Avodah Zarah 12b — the Talmud in English

And after the Gemara explained why the baraita needed to write “thorn,” “money,” and “spring,” and the tan­nay had already taught us the prohibition against bending over a spring of water even in a place where there is danger from thirst, the Gemara explains what the baraita said, that it is forbidden to drink from the faces of idols that spout water:

“Faces,” why do I need this?

For the tan­nay had already taught us that they did not permit it even in a place where there was danger from thirst.

Because he

wanted to teach

a further halakha,

that the tan­nay wished to teach an additional halakha,

similar to it: A person should not place

his

mouth upon the pipe

that emerges from the ground,

and drink because of the danger.

But with a spring it was impossible to add the law of the danger of a leech, because it is not certain that there is danger in this, since he can swim to the spring, draw water from it with both his hands, and examine the water. Therefore the tan­nay teaches us the case of drinking from the faces, where he does not examine it, but places his mouth upon its mouth; and similarly, he can come to the danger of a leech when drinking water from every pipe connected to the ground.

And the Gemara explains:

What is the danger,

what danger is there in drinking water without examination? The danger of drinking a

leech,

which is a type of worm found in water.

And from one matter to another, the Gemara brings baraitot and statements of amoraim concerning the danger of a leech.

The Sages taught: A person should not drink water either from rivers or from pools—

not

directly

with his mouth, nor with one hand.

Since his one hand does not hold much water, a person therefore hurries in drinking from it, and pours the water directly into his mouth without examining it. But if he takes the water with both hands, he can wait and examine it.

And if he drank

from his one hand, or drank directly with his mouth from the pools or the rivers,

“His blood is upon his head!”

He thereby endangered himself, and it is forbidden to do so

because of the danger.

What danger

—

—the danger of a leech.

And this baraita, in which it was said that drinking water containing a leech is a danger to life,

supports Rabbi Hanina—

For Rabbi Hanina said: One who swallows a small leech,

a leech

, of water,

which is found in water—

it is permitted to heat for him

water

hot water on Shabbat,

because drinking hot water removes the danger, and the prohibitions of Shabbat are set aside in the face of preservation of life, as is proven from the wording of the baraita, “His blood is upon his head,” which indicates an actual danger to life.

And

so there was

an incident involving

one

man who swallowed a small leech of water, and Rabbi Nehemiah permitted

[Hanina]

to heat hot water for him on Shabbat.

What is his rescue

in the meantime,

until hot water could be heated for him?

Rav Huna, son of Rav Yehoshua, said: Let him swallow vinegar;

let them give him vinegar to drink, so that he will not quickly die until hot water is heated for him.

Rav Idi bar Avin said: This man

the man

who swallowed a wasp,

who swallowed a wasp—

he will not live,

he will not survive

! However,

although he is going to die and his death is certain, it is worthwhile

to give him to drink

that they give him to drink

a quarter-log of strong vinegar,

the measure of a quarter-log of strong vinegar,

perhaps he will live a little

and will be able to live for a short time

until he gives instructions concerning his household,

so that he will have enough time to dictate a will to the members of his household concerning his property!

The Sages taught: A person should not drink water at night,

even water from vessels.

And if he drank—

“His blood is upon his head! Because of the danger.”

What danger

is there in drinking water at night?

The danger of

“Shivriri,”

which is the demon appointed over the affliction of “sightlessness.”

And if he is thirsty,

if he is thirsty to drink,

what is his remedy,

what should he do?

If there is another person with him,

if there is another man with him,

let him awaken him,

let him wake him from his sleep,

and let him say to him

and tell him, “

I am thirsty for water,”

I am thirsty, and the demon will depart because of the presence of two people.

And if not,

if there is no other person with him—

let him rattle the lid against the jug,

let him strike the lid of the barrel against the barrel, so that the demon will hear it as though there were another person with him,

and let him say to himself,

and let him say this incantation to himself:

So-and-so son of so-and-so,

so-and-so, son of so-and-so,

your mother told you: Beware

beware

of Shivriri Briri Riri Yiri Ri in white earthenware vessels,

which is the name of the demon appointed over earthenware cups. Through this incantation the demon hears the diminishing of the signs of its name, and it flees from there.

Mishna:

Our Mishna deals with a circumstance in which there is no prohibition of “conducting business on their festival” , but rather with a city in which there is idolatry, and in which there are shops and a market on their festival. And the Jew comes to buy from them. And the reason why there are circumstances in which it is forbidden to buy from them will be explained in the Gemara.

A city in which there is idolatry, and in which there were shops that were decorated

adorned

and that were not decorated—

this was an incident involving

the city of

Beit She’an.

And the Sages said:

the shops

that were decorated—

are forbidden.

For the decorations constitute a sign that they belong to idolatry.

And those that were not decorated—

are permitted.

with regard to shops decorated with roses and myrtles used for an idolatrous offering, as this decoration indicates that the shop belongs to idol worship. The reason for the prohibition is that they give off a fragrance, and he benefits the Jew benefits

Gemara:

The Gemara explains the reason why the Sages forbade them, and what “decorated” means.

Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: They taught

the prohibition

only

in shops

decorated with rose and myrtle

of an idolatrous offering, and this decoration is a sign that this shop belongs to idolatry. And the reason for the prohibition is that, since they give off a fragrance,

he derives benefit

the Jew derives benefit

from the fragrance,

and it is forbidden to derive benefit from an idolatrous offering.

But

if the shop is

decorated with fruits—

they are permitted

to purchase from them, because there is no fragrance here. And although benefit from it will reach idolatry, since the shops belong to the priests, it is permitted.

What is the reason,

why is it permitted?

For Scripture says,

the Torah said [Deuteronomy 13], “

And nothing of the banned thing shall cleave to your hand,”

and we interpret:

Benefit

is what is forbidden.

The Torah forbade deriving benefit “from” idolatry and its offering,