1)

(a)Initially, we establish 'Itztrublin' in our Mishnah to mean Turnisa - a species of cedar tree.

(b)We refute this suggestion however, on the basis of a Beraisa, which includes Itztrublin among the species that are subject to the Dinim of Shevi'is - and this species of cedar does not remain intact during the winter, and is therefore not subject to Shevi'is (see Tosfos DH 'Turnisa').

(c)Rav Safra finally explained 'Itztrublin' as - acorns (the fruit of a cedar tree).

(d)When Ravin arrived from Eretz Yisrael, his quotation from Rebbi Elazar - substantiated Rav Safra's explanation.

2)

(a)Rabah bar bar Chanah Amar Rebbi Yochanan explained ...

1. ... 'B'nos-Shu'ach' as - a species of white (presumably what we call 'green') fig.

2. ... 'P'totros' (which is not the name of an independent species) as - the same fig, but with its stalk, which they used to suspend in front of the Avodah-Zarah, as a form of idol-worship.

(b)And Rebbi Yitzchak Amar Resh Lakish interpreted 'Levonah' as - 'Levonah-Zakah' (frankincense).

(c)The Beraisa permits selling all of these items in bulk which Rebbi Yehudah ben Beseira explains as - three Manah.

(d)The reason for this concession is - because then it is obvious that the purchaser is buying the commodity for commercial purposes (and not to sacrifice to his gods).

(e)We are not concerned that the purchaser will subsequently sell them to others for idolatrous purposes - because even if he does, the Torah only forbids causing someone to sin ("Lifnei Iver Lo Siten Michshol"), and not for causing someone to cause someone else to sin ('Lifnei de'Lifnei').

3)

(a)Rebbi Yonah Amar ... Rav Z'vid (or Rebbi Zeira) - permits selling a white rooster to a Nochri who is looking to purchase a rooster, but forbids it if he is looking to purchase a white rooster.

(b)Our Mishnah cited the opinion of Rebbi Yehudah, who permits selling a white rooster among other roosters - and where the purchaser must have asked for a rooster S'tam (otherwise the Tana would not have permitted selling him a white rooster, even among a batch ...

(c)... implying that selling it to him on its own is forbidden (a Kashya on Rebbi Zeira, who permits it as long as he does not specifically ask for it).

4)

(a)Rav Nachman bar Yitzchak establishes the Mishnah where the purchaser said 'Zeh ve'Zeh' by which he means that - he specifically pointed to a white rooster, but he pointed to other color roosters as well ...

(b)... and the difference between selling him the white one on its own and selling it together with others, according to Rebbi Yehudah, is that - in the former case, it seems that he really wants the white one, and that he only mentioned the other colors in order to trick the seller into believing that he is not fussy.

(c)Whereas the Rabbanan forbid selling a white one even together with others - because, even in such a case, they suspect that the Nochri is only tricking the seller into believing that he is not fussy.

(d)And we prove this from Rebbi Yehudah in another Beraisa - where he qualifies the prohibition of selling a Nochri a white rooster, by confining it to where he said 'Tarnegol Zeh Lavan', but permits there where he said 'Zeh ve'Zeh' and takes them all.

(e)If the Nochri asks for 'Tarn'gol' S'tam - then even the Rabbanan will concede that one may sell him a white rooster.

5)

(a)In a case where the Nochri is arranging a party on behalf of his son, or where a member of his family is sick, Rebbi Yehudah permits even 'Tarn'gol Zeh Lavan'.

(b)The Mishnah (that we learned earlier) however - forbids doing business with a Nochri on the day that he arranges a party in honor of his son's wedding - (because he will go and give thanks to his god) - a Kashya on Rebbi Yehudah, who permits selling him even a white rooster on that day.

(c)Rav Yitzchak bar Rav Mesharshaya reconciles Rebbi Yehudah in the Beraisa with the Mishnah, (forbidding that day and that person), by establishing Rebbi Yehudah by 'Tavzig' - which means a 'party' which is no more than a social affair, and which is not important enough to warrant giving thanks to his god.

6)

(a)We learned in our Mishnah 've'Sha'ar Kol ha'Devarim S'taman Mutar, u'Perushan Asur'. 'S'taman' cannot mean where he asked for white wheat, and 'Perushan', when he specifically added 'la'Avodas Kochavim' - because then both Dinim would be obvious, and would not require a Mishnah.

(b)So we suggest that ...

1. ... 'S'taman' means - where he asked for wheat, and ...

2. ... 'Perushan' - where he asked for white wheat.

(c)We can extrapolate with regard to the equivalent Din by a rooster that - even S'tam is forbidden (a Kashya on Rebbi Zeira, who permits it).

