## Avodah Zarah Daf 70a

###### Avodah Zarah 70a:1
[Avodah Zarah 70a:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/70a:1)

יִצְרָא דְּיֵין נֶסֶךְ לָא תָּקֵיף לְהוּ. זוֹנָה יִשְׂרְאֵלִית וְגוֹיִם מְסוּבִּין — חַמְרָא אָסוּר, מַאי טַעְמָא? הוֹאִיל וְזִילָה עֲלַיְיהוּ, בָּתְרַיְיהוּ גְּרִירָא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
but **the passion for wine** used for **a libation does not overwhelm their** judgment, and they will not allow her to use it for a libation. In the case of **a Jewish prostitute and gentiles dining** with her, **the wine** is **forbidden. What is the reason?** It is that **since she is contemptible in their** eyes, **she is subjugated to them,** and they use the wine for a libation without consideration for her.


###### Avodah Zarah 70a:2
[Avodah Zarah 70a:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/70a:2)

הָהוּא בֵּיתָא דַּהֲוָה יָתֵיב בֵּיהּ חַמְרָא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, עָל גּוֹי אַחְדַּהּ לְדַשָּׁא בְּאַפֵּיהּ, וַהֲוָה בִּיזְעָא בְּדַשָּׁא, אִישְׁתְּכַח גּוֹי דְּקָאֵי בֵּינֵי דַּנֵּי. אֲמַר רָבָא: כֹּל דְּלַהֲדֵי בִּיזְעָא — שְׁרֵי, דְּהַאי גִּיסָא וְהַאי גִּיסָא — אֲסִיר.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ The Gemara relates: There was an incident involving **a certain house where Jews’ wine was stored. A gentile entered** the house, and **he locked the door before** the Jew, **but there was a crack in the door,** and **the gentile was found standing between the barrels. Rava said: All** the barrels **that were opposite the crack** through which the gentile could be seen are **permitted,** because he would have been wary about being seen tampering with them. Barrels **on this side and that side** of the crack, where the gentile could not be seen, are **forbidden,** as perhaps the gentile used them for a libation.


###### Avodah Zarah 70a:3
[Avodah Zarah 70a:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/70a:3)

הָהוּא חַמְרָא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, דַּהֲוָה יָתֵיב בְּבֵיתָא, דַּהֲוָה דָּיַיר יִשְׂרָאֵל בָּעֶלְיוֹנָה וְגוֹי בַּתַּחְתּוֹנָה. שְׁמַעוּ קָל תִּיגְרָא, נָפְקִי, קְדֵים אֲתָא גּוֹי אַחְדַּהּ לְדַשָּׁא בְּאַפֵּיהּ. אֲמַר רָבָא: חַמְרָא שְׁרֵי, מֵימָר אָמַר: כִּי הֵיכִי דִּקְדֵים אֲתַאי אֲנָא, קְדֵים וַאֲתָא יִשְׂרָאֵל וְיָתֵיב בָּעֶלְיוֹנָה וְקָא חָזֵי לִי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara relates: There was an incident involving **a certain Jew’s wine that was stored in** the lower story of **a house,** in **which the Jew was living in the upper** story **and a gentile in the lower** story, and the wine could be supervised from the upper story. One day the residents **heard a sound of quarreling** and **went outside. The gentile came** back in **first** and **locked the door before** the Jew. **Rava said: The wine** is **permitted,** because the gentile presumably **said** to himself: **Just as I came** back in **early,** perhaps my neighbor the **Jew came** back in **early and is sitting in the upper** story **and watching me,** and therefore he would not use the wine for a libation.


###### Avodah Zarah 70a:4
[Avodah Zarah 70a:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/70a:4)

הָהוּא אוּשְׁפִּיזָא דַּהֲוָה יָתֵיב בֵּיהּ חַמְרָא דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, אִישְׁתְּכַח גּוֹי דַּהֲוָה יָתֵיב בֵּי דַנֵּי. אֲמַר רָבָא: אִם נִתְפָּס עָלָיו כְּגַנָּב — שְׁרֵי, וְאִי לָא — אֲסִיר.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara relates: There was an incident involving **a certain inn [*ushpiza*] where a Jew’s wine was stored,** and **a gentile was found sitting among the barrels. Rava said: If he was caught as a thief,** i.e., if the gentile seemed startled and did not have a good explanation for being there, the wine is **permitted,** as the gentile was presumably afraid about being caught and would not have used it for a libation. **But if not,** the wine is **forbidden.**


