Question: If a worker was hired to break a barrel of Yayin Nesech, are the wages permitted?

Since the Yisrael wants the wine to exist until he will (be paid to) dispose of it, it is forbidden;

Or, perhaps we permit this, in order to decrease Tiflah (despised matters)?

Answer (Rav Nachman): He will be blessed for breaking it. (The wages are permitted.)

Support (Beraisa): We may not dig with a Nochri in a field in which he grows Kil'ayim, but we may uproot with him, to decrease Tiflah.

We are thinking that the Beraisa is like R. Akiva, who says that one who is Mekayem (keeps) Kil'ayim (even if he did not plant it, but he builds a fence to guard it) is lashed.

(Beraisa): One who removes weeds from Kil'ayim or covers it with earth (to help it grow) is lashed;

R. Akiva says, even one who keeps it (is lashed).

Question: What is R. Akiva's reason?

Answer: "Sadcha Lo Sizra Kil'ayim" forbids only seeding. What is the source to forbid Mekayem?

Rejection: "Lo Kil'ayim" forbids even keeping it. (Rashi alludes to the text in Makos and Mo'ed Katan "Kil'ayim Sadcha Lo." I.e. in the verse it says "Kil'ayim" also before "Sadcha Lo", and we read these words together to forbid having Kil'ayim in your field.)

Culmination of support: Even though R. Akiva forbids being Mekayem Kil'ayim, he permits taking wages to uproot it, to decrease Tiflah.

Rejection: No, the Beraisa is Chachamim.

Question: If so, the Beraisa should permit being Mekayem, which is a bigger Chidush than uprooting it!

Answer: The case is, the Yisrael helps for free. It is like R. Yehudah, who forbids giving a free gift to Nochrim;

For the sake of decreasing Tiflah, he permits uprooting.

Support (for Rav Nachman): R. Yehudah is lenient (to permit working for free for Nochrim) in order to decrease Tiflah. Surely, also R. Akiva is lenient (to permit uprooting Kil'ayim) in order to decrease Tiflah! (And likewise we are lenient about wages to break barrels of Yayin Nesech.)

This cannot be challenged.

Question: What is the law of money that a Nochri received for (selling) idolatry?

Does idolatry transfer its Isur (to what it is exchanged for) when a Nochri sells it?

Answer #1 (Rav Nachman): Presumably, it is permitted. We learn from the following episode:

Some people who were about to convert came in front of Rabah bar Avuha. He counseled them to sell all their idolatry before converting.

Suggestion: This was because money a Nochri received for idolatry is permitted. (If they would sell it after converting, it would be forbidden.)

Rejection: Since they planned to convert, surely they were Mevatel the idolatry before selling it. (but if not, it would transfer its Isur).

Answer #2 (Beraisa): If a Nochri owed money to a Yisrael and he sold idolatry or Yayin Nesech to get money to pay, the money is permitted;

If he said 'wait until I sell my idolatry or Yayin Nesech, then I will pay you', it is forbidden.

Question: What is the difference between the clauses?

Answer (Rav Sheshes): In the latter clause, the Yisrael is happy that the idolatry endures until it is sold.

Question: Even when a Yisrael wants idolatry to exist, this does not forbid money received for it!

(Mishnah): If a convert and his Nochri brother inherited their father, the convert can say 'you take the idolatry and Yayin Nesech, and I will take the money and Peros';

If idolatry or Yayin Nesech already came to the convert's premises, he cannot ask for something in exchange for it.

Answer #1 (Rabah bar Ula): The Mishnah refers to idolatry that retains its value even if broken (e.g. it is made of gold or silver. Therefore, the Yisrael does not care whether it is broken.)

Question: Regarding Yayin Nesech, how can we answer?

Answer: The Yayin Nesech was absorbed in pottery shards. (Even if they are broken, the wine can be recovered.)

Objection: Even though the Yisrael doesn't care if it breaks, he wants the idolatry and Yayin Nesech around. If it would be lost or stolen, his brother would demand half of the money and Peros!

Answer #2 (Rav Papa): (Mid'Oraisa, the convert does not inherit. Mid'Rabanan,) we are lenient, and allow him to inherit and 'trade' with his brother (before the idolatry comes to his premises), lest he resent losing his inheritance, renounce his conversion and revert to live like a Nochri.

Support (Beraisa): We allow this only regarding inheritance, but a Yisrael who was a partner with a Nochri may not request a larger share of permitted things in exchange for letting the Nochri keep the idolatry.

Question: Can a Ger Toshav be Mevatel idolatry?

Perhaps only one who serves idolatry can be Mevatel it;

Or, since he is like a Nochri (he has only seven Mitzvos), he can be Mevatel!

Answer (Rav Nachman): Presumably, since he does not serve idolatry, he cannot be Mevatel it.

Question (Beraisa): If a Yisrael found idolatry in the market, before he takes it, he can tell a Nochri to be Mevatel it;

After he takes it, he cannot do so.

(The first law is because) Chachamim taught that a Nochri can be Mevatel his or his colleague's idolatry, whether or not he serves it.

Question: What does it mean 'whether or not he serves it'?

Suggestion: It means whether or not he serves this idolatry (but in any case, he serves idolatry).

Rejection: The previous words already teach this, 'he can be Mevatel his or his colleague's idolatry'!

Answer #1: It means whether or not he serves idolatry (and still, he can be Mevatel). Likewise, a Ger Toshav can be Mevatel!

Answer (and Answer #2 to Question (3)): Really, it means whether or not he serves this idolatry;

The previous words teach that he can be Mevatel his own idol or his colleague's (who serves the same idolatry). This clause teaches that he can be Mevatel idols of a different idolatry.

Question (Beraisa - R. Meir): A Ger Toshav is one who accepted in front of three Chaverim not to serve idolatry;

Chachamim say, he must accept the seven Mitzvos of Bnei Noach;

Others say, he must accept all the Mitzvos, except for the Isur to eat Neveilos.

A Yisrael may leave a Ger Toshav alone with wine in the Yisrael's store for a short time, even if the city is mostly Nochrim;

He may not deposit wine with him for a long time, even if the city is mostly Yisraelim.

The oil of a Ger Toshav is like his wine.

Objection: This implies that we are stringent to forbid benefit from his oil. This is unreasonable! (People are not Menasech oil. At most, it should be forbidden to eat, like we decreed about bread and cooked foods of Nochrim!)

Correction: The wine of a Ger Toshav is like his oil. (One may not cosume it, but one may benefit from it.)

In all other respects, he is like a Nochri.

Version #1: R. Shimon says, his wine is Yayin Nesech.

Version #2: R. Shimon says, one may drink his wine.

Suggestion: 'In all other respects, he is like a Nochri' teaches that he can be Mevatel idolatry!

Answer: No, this teaches that he can give permission or be Mevatel his premises (i.e. allow others to enter his property, to enable an Eruv to permit carrying in a joint Chatzer).

(Beraisa): If a Yisrael desecrates Shabbos in private, but not in public, he can be Mevatel his premises;

If he desecrates Shabbos in public, he cannot be Mevatel his premises;

This is because (he is like a Nochri, and) Chachamim said that a Yisrael can give permission or be Mevatel his premises. The only solution with a Nochri is if the Yisraelim rent his premises;

Regarding a Yisrael, it suffices for him to say 'my premises are acquired or Batel to you.' This itself makes a Kinyan (regarding Eiruv).