Avodah Zarah — Talmud Yerushalmi

Avodah Zarah

Avodah Zarah — Talmud Yerushalmi on Beth HaMidrash: the Hebrew text with its English translation, with Rashi and the major commentators. Free, online.

משנה: לִפְנֵי אֵידֵיהֶן שֶׁל גּוֹיִם שְׁלשָׁה יָמִים אָסוּר לָשֵׂאת וְלָתֵת עִמָּהֶן לְהַשְׁאִילָן וְלִשְׁאוֹל מֵהֶן לְהַלְווֹתָן וְלִלְווֹת מֵהֶן לְפָרְעָן וְלִפָּרַע מֵהֶן. רִבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר נִפְרָעִין מֵהֶן מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוּא מֵצֵר לוֹ. אָמְרוּ לוֹ אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁמֵּצֵר הוּא עַכְשָׁיו שָׂמֵחַ הוּא לְאַחַר זְמָן: רִבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל אוֹמֵר שְׁלשָׁה יָמִים לִפְנֵיהֶם וּשְׁלשָׁה יָמִים לְאַחֲרֵיהֶם אָסוּר. וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים לִפְנֵי אֵידֵיהֶן אָסוּר לְאַחַר אֵידֵיהֶן מוּתָּר:MISHNAH: Within three days before Gentile holidays one is forbidden to trade with them, to lend them and to borrow from them, to give them loans and to ask them for loans, to pay debts to them and to accept payment from them. Rebbi Jehudah says, one may accept payment from them because this hurts him. They told him, even though it hurts him now he will enjoy it later. Rebbi Ismael says, three days before and three days afterwards are forbidden but the Sages say, before their holidays it is forbidden, after their holidays it is permitted.

הלכה: לִפְנֵי אֵידֵיהֶן שֶׁלְּגוֹיִם כול׳. רִבִּי חָמָא בַּר עוּקְבָּה שָׁמַע כּוּלְּהוֹן מִכָּא וְהָבִיאוּ לַבּוֹקֶר זִבְחֵיכֶם לִשְׁלשֶׁת יָמִים מַעְשְׂרוֹתֵיכֶם. אָמַר לֵיהּ רִבִּי יוֹסֵי. אִין כֵּינִי אֲפִילוּ בַגָּלִיּוֹת. דְּתַנֵּי. נָחוּם הַמָּדִי אוֹמֵר. יוֹם אֶחָד בַּגָּלִיּוֹת אָסוּר. מַאי כְדוֹן. תַּמָּן בָּדְקוּ וּמָצְאוּ שֶׁהֵן עוֹשִׂין צָרְכֵיהֶן לְיוֹם אֶחָד וְאָסְרוּ יוֹם אֶחָד. בְּרַם הָכָא בָּדְקוּ וּמָצְאוּ שֶׁעוֹשִׂין צָרְכֵיהֶן לִשְׁלֹשָׁה יָמִים. וְאָסְרוּ לָהֶן שְׁלשָׁה יָמִים.HALAKHAH: “Within three days before Gentile holidays,” etc. Rebbi Ḥama bar Uqba understood all from here: Bring your sacrifices in the morning, on the third day your tithes. 4:4, speaking of the sinful service of the Golden Calf of Beth El.. Rebbi Yose said to him, if it were so, even in the diasporas. But it was stated, Nahum the Mede said, in the diasporas one day is forbidden. What about this? There, they checked and found that they supplied their needs in one day and forbade them one day. But here they checked and found that they cover their needs in three days and forbade them three days.

