## Avodah Zarah Daf 6a

###### Avodah Zarah 6a:1
[Avodah Zarah 6a:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/6a:1)

אֶלָּא לְמַאן דְּאָמַר: טְרֵיפָה יוֹלֶדֶת, מַאי אִיכָּא לְמֵימַר? אָמַר קְרָא: ״אִתָּךְ״ — בְּדוֹמִין לָךְ. וְדִלְמָא נֹחַ גּוּפֵיהּ טְרֵיפָה הֲוָה? ״תָּמִים״ כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**But according to the one who says** that **a *tereifa* can give birth, what can be said?** According to this opinion, a *tereifa* cannot be excluded by the phrase: “To keep seed alive.” The Gemara answers: **The verse states** with regard to the animals that were brought by Noah into the ark: “You shall bring into the ark, to keep them alive **with you”** (Genesis 6:19). The term “with you” indicates that the verse is stated **with regard to** animals that are **similar to you,** but not a *tereifa*. The Gemara asks: **But perhaps Noah himself was a *tereifa*.** If so, one cannot exclude a *tereifa* from the comparison of animals to Noah. The Gemara answers: **It is written about** Noah that he was **“complete”** (Genesis 6:9).


###### Avodah Zarah 6a:2
[Avodah Zarah 6a:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/6a:2)

וְדִלְמָא ״תָּמִים בִּדְרָכָיו״ הָיָה? ״צַדִּיק״ כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara challenges: **But perhaps** the verse means that **his ways were complete,** but it is not referring to Noah’s physical attributes. The Gemara explains: **It is** already **written about him** that he was **“righteous”** (Genesis 6:9), which means that his actions were perfect. Consequently, when the verse says that he was also complete, it must be referring to his body.


###### Avodah Zarah 6a:3
[Avodah Zarah 6a:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/6a:3)

דִּלְמָא ״תָּמִים״ בִּדְרָכָיו, ״צַדִּיק״ בְּמַעֲשָׂיו הֲוָה? לָא סָלְקָא דַּעְתָּךְ דְּנֹחַ גּוּפֵיהּ טְרֵיפָה הֲוַאי, דְּאִי סָלְקָא דַעְתָּךְ דְּנֹחַ טְרֵיפָה הֲוָה, אֲמַר לֵיהּ רַחֲמָנָא: כְּוָותָךְ עַיֵּיל, שַׁלְמִין לָא תְּעַיֵּיל?

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara challenges: But **perhaps** the verse means that Noah was **complete in his manner,** and he **was righteous in his** good **deeds.** Accordingly, the verse would not exclude the possibility that Noah himself was a *tereifa*. The Gemara explains: **It cannot enter your mind that Noah himself was a *tereifa*, as, if it enters your mind that Noah was a *tereifa*,** would **the Merciful One** have **said to him: Bring in** *tereifot* **like you** to the ark, but **do not bring in whole** and perfect animals?


###### Avodah Zarah 6a:4
[Avodah Zarah 6a:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/6a:4)

וְהַשְׁתָּא דְּנָפְקָא לֵיהּ מֵ״אִתָּךְ״, ״לְחַיּוֹת זֶרַע״ לְמָה לִי? אִי מֵ״אִתָּךְ״ הֲוָה אָמֵינָא לְצַוְותָּא בְּעָלְמָא, וַאֲפִילּוּ זָקֵן וַאֲפִילּוּ סָרִיס, כְּתַב רַחֲמָנָא ״זֶרַע״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **And now that** it has been established that **one derives** the disqualification of a *tereifa* **from** the term **“with you,” why do I** need the phrase **“to keep seed alive”?** The Gemara answers: **If** one could learn only **from “with you,” I would say** that Noah brought the animals to the ark **only for** the purpose of **company, and** therefore **even** an animal that is **elderly and even one who is castrated** can come into the ark, provided that it is not a *tereifa*. Therefore, **the Merciful One writes:** “To keep **seed** alive,” teaching that only animals that could bear offspring may be brought into the ark.


###### Avodah Zarah 6a:5
[Avodah Zarah 6a:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/6a:5)

אִיבַּעְיָא לְהוּ: ״שְׁלֹשָׁה יָמִים״ — הֵן וְאֵידֵיהֶן, אוֹ דִלְמָא הֵן בְּלֹא אֵידֵיהֶן?

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ **A dilemma was raised before** the Sages: When the mishna teaches that it is prohibited to conduct business with gentiles on the **three days** before their festival, do the three days include **them,** i.e., the days preceding the festival **and their festival** itself, in which case the prohibition applies only to the festival and the two preceding days? **Or perhaps** it is referring to **them without their festival,** i.e., the prohibition applies to three full days before the festival.


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

תָּא שְׁמַע, רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל אוֹמֵר: שְׁלֹשָׁה לִפְנֵיהֶם וּשְׁלֹשָׁה לְאַחֲרֵיהֶן אָסוּר. אִי סָלְקָא דַעְתָּךְ הֵן וְאֵידֵיהֶן, רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל יוֹם אֵידֵיהֶן חַשֵּׁיב לְהוּ מֵעִיקָּרָא וְחַשֵּׁיב לְהוּ לְבַסּוֹף?

