרֶת.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rav Adda bar Ahava says: They taught** that the *halakha* is in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Eliezer **only** in the case of forbidden **bread. But** with regard to the case of **a barrel** of wine used for an idolatrous libation, which was intermingled with permitted barrels of wine, the *halakha* is **not** in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Eliezer. **And Rav Ḥisda says: Even** in the case of **a barrel** of libation wine, the wine in the other barrels is **permitted** once the value of the forbidden barrel has been cast into the Dead Sea.


###### Avodah Zarah 49b:8
[Avodah Zarah 49b:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/49b:8)

הָהוּא גַּבְרָא דְּאִיתְעָרַב לֵיהּ חָבִיתָא דְּיֵין נֶסֶךְ בְּחַמְרֵיהּ, אֲתָא לְקַמֵּיהּ דְּרַב חִסְדָּא, אֲמַר: שְׁקוֹל אַרְבַּע זוּזֵי וּשְׁדִי בְּנַהֲרָא, וְנִשְׁתְּרֵי לָךְ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara relates: There was **a certain man,** and it happened **that a barrel of wine** used for **a libation became intermingled with his wine. He came before Rav Ḥisda** to ask what he should do. Rav Ḥisda **said** to him: **Take four dinars and cast** them **into the river, and** the rest of the wine **will be permitted to you.**


###### Avodah Zarah 49b:9
[Avodah Zarah 49b:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/49b:9)

**מַתְנִי׳** כֵּיצַד מְבַטְּלָהּ? קִירְסֵם וְזֵירֵד, נָטַל מִמֶּנָּה מַקֵּל אוֹ שַׁרְבִיט, אֲפִילּוּ עָלֶה — הֲרֵי זֹה בְּטֵלָה. שִׁיפָּהּ לְצׇרְכָּהּ — אֲסוּרָה, שֶׁלֹּא לְצׇרְכָּהּ — מוּתֶּרֶת.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**MISHNA:** **How does one revoke** the idolatrous status of an *ashera*? If a gentile **trimmed** dry wood **or pruned** green wood from the tree for his own benefit, or if he **removed from it a stick, or a rod,** or **even a leaf, he has** thereby **revoked** its idolatrous status, as he has proven that he no longer worships it. If a gentile **shaved down** the tree **for its** own **sake,** to improve its appearance, it remains **prohibited** to derive benefit from it. If he shaved it down **not for its** own **sake,** it is **permitted.**


###### Avodah Zarah 49b:10
[Avodah Zarah 49b:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/49b:10)

**גְּמָ׳** אוֹתָן שְׁפָאִין — מָה תְּהֵא עֲלֵיהֶן? פְּלִיגִי בַּהּ רַב הוּנָא וְרַבִּי חִיָּיא בַּר רַב: חַד אָמַר אֲסוּרִין, וְחַד אָמַר מוּתָּרִין.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**GEMARA:** With regard to **those shavings** that were shaved off for the sake of the *ashera*, **what should be** done **with them? Rav Huna and Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Rav disagree about it; one says** the shavings **are forbidden and one says they are permitted.**


###### Avodah Zarah 49b:11
[Avodah Zarah 49b:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/49b:11)

תַּנְיָא כְּמַאן דְּאָמַר מוּתָּרִין, דְּתַנְיָא: גּוֹי שֶׁשִּׁיפָּה עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה לְצׇרְכּוֹ — הִיא וּשְׁפָאֶיהָ מוּתָּרִין, לְצׇרְכָּהּ — הִיא אֲסוּרָה וּשְׁפָאֶיהָ מוּתָּרִין, וְיִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁשִּׁיפָּה עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, בֵּין לְצׇרְכָּהּ בֵּין לְצׇרְכּוֹ — הִיא וּשְׁפָאֶיהָ אֲסוּרִין.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**It is taught** in a *baraita* **in accordance with the one who says** that the shavings **are permitted, as it is taught** in a *baraita*: In the case of **a gentile who shaved down** an object of **idol worship for his** own **sake,** as he wished to use the shavings, the tree **and its shavings are permitted.** The idolatrous status has been revoked from both the object and its shavings. If he shaved it **for its,** i.e., for the idol’s, own **sake, it** remains **forbidden, but its shavings are permitted. And** in the case of **a Jew who shaved down** an object of **idol worship, whether for its sake or for his** own **sake,** the object **and its shavings** remain **forbidden,** as a Jew cannot revoke an object’s idolatrous status.