(d)To resolve the Kashya, we therefore establish our Mishnah like we did at first, and the Chidush lies in the Seifa (which forbids selling him white wheat because he specifically added 'la'Avodas Kochavim'). We might otherwise have thought that when he mentioned 'la'Avodas-Kochavim', it was not because he wanted it for idolatrous purposes, but because, a strong adherent of idolatry, he presumes that the seller loves his god as much as he does, and that if he thinks that he wants it to for his god, he will give him a special price.

7)

(a)Rav Ashi asks whether, if a Nochri asks for a white rooster minus a limb, one may sell him a complete one, since what he asked for cannot be brought as a sacrifice. It might nevertheless be forbidden - since the Nochri may have asked for a blemished one as a trick, knowing that they would not supply him with a whole one.

(b)He would not be concerned that they may give him a bird missing a limb, as he requested - knowing that birds with missing limbs were scarce, and that he would probably receive a complete one anyway.

(c)Assuming that we are strict in the previous case, he then asked what the Din will be if the Nochri requested a white rooster, but accepted the initial offer of first a black one, and then, a red one - according to Rebbi Yehudah in our Mishnah, who permits a white rooster among a batch of different colored roosters, but according to the Rabbanan, who forbid even that, it is obvious that this is forbidden.

(d)The outcome of these She'eilos is - 'Teiku' ('Tishbi Yetaretz Kushyos ve'Ibayos').

8)

(a)Maseches Avodah-Zarah of Avraham Avinu comprised - four hundred chapters.

(b)Rav Chisda made this comment to Avimi - adding that our Maseches Avodah-Zarah comprises only five chapters, and even that we have difficulty in understanding.

(c)He made it because of a problem that he had with Rebbi Meir in our Mishnah, who forbids selling a good date-palm to Nochrim, from which we can extrapolate - that one is permitted to sell him a poor-quality one.

(d)His problem is based on the Mishnah later - which forbids selling a Nochri whatever is attached to the ground (implying even a poor-quality tree).

9)

(a)To answer Rav Chisda's Kashya, Avimi explained 'Dekel Tav' to mean - the (detached) fruit of a date-palm.

(b)Rav Huna said - the same.

(c)And they translate 'Chatzav' (in our Mishnah) as - 'Kasba', a kind of date (or the type of plant that grows straight down, which Yehoshua used to divide the borders when he divided Eretz Yisrael).

10)

(a)When Rav Dimi arrived from Eretz Yisrael, he cited Rebbi Chama bar Yosef, who translated Niklas (in our Mishnah) as 'Kuraiti' - a kind of fruit.

(b)... on which Abaye commented - seeing as they did not recognize this word either, they were none the wiser than they had been before.

(c)Rav Dimi responded to Abaye's comment that - at least, when he arrived in Eretz Yisrael, he would be able to ask the people there, who knew the meaning of Kuraiti, but were not familiar with the word Niklas.

(d)We reject the translation of 'Kuraiti' as the dust from grains of frankincense on the grounds that - if that were so, why did Abaye not know what it meant (not a problem if it was the name of a fruit that grew locally in Eretz Yisrael).

11)

(a)Based on Minhag, our Mishnah forbids selling a small type of animal to a Nochri - in a place where Nochrim are suspected of bestiality (or so we initially think).

(b)Large type animals however - the Tana forbids outright.

(c)He includes calves and foals in the prohibition - because the owner might substitute them for fully-grown animals.

(d)For the same reason, the Tana Kama does not differentiate between whole ones and broken ones. Rebbi Yehudah - permits selling a Nochri broken ones.

(e)ben Beseira - permits selling him a horse (all of which will be explained in the Sugya).

12)

(a)The Beraisa - forbids leaving animals under the care of Nochrim in their inns.

(b)The reason for this - is based on the Pasuk in Bereishis "Vehayu le'Basar Echad" (permitting mankind only such a union which produces children, precluding bestiality). Consequently, seeing as the Nochrim are suspect on bestiality (Revi'ah), leaving one's animals with them is forbidden ...

(c)... because it constitutes "Lifnei Iver Lo Sutein Michshol" (not to place a stumbling block before a blind person).

(d)Rav correlates this Beraisa, which seems to forbid leaving an animal with a Nochri outright, with our Mishnah, which presents selling them a small animal as a matter of Minhag - by establishing the Beraisa in places where they are suspect (which coincides with the Minhag which forbids selling in our Mishnah).

13)

(a)Rebbi Elazar disagrees with Rav. According to him, our Mishnah has nothing to do with the suspicion of 'Revi'ah' (bestiality) - because even though a Nochri is suspect on Revi'ah, that is only with someone else's animal. He will not however, commit bestiality with his own animal, seeing as that causes the animal to become sterile (and a Nochri 'has pity' on his own animal) ...

(b)... and the reason for the Minhag that prohibits the sale of a small animal is - a decree that one may come to sell him a large animal (Lo P'lug).

(c)Rav retracts from his original reason - and concurs with Rebbi Elazar.

(d)Rav Tachlifa ... stated in the name of Rav that - a Nochri has pity on his animal and will not allow it to become sterile.