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara suggests a proof from a mishna (7b). **Come** and **hear,** as **Rabbi Yishmael says:** On the **three** days **before** the festivals of gentiles **and** the **three** days **after them,** these actions are **prohibited.** The Gemara analyzes this statement. **If it enters your mind** that the three days include **them and their festival,** this would mean that **Rabbi Yishmael counts the day of their festival** twice, as he counts it **initially,** as part of the first set of three days, **and** he also **counts it at the end,** along with the second set of three days. Clearly, the three days do not include the day of the festival itself.


###### Avodah Zarah 6a:7
[Avodah Zarah 6a:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/6a:7)

אַיְּידֵי דִּתְנָא ״שְׁלֹשָׁה לִפְנֵיהֶם״, תְּנָא נָמֵי ״שְׁלֹשָׁה לְאַחֲרֵיהֶם״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara rejects this proof: It is possible that the festival is counted as one of the initial three days, i.e., the three days include them and their festival, and is not counted as part of the three days following the festival. But **since** Rabbi Yishmael **taught** that these actions are prohibited during the **three** days **before them,** he **also** used the same expression and **taught** that these actions are prohibited during the **three** days **after them,** although what he is actually teaching is that these actions are prohibited only during the two days after it.


###### Avodah Zarah 6a:8
[Avodah Zarah 6a:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/6a:8)

תָּא שְׁמַע, דְּאָמַר רַב תַּחְלִיפָא בַּר אַבְדִּימִי אָמַר שְׁמוּאֵל: נוֹצְרִים לְדִבְרֵי רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל לְעוֹלָם אָסוּר, וְאִי סָלְקָא דַעְתָּךְ ״הֵן וְאֵידֵיהֶן״, הָאִיכָּא אַרְבָּעָה וַחֲמִשָּׁה דְּשָׁרֵי!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara suggests: **Come** and **hear** a proof from that **which Rav Taḥlifa bar Avdimi says** that **Shmuel says: According to the statement of Rabbi Yishmael, it is always prohibited** to engage in business with **Christians,** as their festival takes place every Sunday. Since the three days preceding and following their festival are included in the prohibition, one cannot engage in business with them any day of the week. **And if it enters your mind** that the three days of the mishna include **them and their festival,** i.e., only the two days preceding and following the festival are included in the prohibition, then according to Rabbi Yishmael **there are** still **Wednesday and Thursday,** on **which** it is **permitted** to engage in business with Christians.


###### Avodah Zarah 6a:9
[Avodah Zarah 6a:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/6a:9)

אַלִּיבָּא דְּרַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל לָא קָמִבַּעְיָא לִי, דְּהֵן בְּלֹא אֵידֵיהֶן, כִּי קָא מִבַּעְיָא לִי אַלִּיבָּא דְּרַבָּנַן — מַאי?

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara clarifies: **According to** the opinion **of Rabbi Yishmael, I have no dilemma, as** it is clear that the three days mentioned in the mishna are **them without their festival. When I raise the dilemma,** it is **according to** the opinion **of the Rabbis: What** days are included in the prohibition according to their opinion?


###### Avodah Zarah 6a:10
[Avodah Zarah 6a:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/6a:10)

אָמַר רָבִינָא: תָּא שְׁמַע, וְאֵלּוּ הֵן אֵידֵיהֶן שֶׁל גּוֹיִם: קָלֶנְדָּא, סְטָרוּנְיָיא, וּקְרָטֵסִים. וְאָמַר רַב חָנִין בַּר רָבָא: קָלֶנְדָּא — שְׁמוֹנָה יָמִים אַחֵר תְּקוּפָה, סְטָרוּנְיָיא — שְׁמוֹנָה יָמִים לִפְנֵי תְּקוּפָה, וְסִימָנָךְ: ״אָחוֹר וָקֶדֶם צַרְתָּנִי״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Ravina says: Come** and **hear** a proof from the continuation of the mishna (8a). **And these are the festivals of gentiles: Kalenda, Saturnalia, and Kratesis. And Rav Ḥanin bar Rava says** in explanation of that mishna: When do these festivals occur? **Kalenda** is held during the **eight days after** the winter **solstice,** and **Saturnalia** is held during the **eight days before** the winter **solstice. And your mnemonic** to remember which festival is which is that the festival that occurs after the solstice is mentioned first and the festival that takes place before it is mentioned later, as in the verse: **“You have hemmed me in behind and before”** (Psalms 139:5), where the word “before” appears after the term “behind.”