###### Avodah Zarah 49b:12
[Avodah Zarah 49b:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/49b:12)

אִיתְּמַר: עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה שֶׁנִּשְׁתַּבְּרָה, רַב אָמַר: צָרִיךְ לְבַטֵּל כׇּל קֵיסָם וְקֵיסָם, וּשְׁמוּאֵל אָמַר: עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה אֵינָהּ בְּטֵלָה אֶלָּא דֶּרֶךְ גְּדִילָתָהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**It was stated:** With regard to an object of **idol worship that broke, Rav says: It is necessary to revoke** the idolatrous status of **each and every sliver. And Shmuel says:** An object of **idol worship** can have its status **nullified only** if part of it breaks off in the course of **its** natural **manner of growth.**


###### Avodah Zarah 49b:13
[Avodah Zarah 49b:13](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/49b:13)

אַדְּרַבָּה, דֶּרֶךְ גְּדִילָתָהּ מִי מְבַטְּלָא? אֶלָּא הָכִי קָאָמַר: אֵין עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה צְרִיכָה לְבַטֵּל אֶלָּא דֶּרֶךְ גְּדִילָתָהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara inquires about Shmuel’s ruling: **On the contrary, can** an object possibly have its idolatrous status **nullified** by breaking in the course of **its** natural **manner of growth?** The Gemara answers: **Rather, this** is what Shmuel **is saying:** If an object of **idol worship** breaks, its idolatrous status is automatically nullified, as the idol worshipper will see that it broke and will no longer attribute any power to it. It **needs** to have its idolatrous status actively **revoked only** in a case where it broke off in the course of **its** natural **manner of growth.** For example, if leaves fall from a worshipped tree, the tree and the leaves retain their idolatrous status. In this case, the idol worshipper will not attribute the fallen leaves to a lack of power of the tree.


###### Avodah Zarah 49b:14
[Avodah Zarah 49b:14](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/49b:14)

לֵימָא בְּהָא קָמִיפַּלְגִי, דְּמָר סָבַר: עוֹבְדִין לִשְׁבָרִין, וּמַר סָבַר: אֵין עוֹבְדִין לִשְׁבָרִין?

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara suggests: **Let us say that** Rav and Shmuel **disagree about this:** One **Sage,** Rav, **holds** that people **worship** even **fragments** of idols. Therefore, the fact that an idol broke does not result in the nullification of its idolatrous status. **And** one **Sage,** Shmuel, **holds** that people **do not worship fragments** of idols.


###### Avodah Zarah 49b:15
[Avodah Zarah 49b:15](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/49b:15)

לָא, דְּכוּלֵּי עָלְמָא עוֹבְדִין לִשְׁבָרִין, וְהָכָא בְּשִׁבְרֵי שְׁבָרִים קָמִיפַּלְגִי, מָר סָבַר: שִׁבְרֵי שְׁבָרִים אֲסוּרִין, וּמָר סָבַר: שִׁבְרֵי שְׁבָרִים מוּתָּרִין.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara rejects this suggestion: **No, everyone** agrees that people **worship fragments** of idols. **And here,** it is **with regard to fragments of fragments** that **they disagree.** One **Sage,** Rav, **holds** that **fragments of fragments are forbidden; and** one **Sage,** Shmuel, **holds** that **fragments of fragments are permitted.**


###### Avodah Zarah 49b:16
[Avodah Zarah 49b:16](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/49b:16)

וְאִי בָּעֵית אֵימָא: דְּכוּלֵּי עָלְמָא שִׁבְרֵי שְׁבָרִים מוּתָּרִין, וְהָכָא בַּעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה שֶׁל חֻלְיוֹת, וּבְהֶדְיוֹט שֶׁיָּכוֹל לְהַחְזִירָהּ קָמִיפַּלְגִי. מָר סָבַר: כֵּיוָן דְּהֶדְיוֹט יָכוֹל לְהַחְזִירָהּ לָא בָּטְלָה, וּמַר סָבַר: אֵין עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה בְּטֵלָה אֶלָּא דֶּרֶךְ גְּדִילָתָהּ, דְּהַיְינוּ אוֹרְחֵיהּ, הָא לָאו גְּדִילָתָהּ הִיא, וְאֵין צְרִיכָה לְבַטֵּל.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And if you wish, say** instead **that everyone** agrees that **fragments of fragments are permitted, and here they disagree with regard to** objects of **idol worship** that are composed **of segments** that come apart **and that a layman can reassemble.** One **Sage,** Rav, **holds** that **since a layman can reassemble it,** its idolatrous status is **not nullified. And** one **Sage,** Shmuel, **holds** that an object of **idol worship** needs to have its status **revoked only** when it breaks in the course of **its** natural **manner of growth, as that is its** typical **manner. This** case, where the idol is disassembled, **is not** related to **its** natural **growth and** therefore it **requires no** further act **to revoke** its idolatrous status.