מַה מְקַיֵים רִבִּי יוֹסֵי אָהֵן קִרְיָיה וְהָבִיאוּ לַבֹּקֶר זִבְחֵיכֶם וגו׳. בְּמַלְכוּת יָרָבְעַם הַכָּתוּב מְדַבֵּר. כֵּיוָן שֶׁמָּלַךְ יָרָבְעַם עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל הִתְחִיל מְפַתֶּה אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאוֹמֵר לָהֶן. בּוֹאוּ וְנַעֲבוֹד עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה. עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה וַותְרָנִית הִיא. הָדָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב נַעֲלֶה בִיהוּדָה וּנְקִיצֶינָּה וְנַבְקִיעֶנָּה אֵלֵינוּ וְנַמְלִיךְ מֶלֶךְ בְּתוֹכָהּ אֵת בֶּן טָבְאַל. אָמַר רִבִּי אַבָּא. חִיזַרְנוּ בְּכָל הַמִּקְרָא וְלֹא מָצִינוּ מָקוֹם שֶׁשְּׁמוֹ טָבְאַל. אֶלָּא שֶׁעוֹשֶׂה טוֹבָה עִם עוֹבְדָיו. הַתּוֹרָה אָמְרָה וּבָחוֹר אוֹתוֹ מִכָּל שִׁבְטֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לִי לְכֹהֵן. וַעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה אוֹמֶרֶת וַיַּעַשׂ כֹּהֲנִים מִקְצוֹת הָעָם. אָמַר רִבִּי לָא. מִן הַקּוֹצִים שֶׁבָּעָם וּמִפְּסוֹלֶת שֶׁבָּעָם. הַתּוֹרָה אָמְרָה לֹא יָלִין חֵלֶב חַגִּי עַד בּוֹקֶר. וַעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה אָמְרָה וְהָבִיאוּ לַבּוֹקֶר זִבְחֵיכֶם. הַתּוֹרָה אָמְרָה בְּיוֹם זִבְחֲכֶם יֵאָכֵל וּמִמָּחֳרָת. וַעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה אָמְרָה לִשְׁלשֶׁת יָמִים מַעְשְׂרֹתֵיכֶם. הַתּוֹרָה אָמְרָה לֹא תִזְבַּח עַל חָמֵץ דַּם זִבְחִי. וַעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה אָמְרָה וְקַטֵּר מֵחָמֵץ תּוֹדָה. הַתּוֹרָה אָמְרָה כִּי תִדּוֹר נֶדֶר לַיהוָֹה אֱלֹהֶיךָ לֹא תְאַחֵר לְשַׁלְּמוֹ. וַעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה אָמְרָה וְקִרְאוּ נְדָבוֹת הַשְׁמִיעוּ. אָמַר רִבִּי יוּדָן אָבוֹי דְרִבִּי מַתַּנְיָיה. לֹא בָא הַכָּתוּב אֶלָּא לְהַזְכִּיר גְּנַיָין שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל. יוֹם מַלְכֵּינוּ הֶחֱלוּ שָׂרִים חֲמַת מִיָּיִן מָשַׁךְ יָדוֹ אֶת לוֹצְצִים. יוֹם שֶׁמָּלַךְ יָרָבְעַם עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲתוֹן כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל לְגַבֵּיהּ בְּפַתֵּי רַמְשָׁא. אָמְרוּ לֵיהּ. קוּם עֲבוֹד עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה. אֲמַר לוֹן. אֲפַתֵּי רַמְשָׁא הוּא אַשְׁתִּי וְלָא אַשְׁתִּי. כָּל עַמָּא שְׁתוּ אֶלָּא אִם אַתּוּן בְּעָן אָזְלוֹן וַאֲתוֹן בְּצַפְרָא. הָדָא הִיא דִכְתִיב כִּי קֵרְבוּ כַתַּנּוּר לִבָּם בְּאָרְבָּם כָּל הַלַּיְלָה יָשֵׁן אוֹפֵיהֶם. כְּל הַלַּיְלָה לֹא יָשַׁן אוֹפֵיהֶם. בּוֹקֶר הוּא בוֹעֵר כְּאֵשׁ לֶהָבָה. בְּצַפְרָא אֲתוֹן לְגַבֵּיהּ. אֲמַר לוֹן. כְּדוֹן אֲנָא יְדַע דְּאַתַּוּן בְּעָן אֶלָּא דַאֲנָא דְחִיל מִסַּנְהֶדְרִין דִּידְכוֹן דְּלָא יִקְטְלוּנְנִי. אָמְרוּ לֵיהּ. אֲנָן קָטְלִין לוֹן. הַהִיא דִכְתִיב כּוּלָּם יֵחַמּוּ כַּתַּנּוּר וְאָכְלוּ אֶת שׁוֹפְטֵיהֶם. רִבִּי לֵוִי אָמַר. הֲרָגוּם. הֵיךְ מַה דְתֵימַר כִּי יִמָּצֵא חָלָל. רִבִּי לָא אָמַר. הוֹרִידָן מִגְּדוּלָּתָן. יוֹם מַלְכֵּינוּ הֶחֱלוּ שָׂרִים חֲמַת מִיָּיִן. יוֹם שֶׁנַּעֲשׂוּ בוֹ שָׂרִים חוּלִין. מִי גָרַם לָהֶן. חֲמַת מִיָּיִן. שֶׁהָיוּ לְהוּטִין אַחַר הַיַּיִן. מָשַׁךְ יָדוֹ אֶת לוֹצְצִים. כַּד הֲוָה חֲמִי בַּר נַשׁ כָּשֵׁר הֲוָה