###### Avodah Zarah 70a:5
[Avodah Zarah 70a:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/70a:5)

הָהוּא בֵּיתָא דַּהֲוָה יָתֵיב בֵּיהּ חַמְרָא, אִישְׁתְּכַח גּוֹי דַּהֲוָה קָאֵים בֵּי דַנֵּי. אֲמַר רָבָא: אִי אִית לֵיהּ לְאִישְׁתְּמוֹטֵי — חַמְרָא אֲסִיר, וְאִי לָא — חַמְרָא שְׁרֵי. מֵיתִיבִי: נִנְעַל הַפּוּנְדָּק, אוֹ שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ: ״שְׁמוֹר״ — אָסוּר. מַאי לָאו אַף עַל גַּב דְּלֵית לֵיהּ לְאִישְׁתְּמוֹטֵי? לָא, בִּדְאִית לֵיהּ לְאִישְׁתְּמוֹטֵי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara relates: There was an incident involving **a certain house where wine was stored. A gentile was found standing among the barrels. Rava said: If he has** a way **to excuse** his entrance to where the wine was stored, **the wine** is **forbidden, but if not, the wine** is **permitted.** The Gemara **raises an objection** to this ruling from a *baraita*: If **an inn was locked** and a gentile was inside, **or** if the Jew **said to** the gentile: **Safeguard** my wine, the wine is **forbidden. What, is it not** forbidden **even if** the gentile **does not have** a way **to excuse** his entrance? The Gemara answers: **No,** the *baraita* is referring to a situation **where he does have** a way **to excuse** his entrance; otherwise the wine is permitted.


###### Avodah Zarah 70a:6
[Avodah Zarah 70a:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/70a:6)

הָהוּא יִשְׂרָאֵל וְגוֹי דַּהֲווֹ יָתְבִי וְקָא שָׁתוּ חַמְרָא, שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל קָל צַלּוֹיֵי בֵּי כְנִישְׁתָּא, קָם וַאֲזַל. אֲמַר רָבָא: חַמְרָא שְׁרֵי, מֵימָר אָמַר: הַשְׁתָּא מִדְּכַר לֵיהּ לְחַמְרֵיהּ וְהָדַר אָתֵי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara relates: There was an incident involving **a certain Jew and** a certain **gentile who were sitting and drinking wine.** The **Jew heard the sound of praying at the synagogue. He got up and went** to pray. **Rava said: The wine** is **permitted,** because the gentile presumably **said** to himself: Any moment **now he will remember his wine and come back.**


###### Avodah Zarah 70a:7
[Avodah Zarah 70a:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/70a:7)

הָהוּא יִשְׂרָאֵל וְגוֹי דַּהֲווֹ יָתְבִי בְּאַרְבָּא, שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל קָל שִׁיפּוּרֵי דְּבֵי שִׁימְשֵׁי, נְפַק וַאֲזַל. אֲמַר רָבָא: חַמְרָא שְׁרֵי, מֵימָר אָמַר: הַשְׁתָּא מִדְּכַר לֵיהּ לְחַמְרֵיהּ וְהָדַר אָתֵי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara relates: There was an incident involving **a certain Jew and** a certain **gentile who were sitting on a ship.** The **Jew heard the sound of the shofar of twilight** indicating the beginning of Shabbat. **He disembarked and went** into town to spend Shabbat there. **Rava said: The wine** is **permitted,** because the gentile presumably **said** to himself: Any moment **now he will remember his wine and come back.**


###### Avodah Zarah 70a:8
[Avodah Zarah 70a:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/70a:8)

וְאִי מִשּׁוּם שַׁבְּתָא, הָאָמַר רָבָא: אֲמַר לִי אִיסּוּר גִּיּוֹרָא, כִּי הֲוֵינַן בְּאַרְמָיוּתַן אָמְרִינַן: יְהוּדָאֵי לָא מְנַטְּרִי שַׁבְּתָא, דְּאִי מְנַטְּרִי שַׁבְּתָא כַּמָּה כִּיסֵי קָא מִשְׁתַּכְחִי בְּשׁוּקָא. וְלָא יָדַעְנָא דִּסְבִירָא לַן כְּרַבִּי יִצְחָק, דְּאָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק: הַמּוֹצֵא כִּיס בְּשַׁבָּת מוֹלִיכוֹ פָּחוֹת פָּחוֹת מֵאַרְבַּע אַמּוֹת.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara comments: **And if** one might object that the gentile is presumably not concerned **because** he knows that the Jew will not return until the end of **Shabbat, didn’t Rava say: Issur the Convert told me: When we were** still **gentiles,** before converting, **we** used to **say: Jews do not** actually **observe Shabbat, as, if they observe Shabbat, how many wallets would be found in the marketplace** that the Jews could not take on Shabbat? **And I did not know that we maintain** that the *halakha* is **in accordance with** the opinion of **Rabbi Yitzḥak, as Rabbi Yitzḥak says: One who finds a wallet on Shabbat may carry it** in increments of **less than four cubits.** Evidently, gentiles assume that a Jew would violate Shabbat for monetary gain.