###### Avodah Zarah 49b:17
[Avodah Zarah 49b:17](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/49b:17)

**הֲדַרַן עֲלָךְ כׇּל הַצְּלָמִים.**


###### Avodah Zarah 49b:18
[Avodah Zarah 49b:18](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/49b:18)

מַתְנִי׳ **רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל** אוֹמֵר: שָׁלֹשׁ אֲבָנִים זוֹ בְּצַד זוֹ בְּצַד מַרְקוּלִיס — אֲסוּרוֹת, וּשְׁתַּיִם — מוּתָּרוֹת. וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים: שֶׁנִּרְאוֹת עִמּוֹ — אֲסוּרוֹת, וְשֶׁאֵין נִרְאוֹת עִמּוֹ — מוּתָּרוֹת.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**MISHNA:** **Rabbi Yishmael says: Three stones** that are **adjacent to each other at** the **side of Mercury [*Markulis*] are prohibited,** as that idol was worshipped by tossing stones toward it, which then became part of the idol. **But** if there are only **two** stones, then they **are permitted. And the Rabbis say:** Those stones **that are adjacent to** Mercury and appear to have fallen from it **are prohibited. But** those stones **that are not adjacent to it are permitted.**


###### Avodah Zarah 49b:19
[Avodah Zarah 49b:19](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/49b:19)

**גְּמָ׳** בִּשְׁלָמָא רַבָּנַן קָסָבְרִי עוֹבְדִין לִשְׁבָרִים, נִרְאוֹת עִמּוֹ דְּאִיכָּא לְמֵימַר מִינֵּיהּ נְפַל — אֲסוּרוֹת, שֶׁאֵין נִרְאוֹת עִמּוֹ — מוּתָּרוֹת.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**GEMARA:** The Gemara asks: **Granted,** one can explain that **the Rabbis hold** that idol worshippers **worship fragments** of idols. Therefore, those stones that are **adjacent to** Mercury, **where it can be said** that they **fell from its** pile of stones, **are prohibited;** as they are considered fragments of an object of idol worship, namely the stone pile. And those **that are not adjacent to** Mercury **are permitted,** as they did not fall from it.


###### Avodah Zarah 49b:20
[Avodah Zarah 49b:20](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/49b:20)

אֶלָּא רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל מַאי קָסָבַר? אִי עוֹבְדִין לִשְׁבָרִין, אֲפִילּוּ תַּרְתֵּי נָמֵי לִיתְּסַר! אִי אֵין עוֹבְדִין לִשְׁבָרִים, אֲפִילּוּ תְּלָת נָמֵי לָא!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**But** with regard to the opinion of **Rabbi Yishmael, what does he hold? If** he holds that idol worshippers **worship fragments** of idols, **even two** stones **should be prohibited. If** he holds that idol worshippers **do not worship fragments** of idols, **even three** stones **should not** be prohibited.


###### Avodah Zarah 49b:21
[Avodah Zarah 49b:21](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/49b:21)

אָמַר רַב יִצְחָק בַּר יוֹסֵף אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: בְּיָדוּעַ שֶׁנָּשְׁרוּ מִמֶּנּוּ — דִּבְרֵי הַכֹּל אֲסוּרוֹת, וַאֲפִילּוּ לְמַאן דְּאָמַר: אֵין עוֹבְדִין לִשְׁבָרִים — הָנֵי מִילֵּי עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה דְּלָאו הַיְינוּ אוֹרְחֵיהּ, אֲבָל הָכָא דְּמֵעִיקָּרָא תַּבּוֹרֵי מִיתַּבְּרִי — הַיְינוּ אוֹרְחֵיהּ, כִּי פְּלִיגִי בִּסְתָמָא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rav Yitzḥak bar Yosef says** that **Rabbi Yoḥanan says: In** a case where **it is known that** these stones **fell from** the pile of stones, **everyone agrees** that **they are prohibited, and** this is the *halakha* **even according to the one who says:** Idol worshippers **do not worship fragments.** As **that statement** applies only to a form of **idol worship where that is not** the normal **manner** in which **it** is worshipped. **But here, where** the stones thrown onto the pile are **broken** stones **from the outset, this is its** normal **manner** of worship. **They disagree** only **when** it is **not specifically** known where these stones came from.