מֵייתִיב גַּבֵּיהּ תְּרֵין לֵיצָנִין וְאָמְרִין לֵיהּ. אֵי זֶה דוֹר חָבִיב מִכָּל הַדּוֹרוֹת. אֲמֲרַ לָהֶן. דוֹר הַמִּדְבָּר. וְאִינּוּן אָמְרִין לֵיהּ. וְלָא עָבְדוֹן עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה. וְהוּא אֲמַר לוֹן. בְּגִין דַּחֲבִיבִין לָא אִיתְעַנְּשׁוֹן. וְהִינּוּן אָמְרִין לֵיהּ. חֲשִׁי. דְּמַלְכָּא בָעֵי מֵיעֲבַד כֵּן. וְלֹא עוֹד אֶלָּא אִינּוּן עָבְדוֹן חַד וְדֵין עֲבַד תְּרֵין. וַיָּשֶׂם אֶת הָאֶחָד בְּבֵיתאֵל וְאֶת הָאֶחָד נָתַן בְּדָן.How does Rebbi Yose uphold this verse, bring your sacrifices in the morning, etc§542.? The verse speaks about Jeroboam’s kingdom. When Jeroboam became king over Israel he started seducing Israel and said to them come, let us worship pagan worship. Pagan worship is lenient. This is what is written, let us go against Jehudah, cut it down, break it up, and appoint a king in it, the man from Ṭabeal. 7:6. The tradition that Ṭabeal is a place rather than a personal name was accepted by the Medieval commentators of Prophets. According to Rashi the name is coded; one has to replace letter nby n+/-11; then טבאל becomes רַמְלֵא, a city founded after the Arab conquest.. Rebbi Abba said, we checked all of Scripture but did not find a place named Ṭabeal. But it treats its worshippers well. The Torah said, selected him from all of the tribes of Israel to be a priest for Me. 2:28.. Pagan worship says, he made priests from the fringes of the people. 12:31; quoted in the Babli, Qiddušin75b, in the name of R. Joḥanan.. Rebbi La said, from the thorns of the people, the rubbish of the people. The Torah said, the fat of My sacrifice shall not remain until the morning. 23:28.; but pagan worship said, bring your sacrifices in the morning. 4:4, speaking of the sinful service of the Golden Calf of Beth El.. The Torah said, it should be eaten on the day of its slaughter and the next day. 19:6.; but pagan worship said, on the third day your tithes. 4:4, speaking of the sinful service of the Golden Calf of Beth El.. The Torah said, do not sacrifice the blood of My sacrifice on leavened matter. 23:28.; but pagan worship said, and burn your thanksgiving offer of leavened matter. 4:4, speaking of the sinful service of the Golden Calf of Beth El.. The Torah said, if you are vowing a vow to the Eternal, your God, do not tarry to fulfill it. 23:22., but pagan worship said, pledge gifts, publicize them. 4:4, speaking of the sinful service of the Golden Calf of Beth El.. Rebbi Yudan, Rebbi Mattaniah’s father, said, the verse only serves to mention the shame of Israel. The day of our king, the princes are sick from wine’s heat, he draws the mockers by his hand. 4:5.. On the day when Jeroboam became king over Israel, all of Israel came to him late in the evening and told him, come and worship pagan worship. He told them, it is late in the evening; I am drunk and not drunk. Everybody is drinking; but if you wish, go and come in the morning. That is what is written, for their heart is like an oven while they are lying in ambush; all night long their baker is sleeping.. 