Avodah Zarah Daf 14 עבודה זרח דַף 14

The Mishnah on the previous Daf listed items which are always forbidden to sell to an idolator, because they are used for idolatry, including certain fruits, frankincense, and תרנגול לבן – a white rooster. Rebbe Yehudah permits selling תרנגול לבן בין התרנגולין – a white rooster among roosters.

Rebbe Zeira said that if an idolator asks: תרנגול למי – “Who has a rooster to sell?”, without specifying a white rooster, one may even sell him a white rooster, because it is apparently not for sacrifice. If he asks, “Who has a white rooster to sell?”, it is forbidden to sell him one, because we suspect it is for sacrifice. This is challenged from Rebbe Yehudah’s ruling that selling a white rooster “among roosters” is permitted. If a white rooster was specifically requested, it would be prohibited to sell him one even among others. Rather, the Mishnah must be where he did not specify a white rooster, yet Rebbe Yehudah forbids selling a white one alone, and the Tanna Kamma forbids selling it at all!? Rav Nachman bar Yitzchak answers that the Mishnah’s case is where he asked to purchase "זה וזה" – this (white) one and that (colored) one.

The Mishnah taught that if one sells a white rooster alone, he can cut its toe and sell it, because they would not use a deficient animal for idolatry. Rav Ashi asked: תרנגול לבן קטוע למי – if an idolator asked, “Who has a white rooster with a cut-off toe to sell?”, is it permitted to sell him תרנגול לבן שלם – an unblemished white rooster? Do we say that since he requested a mutilated one, it is not intended for avodah zarah, or do we say איערומי קא מערים – he is being deceptive by requested a קטוע, knowing they are uncommon, and is trying to hide his intent to use it for idolatry?

If we assume the latter, then what if he asked, תרנגול לבן למי – “Who has a white rooster to sell?”, and they offered him a black rooster, and he took it, then they offered him a red rooster, and he took it? Can they now sell him a white one? Does his acceptance of the colored roosters indicate that his purchase is not for idolatry, or do we say he is being deceptive? This question is left unresolved.

The next Mishnah states: מקום שנהגו למכור בהמה דקה לעובדי כוכבים – in a place where the custom is to sell small livestock to idolators, and not to suspect they will have relations with the animals (which is forbidden for all בני נח), it is permitted to sell them. In a place where the מנהג is not to sell a בהמה דקה to idolators, because they may have relations with them, it is prohibited to sell them.

The Gemara wonders why this would depend on the custom, and not be forbidden outright, because a Mishnah on Daf 22a states: אין מעמידין בהמה בפונדקאות של עובדי כוכבים – we do not leave an animal in the stable of an inn of an idolator, מפני שחשודין על הרביעה – because they are suspected of having relations with animals!? Rav says both laws depend on the local מנהג, and the Mishnah prohibiting leaving one’s animal with an idolator refers to a place with such a מנהג. Rebbe Elazar says that although leaving one’s animal alone with an idolator is always forbidden, it may still be permitted to sell him an animal, because עובד כוכבים חס על בהמתו שלא תעקר – an idolator is concerned about his animal that it should not become sterile, and he does not have relations with it. Rav later retracted and agreed with Rebbe Elazar.