Avodah Zarah 25b — the Talmud in English

Rather,

our Mishna is speaking of a case in which it is forbidden to be secluded

with three,

with three gentiles.

However, it must again be asked: after all,

in a corresponding case,

such a form of seclusion,

with regard to wanton Jews,

with wanton Jews,

is it permitted,

is it permitted?

And the Gemara proves that it is forbidden even for three wanton Jews to be secluded with a woman.

But we learned: However, one woman may be secluded with two men

who are fit.

And Rav Yehuda said in the name of Shmuel: They taught

that she is permitted to be secluded with them

only

when the seclusion is carried out

with

men

who are fit.

But with wanton men, even ten likewise

also

not

permitted.

And similarly,

there was an incident

with a certain prostitute,

and ten

wanton men took her out

on a bier

of a dead person outside the city and made it appear as though she had died, and accompanied her for burial. And when they went out, they sinned with her! And it is proved that even with wanton Jews, she is forbidden seclusion. And certainly she is forbidden seclusion with gentiles, for all of them are in the category of wanton men and are suspected.

And the Gemara answers: The law of our Mishna

is not necessary,

it is necessary only to prohibit the seclusion of a woman with a gentile even

in

a manner in which

his wife

of the gentile

is with him.

Whereas with a Jew, a man is permitted to be secluded with another woman when his wife is with him, because

a gentile, there is no

presence of

his wife guarding him

from fornication. But

a Jew —

his wife

guards him!

The Gemara asks: Why is it necessary to state the reason that gentiles are wanton, and because of this it is forbidden to be secluded with them,

and let it be derived

that it is forbidden to be secluded with them

because

they are suspected of

bloodshed,

as explained in the Mishna?

And the Gemara answers:

Rabbi Yirmeya said—

we are dealing with an important woman

[the case is speaking].

She is important among other people because she is close to the kingdom, and she is also considered important among women, because she is beautiful.

Because of

her importance and closeness to the kingdom—

they are afraid of her.

They are afraid to kill her. And therefore there is no danger in her being secluded with them,

but since she is beautiful, there nevertheless remains a concern lest the woman be enticed and fornicate with them. And because of this, she is forbidden seclusion.

Rav Idi said:

Every

woman,

even if she is not important and even if she is not beautiful—

her weapon

[her weapon]

is upon her,

and she is not in danger. Since she is a woman, the gentile does not kill her, but has intercourse with her. And once he has intercourse with her, he does not kill her.

And therefore, the sole reason to prohibit her from being secluded with the gentile is because of concern for forbidden sexual relations!

The Gemara discusses:

What is the difference between them,

what practical difference is there between the explanations of Rabbi Yirmeya and Rav Idi?

And it answers:

There is a difference between them,

there is a practical difference between their reasons. And it is:

A woman who is important among men,

meaning of distinguished lineage and close to the kingdom,

but who is not important among women,

who is not beautiful.

And this is the distinction between the opinions of the amoraim: According to Rabbi Yirmeya, who holds that the prohibition of seclusion stated in the Mishna applies only to a woman who is close to the kingdom and there is no concern for her life, but she is beautiful and there is concern lest she be enticed, -

it follows that with a woman who is important but not beautiful, there is no concern at all, since because of her importance they will not kill her. And, on the other hand, they will not sin with her either, since she is ugly.

And therefore, this woman is permitted to be secluded with the gentile!

However, according to Rav Idi, it does not appear that there is a distinction between a beautiful woman and an ugly one. Since every woman has her weapon upon her, Rav Idi does not distinguish between beautiful and ugly. And with regard to every woman as she is, there is concern for fornication!

And the Gemara proves:

It was taught in a beraita in accordance with

like

the

Rav

Idi bar Avin: A woman, even though she has peace with her,

there is always peace for her and there is no concern at all for her life, for her weapon is upon her,

in any event,

she may not be secluded with them

with the gentiles.

Because—

they are suspected of forbidden sexual relations!

We learned in our Mishna: And

a person may not be secluded with them,

with the gentiles, because of concern for bloodshed.

The Sages taught:

A Jew

who

went and

happened

to encounter a gentile on the road should attach himself to his right.

He should arrange that the gentile walk on his right, so that if the gentile wishes to kill him, he can prevent him by grasping him with his right hand.

Rabbi Yishmael, son of Rabbi Yohanan ben Beroka, says:

If the gentile was girded

with a sword,

on his left side [because it is the way of a sword for it to be held on the left of the one holding it].

He should attach himself

the Jew and place him

to

the

right side.

So that if the gentile extends his hand to the sword, the Jew can grasp it with his right hand.

And if the gentile was armed

with a staff—

he should attach himself to his left.

And then, when the gentile raises his right hand, which is holding the staff, the Jew should immediately grasp it with his right hand.

If both of them

the Jew and the gentile

were ascending a slope

of the mountain on their way,

or

they were

descending a descent,

the Jew should conduct himself as follows:

The Jew should not be below

and the gentile above

in front of him.

Rather,

the

Jew should be above, and

whereas the

gentile

should be

below.

And

even if they are walking on level ground,

he should not bend

the Jew

before him

before the gentile,

lest he run

and crush

his skull.

And if the gentile and the Jew met on the road and

asked

the gentile asked the Jew:

Where

are you

going? -

He should not tell him exactly where he is going, but

he should expand

and extend

to him

the Jew

the road.

For example, if he needs to walk one parsa, he should say to him: “I am going two parsaot.” So that the gentile will wait before striking him until the middle of the way, and then, when they reach the place where the Jew needs to turn, he will separate from the gentile and be saved.

And this matter was

in the manner in which Jacob our forefather acted toward Esau the wicked.

For it is written

[when Jacob met Esau—Genesis 33:14]: “I will lead on slowly, according to the pace of the work that is before me and according to the pace of the children,

until I come to my lord at Seir.”

And

afterward

it is written

[Genesis 33:16–17]: “And Esau returned on that day on his way to Seir,

and Jacob journeyed to Sukkot.”

We see that although Jacob said to Esau, “I will come to my lord at Seir,” which is a distant place, he went only as far as Sukkot. And all this was so that Esau would not fight him at the beginning of the journey, but would wait. Whereas Jacob would separate from him already at Sukkot.

And the Gemara relates further concerning this matter:

There was an incident involving the students of Rabbi Akiva who were traveling to Kziv. They encountered

the students of Rabbi Akiva encountered

bandits.

They said to them,

the bandits

said to them: Where are you going? They said to them,

the students of Rabbi Akiva: We are going

to Acre.

When they reached

the students of Rabbi Akiva and those bandits who had traveled with them

Kziv,

which is closer than Acre,

they separated

the students of Rabbi Akiva and turned toward Kziv.

They said to them,

the bandits

Whose students are you?

They said to them: Students of Rabbi Akiva

are we.

They said to them,

the bandits

Fortunate is Rabbi Akiva and his students, for no wicked person has ever encountered them.

Since they conduct themselves wisely and outwit the bandits, and because of this they do not harm them.