4:6. All night long their baker did not sleep. In the morning he is burning like fire of a conflagration. 4:6.. In the morning they came to him. He told them, I do understand what you want but I am afraid of your Synhedrion lest they kill me. They told him, we shall kill them; this is what is written, that all are glowing like an oven and eat their judges4:7. All of Talmudic literature assumes that the legal system imagined for late Hasmonean rule was that of the Davidic kingdom.. Rebbi Levi said, they killed them, as is written, if a corpse is found. 21:1. This sermon derives הֶחֱלוּ in Hos. 4:5 not from חלה “to be sick” but from חלל “to be perforated”.. Rebbi La said, they deposed them; The day of our king, the princes are profaned from wine’s heat. 4:5.. 4:5 from חול “to be profane”.; the day when princes were profaned. From wine’s heat, they were addicted to wine. He draws the mockers by his hand: When he saw a serious person he placed two scoffers next to him who asked him, which generation was preferred over all generations? He told them, the generation of the Exodus. But did they not practice pagan worship? He answered them, because they were beloved they were not punished. But they told him, be quiet for the king wants to do the same. Not only that, but they made one and this one made two. He put the one up at Bethel; the other he gave to Dan.

גַּסּוּת רוּחוֹ שֶׁלְּיָרָבְעַם הִיא הֶחֱלִיטָתוֹ. אָמַר רִבִּי יוֹסֵי בַּר יַעֲקֹב. בְּמוֹצָאֵי שְׁמִיטָּה מָלַךְ יָרָבְעַם עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל. הָדָא הִיא דִכְתִיב מִקֵּץ שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים בְּמוֹעֵד שְׁנַת הַשְּׁמִיטָּה בְּחַג הַסּוּכּוֹת. בְּבוֹא כָל יִשְׂרָאֵל לֵרָאוֹת אֶת פְּנֵי יְי אֱלֹהֶיךָ בַּמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר יִבְחָר תִּקְרָא אֶת הַתּוֹרָה הַזֹּאת נֶגֶד כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּאָזְנֵיהֶם. אָמַר. אֲנָא מִיתְבָּעֵי מִיקְרֵי קָאִים אֲנָא. וְאִינּוּן אָמְרִין. מַלְכָּא דְאַתְרָא קָדַם. וְאִין מִיקָרִי תִּינָיָין גְּנַאי הוּא לִי. וְאִין לָא נִיקְרִי בִּיזָּיוֹן הוּא לִי. וְאִין מַרְפִּינוֹן אָזְלוֹן סָלְקוֹן אִינּוּן שַׁבקוֹן יָתִי. אָזְלִין לוֹן גַּבֵּי רְחַבְעָם בֶּן שְׁלֹמֹה. הָדָא הִיא דִּכְתִיב אִם יַעֲלֶה הָעָם הַזֶּה לַעֲשׂוֹת זְבָחִים בְּבֵית יי בִּירוּשָׁלַם יָשׁוּב לֵב הָעָם הַזֶּה אֶל אֲדֹנֵיהֶם אֶל רְחַבְעָם. מֶה עָשָׂה. עָשָׂה שְׁנֵי עֶגְלֵי זָהָב וְכָתַב עַל לִיבָּן. וַהֲרָגוּךָ. אָמַר. כָּל מֶלֶךְ דִּיקוּם יִסְתַּכֵּל בּוֹן. אָמַר רִבִּי חוּנָה. חוֹבֵר חֲבָרִים מְחוּכָּם. כָּל מִי שֶׁהָיָה חוֹבְרוֹ הָיָה חוֹבְרוֹ. אָמַר רִבִּי חוּנָה. וְשַׁחֲטָה שֵׂטִים הֶעְמִיקוּ. שֶׁהֶעֱמִיק בְּרֶשַׁע. אֲמַר. כָּל דִּמְפַרְסֵים אֲנָא קְטִיל לֵיהּ.The haughtiness of Jeroboam damned him absolutely11:2 as having no part in the Future World who is not rehabilitated in the Yerushalmi Halakhah. The following argument is reproduced in Babli Sanhedrin101b.. Rebbi Yose ben Jacob said, Jeroboam became king at the end of a Sabbatical year. This refers to what is written. 