יין, אידים ומרחצאות: מסכת עבודה זרה והחיים בחברה מעורבת

(1) One should not leave cattle in the inns of non-Jews, for they are suspect regarding bestiality. A woman should not be alone with them for they are suspect regarding fornication. A man should not be alone with them, for they are suspect regarding the spilling of blood. A Jewess should not be a midwife to a non-Jewish woman, for she is birthing one for [a life of] idolatry. But a non-Jewish woman may be a midwife to a Jewess. A Jewess may not suckle a child of a non-Jewish woman, but a non-Jewish woman may suckle the child of a Jewess, within her domain.

(1) During the three days preceding the festivals of the non-Jews, it is forbidden to do business with them, to lend them something or to borrow something from them, to lend [money] to them or to borrow [money] from them, to resolve your debt to them or to have them resolve their debt to you. Rabbi Yehuda says: One can have them resolve their debt since it causes him distress. They [the Sages] said to him: even though he might be in distress at the outset, eventually he will be joyful.

(1) Rabbi Yishmael says: Three stones side by side beside a Markulis [an idol worshiped by placing stones beside it] are prohibited; two [stones] are permitted. And the Sages say: Those that appear to be with it [and which may have fallen from idol] are prohibited, but those that do not appear to be with it are permitted.

(2) If one found on its [the idol's] head money, clothing, or vessels, these are permitted. [If one found there] grape vines, crowns of wheat stalks, wines and oil, or flours, or any type of thing which is brought on the alter, they are prohibited.

(3) An idol that had a garden or a bath house, one can benefit from it without giving payment in return, but one cannot benefit from it if one gives payment in return. If it belonged to an idol and to others, one can benefit from them regardless of whether or not one gives payment in return.

(4) The idol of a non-Jew is automatically prohibited [for benefit]. One belonging to a Jew, is not prohibited until it is worshiped. A non-Jew can nullify his idol and his friend's, but a Jew cannot nullify the idol of a non-Jew. One who nullifies an idol also nullifies its accouterments. If he nullified its accouterments, the accouterments are permitted, but it [the idol] is prohibited.

(5) How does one nullify [an idol]? If he cut off the tip of its ear, the tip of its nose, the tip of a finger, or if he dented it even though he did not diminish it, he has nullified it. If he spat before it, urinated before it, dragged it, or threw excrement at it, it is not nullified. If he sold it or used it as collateral, Rebbi says: He has nullified it. But the sages say: He has not nullified it.

(6) An idol whose worshipers abandoned it during peaceful becomes permitted [for benefit]; if during war times, it is prohibited. Royal pillars [upon which idols would be placed] are permitted, because they are erected [only for] when the king is passing by.

(7) They asked the elders of Rome: If [Hashem] does not desire idolatry, why does He not destroy it[s objects]. They said to them: If only they were worshiping things which the world does not need, He would destroy them; but they worship the sun and the moon and the stars and the constellations--should the whole world be destroyed on account of the fools? They said to them: If so, let Him destroy those [idols] that the world does not need, and leave the ones that the world does need? They said to them: Then we would even be strengthening the faith of their worshipers, for they would say, "This is the proof they are gods for they were not destroyed."

(8) One may buy a stepped on wine press from a non-Jew even though he takes [the crushed grapes from there] with his hand and places them in the pile. It does not become libation wine until it drains to the pit. Once it has drained to the pit, [if the non-Jew touched it,] what is in the pit is prohibited and the rest is permitted.

(9) One can press grapes with a non-Jew in the wine press, but he cannot harvest with him. A Jew who makes [his wine] while impure, one may not press or harvest with him, but one may send barrels with him to the wine press and bring them from the wine press with him. A baker who makes [his bread] while impure, one may not knead or shape the dough with him, but one can bring bread with him to the seller.

(10) A non-Jew who was found next to a pit of wine, if he has a lien, it is prohibited; if he does not have a lien, it is permitted. If he fell into the pit and climbed out, or he measured it with a reed, or he flicked out a bug with a reed, or if he was tapping [the foam] on a barrel that was boiling over, each of these cases happened, and they said the wine should be sold. But Rabbi Shimon permits [the wine in such cases]. If he took the barrel and threw it into the pit in his anger--this case happened and they allowed it.

(11) One who prepares wine in purity for a non-Jew and places it in his domain in a house that is open to the public domain, in a city that had both Jews and non-Jews, it is permitted; in a city that is entirely non-Jews, it is prohibited, unless he places a guard. But the guard does not have to be sitting and guarding [constantly]; even if he is leaving and entering, it is permitted. Rabbi Shimon son of Elazar said: all domains of non-Jews are like one [another].

(12) One who prepares wine in purity for a non-Jew and places it in his domain, and the latter writes for him a receipt that he received the money, it is permitted. But if the Jew wanted to remove the wine [from his property] and the non-Jew will not allow him until he receives his payment--this case happened in Beit She'an and the sages prohibited it.

(7) If debris falls and it is unknown whether any person is buried [under it] or not; or whether he is dead or alive, or whether he is a gentile or a Jew, we remove the debris from him on the Sabbath; if he be found alive, we extricate him, but if he is dead, we leave him.

(1) [If] one is overtaken by nightfall on the road [on Friday] he gives his wallet to a gentile. And if there is no gentile with him he places it on the donkey. [When] he arrives at the outer courtyard he may remove those items that may be moved on Shabbat. [With regard to] those items that may not be moved on Shabbat, he loosens the cords and the parcels fall off by themselves.

(3) An ox of an Israelite that gored an ox belonging to the Temple, or an ox belonging to the Temple that gored an ox of an Israelite, he is exempt, as it says, “The ox belonging to his neighbor” (Exodus 21:35), and not an ox belonging to the Temple. An ox of an Israelite that gores an ox of a non-Jew, he is exempt. And an ox of a non-Jew that gores the ox of an Israelite, whether the ox is harmless or an attested danger, its owner pays full damages.