###### Avodah Zarah 6a:11
[Avodah Zarah 6a:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/6a:11)

וְאִי סָלְקָא דַעְתָּךְ הֵן וְאֵידֵיהֶן, עַשְׂרָה הָווּ! תַּנָּא כּוּלֵּיהּ קָלֶנְדָּא חַד יוֹמָא הוּא חָשֵׁיב לֵיהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Ravina explains the proof: **And if it enters your mind** that the *tanna* of the mishna counts **them and their festival,** in this case **there are ten** days that are included in the prohibition: The eight days of the festival and the two days beforehand. Why, then, would the mishna say that the prohibition applies for only three days? If the three days do not include the festivals themselves, then this difficulty does not apply, as although in practice the prohibition lasts for eleven days, the mishna is not referring to the period of the festival. The Gemara responds: This proof is inconclusive, as the ***tanna* counts all** of the festival of **Kalenda** as **one day.**


###### Avodah Zarah 6a:12
[Avodah Zarah 6a:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/6a:12)

אָמַר רַב אָשֵׁי, תָּא שְׁמַע: ״לִפְנַי אֵידֵיהֶן שֶׁל גּוֹיִם שְׁלֹשָׁה יָמִים״, וְאִי סָלְקָא דַעְתָּךְ הֵן וְאֵידֵיהֶן, לִיתְנֵי: ״אֵידֵיהֶן שֶׁל גּוֹיִם שְׁלֹשָׁה יָמִים״!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rav Ashi says: Come** and **hear** a proof from the mishna, which specifies that the time that the actions are prohibited is: On **the three days before the festivals of gentiles. And if it enters your mind** that the mishna is referring to **them and their festival, let it teach:** At the time of **the festivals of gentiles,** it is prohibited to engage in business with them for **three days.** The wording of the mishna indicates that all three days are before the festival.


###### Avodah Zarah 6a:13
[Avodah Zarah 6a:13](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/6a:13)

וְכִי תֵּימָא, הַאי דְּקָתָנֵי ״לִפְנֵי אֵידֵיהֶן״ — לְמַעוֹטֵי לְאַחַר אֵידֵיהֶן, לִיתְנֵי: אֵידָם שֶׁל גּוֹיִם שְׁלֹשָׁה יָמִים לִפְנֵיהֶם! אֶלָּא שְׁמַע מִינַּהּ, הֵן בְּלֹא אֵידֵיהֶן. שְׁמַע מִינַּהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And if you would say: That which is taught** in the mishna: **Before the festivals** of the gentiles, serves **to exclude** the days **following their festivals,** i.e., the *tanna* is clearly indicating that the prohibition applies before, rather than afterward, **let** the mishna **teach:** At the time of **the festivals of gentiles,** it is prohibited to engage in business with them for **three days beforehand. Rather, conclude from** the wording employed that when the mishna states: The three days before the festivals, it is referring to **them without their festival.** The Gemara affirms: **Conclude from** here that this is the case.


###### Avodah Zarah 6a:14
[Avodah Zarah 6a:14](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/6a:14)

אִיבַּעְיָא לְהוּ: מִשּׁוּם הַרְוָוחָה, אוֹ דִּלְמָא מִשּׁוּם ״וְלִפְנֵי עִוֵּר לֹא תִתֵּן מִכְשֹׁל״?

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ **A dilemma was raised before** the Sages: Is the reason for the prohibition against conducting business with gentiles in the days preceding their festivals **because** the gentile might **profit,** which will bring him joy, and he will subsequently give thanks to his idol on his festival? **Or perhaps** it is because this is a violation of the prohibition: **“And you shall not put a stumbling block before the blind”** (Leviticus 19:14), as one who sells an animal to a gentile thereby aids him in engaging in prohibited idol worship.


###### Avodah Zarah 6a:15
[Avodah Zarah 6a:15](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/6a:15)

לְמַאי נָפְקָא מִינַּהּ? דְּאִית לֵיהּ בְּהֵמָה לְדִידֵיהּ. אִי אָמְרַתְּ מִשּׁוּם הַרְוָוחָה — הָא קָא מַרְוַוח לֵיהּ, אִי אָמְרַתְּ מִשּׁוּם ״עִוֵּר לֹא תִתֵּן מִכְשֹׁל״ — הָא אִית לֵיהּ לְדִידֵיהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara explains: **What is the** practical **difference** between the two options? The practical difference is in a situation **where** the gentile already **has an animal of his own. If you say** that the reason for the prohibition is **because** he might **profit,** here too the Jew **causes him to profit.** But **if you say** that the reason for the prohibition is **due to** the prohibition: **“You shall not put a stumbling block** before **the blind,”** since the gentile **has his own** animal, the Jew is not helping him sin.


###### Avodah Zarah 6a:16
[Avodah Zarah 6a:16](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/6a:16)

וְכִי אִית לֵיהּ לָא עָבַר מִשּׁוּם ״עִוֵּר לֹא תִתֵּן מִכְשֹׁל״? וְהָתַנְיָא: אָמַר רַבִּי נָתָן:

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara challenges: **And** even **if he** already **has** his own animal, does **not** one who assists him **transgress due to** the command: **“You shall not put a stumbling block** before **the blind”? But isn’t it taught** in a *baraita* that **Rabbi Natan said:**