31:11., at the end of seven years, at the time of the Sabbatical year, on the festival of Tabernacles, when all of Israel comes to appear before the Eternal, your God, at the place which He shall choose, you shall read this Torah in the presence of all of Israel to their ears. He said, if I am asked to read6:7). It is presumed that the same was true for the First Temple. There is no provision that two kings could read alternate portions, or if they did, the local king certainly would have precedence. The assertion of the book of Kings that there was a perpetual state of war between the Northern and the Southern kingdoms in the time of Jeroboam (1K. 15:6) is interpreted as a war of words conducted in the House of Study.Another tradition (mentioned frequently but not undisputed) holds that nobody is allowed to sit in the Temple but a Davidic king (Pesaḥim5:10, Yoma3:2, Soṭah7:7; Babli Sanhedrin101b, Soṭah40a,41a, Yoma25a, Qiddušin78a, Tamid27a). If Yeroboam would have to stand while Rehabeam was sitting, an impossible situation would be created., I have to stand. They will say, the local king has precedence. But if I am reading as second, it is a shame for me. If I do not read, it is a disgrace for me. And if I let them go, they will ascend and desert me. They will go to Rehabeam, Solomon’s son. This is what is written. 12:26.: If this people would go up to sacrifice in the Temple in Jerusalem will this people’s heart return to their master, to Rehabeam. What did he do? He made two golden calves and wrote on their hearts, “they will kill you.” He said, any king who will succeed me will look at them. Rebbi Ḥuna said, companions of ingenious conjurations. 58:6.. Anybody who joined with him he will make a coconspirator. Rebbi Ḥuna said, a slaughtering place deepened by seducers. 5:2., for he deepened in crime. He said, anybody, I shall kill anybody who makes this public.

אָמַר רִבִּי אַבִּין בַּר כָּהֲנָא. אַף שַׁבָּתוֹת וְיָמִים טוֹבִים מָצִינוּ שֶׁבָּדָה לָהֶם יָרָבְעַם מִלִּיבּוֹ. הָדָא הִיא דִּכְתִיב וַיַּעַשׂ יָרָבְעָם חָג בַּחוֹדֶשׁ הַשְּׁמִינִי בַּחֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר יוֹם לַחוֹדֶשׁ כֶּחָג אֲשֶׁר בִּיהוּדָה וַיַּעַל עַל הַמִּזְבֵּחַ כֵּן עָשָׂה בְּבֵית אֵל לִזְבּוֹחַ בַּחוֹדֶשׁ אֲשֶׁר בָּדָה מִלִּיבּוֹ. מלבד כְּתִיב. כְּמַה דְאַתְּ אֲמַר מִלְּבַד שַׁבְּתוֹת יְי.Rebbi Abin bar Cahana said, we find that Jeroboam also invented Sabbaths and holidays. That is what is written. 12:32–33.: Jeroboam made the holiday in the eighth month, on the fifteenth of the month, like the holiday in Jehudah, and went on the altar; so did he at Bethel to sacrifice … in the month which he invented. “In addition to” is written is מִלִּיבּוּ “by his invention”; the Ketib is מִלְּבַד “in addition” (or “except”). This is read to mean that in addition to the holiday month which he invented, he invented something else. By comparing the expression used in Lev. 23:38, the “else” is found to be the Sabbath, justifying R. Abin bar Cahana’s statement. (Cf. Num. r. 21:23.), as you say, in addition to the Sabbaths of the Eternal.

Jerusalem Talmud Avodah Zarah.1.1