###### Avodah Zarah 70a:9
[Avodah Zarah 70a:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/70a:9)

הָהוּא אַרְיָא דַּהֲוָה נָהֵים בְּמַעְצַרְתָּא, שְׁמַע גּוֹי, טְשָׁא בֵּינֵי דַּנֵּי. אָמַר רָבָא: חַמְרָא שְׁרֵי, מֵימָר אָמַר: כִּי הֵיכִי דְּטָשֵׁינָא אֲנָא, אִיטְשָׁא נָמֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲחוֹרַיי וְקָא חָזֵי לִי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara relates: There was an incident involving **a certain lion who roared in a winepress. A gentile heard** the roar and was frightened, and **he hid among the barrels** of wine. **Rava said: The wine** is **permitted,** because the gentile presumably **said** to himself: **Just as I am hiding, a Jew** might **also** be **hiding behind me and see me.**


###### Avodah Zarah 70a:10
[Avodah Zarah 70a:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/70a:10)

הָנְהוּ גַּנָּבֵי דְּסָלְקִי לְפוּמְבְּדִיתָא, וּפְתַחוּ חָבְיָתָא טוּבָא. אֲמַר רָבָא: חַמְרָא שְׁרֵי. מַאי טַעְמָא? רוּבָּא גַּנָּבֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל נִינְהוּ. הֲוָה עוֹבָדָא בִּנְהַרְדְּעָא, וְאָמַר שְׁמוּאֵל: חַמְרָא שְׁרֵי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara relates: There was an incident involving **certain thieves who came to Pumbedita and opened many barrels** of wine. **Rava said: The wine** is **permitted. What is the reason? Most of the thieves** in Pumbedita **are Jews,** and the *halakha* follows the majority, and therefore the wine is not rendered forbidden. **There was** a similar **incident in Neharde’a, and Shmuel said: The wine** is **permitted.**


###### Avodah Zarah 70a:11
[Avodah Zarah 70a:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/70a:11)

כְּמַאן? כְּרַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר, דְּאָמַר: סְפֵק בִּיאָה טָהוֹר.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **In accordance with whose** opinion is this? Perhaps it is **in accordance with** the opinion of **Rabbi Eliezer, who says** with regard to cases of uncertainty concerning ritual purity that if the **uncertainty** is with regard to a person’s **entry** into a certain place, he is deemed **pure.**


###### Avodah Zarah 70a:12
[Avodah Zarah 70a:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/70a:12)

דִּתְנַן: הַנִּכְנָס לְבִקְעָה בִּימוֹת הַגְּשָׁמִים, וְטוּמְאָה בְּשָׂדֶה פְּלוֹנִית, וְאָמַר: הָלַכְתִּי בַּמָּקוֹם הַלָּז, וְאֵינִי יוֹדֵעַ אִם נִכְנַסְתִּי לְאוֹתָהּ שָׂדֶה אִם לֹא נִכְנַסְתִּי, רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר: סְפֵק בִּיאָה — טָהוֹר, סְפֵק מַגָּע — טָמֵא!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
This is **as we learned** in a mishna (*Teharot* 6:5): With regard to **one who enters into a valley during the rainy season,** i.e., winter, when people generally do not enter this area, **and** there was **ritual impurity in such and such a field, and** he **said:** I know **I walked to that place,** i.e., I walked in the valley, **but I do not know whether I entered that field** where the ritual impurity was **or whether I did not** enter, **Rabbi Eliezer says:** In a case of **uncertainty** with regard to **entry,** i.e., it is uncertain whether he entered the area where the ritual impurity is located, he is **ritually pure.** But if he certainly entered the area where the ritual impurity is located and the **uncertainty** pertains to **contact** with the source of ritual impurity, he is **ritually impure.** Apparently, the ruling of Shmuel, that in a case where it is uncertain whether gentile thieves entered the house at all the wine is permitted, is in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Eliezer.


###### Avodah Zarah 70a:13
[Avodah Zarah 70a:13](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Avodah%20Zarah/r/70a:13)

לָא, שָׁאנֵי הָתָם, כֵּיוָן דְּאִיכָּא דְּפָתְחִי לְשׁוּם מָמוֹנָא, הָוֵה לֵיהּ סְפֵק סְפֵיקָא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara rejects this: **No,** it **is different there,** with regard to the wine barrels. **Since there are** thieves **who open** barrels **for the sake of** perhaps finding **money** in them and are not interested in the wine, **it is** a case of **compound uncertainty,** as it is uncertain whether the thieves were gentiles or Jews, and even if they were gentiles, it is uncertain whether or not they touched the wine. In a case of compound uncertainty, everyone agrees that the wine is not forbidden.