Avodah Zara 11
Summary
- This shiur on Avoda Zara 11 centers on narratives of Ketia bar Shalom and Onkelos ha‑Ger, the bond between Antoninus and Rebbi and its Torah hint, and a return to the Mishnah’s laws about royal death‑days as idolatrous festivals, the permissibility and scope of burning in honor of kings, and the definition of יום בלורוס. It presents a once‑in‑seventy‑years Roman rite, catalogs additional Roman, Persian, and Babylonian festivals, identifies fixed בתי עבודה זרה, and distinguishes the rules of doing business around a *yom eid* in the Diaspora versus Eretz Yisrael. It cites explanations and rulings from the Maharal, Maharsha, Tosafot, Rambam, Rema, Maharik, Ran, Re’ah, R. Shlomo Kluger (Avodat Avoda), Ginat Veradim, and others.
- A Caesar who hates Jews likens them to a painful growth and asks advisers whether to excise it; Ketia bar Shalom answers that total destruction is impossible because of “כי כארבע רוחות השמים פרשתי אתכם,” which he expounds as “כשם שאי אפשר לעולם בלא רוחות, כך אי אפשר לעולם בלא ישראל,” and warns the Caesar he would be branded a *malchuta ketia*. The Caesar praises the argument but sentences Ketia to death by suffocation; a *matronita* laments that his “boat” goes without toll, prompting Ketia to circumcise himself immediately, declare “I have paid the toll,” bequeath his estate “to Rabbi Akiva and his colleagues,” and elicit Rabbi Akiva’s derashah from “והיה לאהרן ולבניו” that half goes to him and half to the others. A בת קול proclaims “קטיע בר שלום מזומן לחיי העולם הבא,” and Rebbi weeps, “יש קונה עולמו בשעה אחת ויש קונה עולמו בכמה שנים.”
- # Onkelos ha‑Ger and Mezuzah
- The Rambam (Hilchot Mezuzah 5) castigates those who turn mezuzah into a charm with “אלו הטפשים” and says they forfeit *olam haba*, insisting mezuzah is for yichud Hashem and avodah, not talismanic benefit. Kesef Mishneh and Beit Yosef note a סגולת שמירה only through proper קיום המצוה; Rema (YD 285 via Mahari”l) records touching the mezuzah and reciting “ה' ישמר צאתך ובואך,” and the Rema rules to do so upon leaving the house, while the Rambam emphasizes mindful awareness rather than touch. R. Akiva Eiger (Mahadura Kama 58) questions touching when it risks halachic issues and says the practice lacks a clear Shas source, prompting Acharonim to answer that Onkelos’s touch was situational and not a binding norm; kissing mezuzah is presented as a general חיבוב מצוה *minhag*.
- Antoninus serves Rebbi (as Adrakan serves Rav); upon each death, Rebbi and Rav say “נתפרדה החבילה.” R. Shlomo Kluger (Avodat Avoda), citing the Shelah, explains that rebbetzin and ger share deep love in this world but in the afterlife souls of Israel are “על כנפי השכינה” whereas a *ger*’s nefesh is “תחת כנפי השכינה,” so they part.
- Ginat Veradim cites Rashbam that because חזרת is מהפך המאכל and part of the סעודה, המוציא covers it; at the seder, a כזית of מרור is not בא מחמת סעודה and would warrant a separate ברכה were it not for כרפס’s ברכה intended to cover it, highlighting intent’s role in food‑berachot coverage.
- The Mishnah’s “יום הלידה ויום המיתה” as *yom eid* raises whether significance hinges on *sereifah*; the conclusion is that all agree *sereifah* is not itself idolatrous but denotes honor, with R. Meir holding they worship whether or not there is *sereifah*, and the Sages holding only a מיתה שיש בה שריפה is weighty enough to trigger idolatry. The Ran and the Re’ah explain that “ובחוקותיהם לא תלכו” forbids practices of idolatry or empty, senseless customs associated with it, while reasonable practices are permitted; thus “שורפין על המלכים ואין בהן משום דרכי האמורי.” The Rema (YD 178), citing Maharik, rules that practices of *pritzut* are also included in *darkei ha'Emori*.
- The law “כשם ששורפין על המלכים כך שורפין על הנשיאים” authorizes burning the king’s bed and personal utensils, and the episode of Rabban Gamliel ha‑Zaken states that Onkelos ha‑Ger burned items valued at שבעים מנה צורי, read as value, not currency itself. The baraita “עוקרין על המלכים ואין בו משום דרכי האמורי” is limited by Rav Pappa to a “סוס שרכב עליו” and, for kosher animals, only in ways that do not render טרפה; the case is clarified as an *eglah ha-moshekhet bakaron*, i.e., disabling an animal used in the king’s service.
- The day may be either “יום תגלחת זקנו והנחת בלוריתו” or “יום תגלחת זקנו והעברת בלוריתו,” and a baraita includes both as idolatrous festival days.
- Shmuel reports that every seventy years Romans parade an אדם שלם mounted on a cripple to symbolize Esav over Yaakov, dress him in בגדי אדם הראשון, crown him with קרקיפלו של רבי ישמעאל, hang a precious gem on his neck, and pave markets with אינך, proclaiming blasphemies such as “חשבון הקטוע כזב הוא,” “דחמי חמי ודלא חמי לא חמי,” and “מאי אהני לרמא ברמאותיה ולזייפנא בזייפנותיה,” yet ending with “ווי לדין כד יקום דין.” Rav Ashi notes their phrasing indicts their own “master” when they say “דמרנא זייפנא.” This rite is not listed in the Mishnah because it is not annual.
- The text lists Persian celebrations מוטרידי, טוריסקי, מוהנקי, מוהרין and Babylonian celebrations מוהנקי, אנקיסא, בחנוני, and עשרה באדר. It enumerates five fixed בתי עבודה זרה—בית בל בבבל, בית נבו בכורסי, תרעתא שבמפג, צריפא שבאשקלון, נשרא שבאערביא—with Rav Dimi adding יריד שבעין בכי and נדבכה/נסבורא שבעכו, and explains “קבועין הן” as continuous worship all year.
- Shmuel states that in the Diaspora only the *yom eid* itself is prohibited for business with idolaters, not the three days beforehand. The allowance recorded by Rav Yehuda for wine and wheat sales on “חגא דטייעי” concerns a non‑fixed festival; where the day is fixed, the day itself remains prohibited in the Diaspora.
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