Avodah Zarah Daf 7 עבודה זרח דַף 7

In a Mishnah in Bava Kamma, Rebbe Meir says: הנותן צמר לצבע – if one gives wool to the dyer, לצבוע לו אדום וצבעו שחור – If he gave him wool to dye red for him, and he dyed it black, or vice versa, Rebbe Meir says the dyer pays him the wool’s original value (because his deviation from his instructions is considered “stealing” the wool, so he acquires it with the physical change of coloring). Rebbe Yehudah disagrees, and says the owner pays either the dyer’s expenses, or the wool’s improvement, whichever is less. Rav Huna said the halachah follows Rebbe Yehudah, and Rav Yosef turned away, considering this ruling obvious: an anonymous Mishnah in Bava Metzia states: כל המשנה ידו על התחתונה – any [worker] who deviates from his instructions has the lower hand regarding payment (between the expense and the improvement). This is a מחלוקת ואחר כך סתם – dispute followed by an anonymous [Mishnah], where the halachah always follows the סתם משנה!? Rav Huna held אין סדר למשנה – there is no order to Mishnayos, except inside a single Mesechta, so it is unknown which was taught first, but Rav Yosef held: כולה נזיקין חדא מסכתא היא – all of “Nezikin” (i.e., Bava Kamma, Bava Metzia, and Bava Basra) is one Mesechta.

In the next Mishnah, Rebbe Yishmael prohibits doing business for three days before and after an idolatrous festival. The Chochomim respond that only before the festival is prohibited, but not after. The Gemara asks that their opinion appears identical to the Tanna Kamma’s on Daf 2a, and four interpretations are given for the machlokes: (1) They disagree if the “three days” are הן בלא אידיהן – them besides the festival itself (for a total of four days). (2) They disagree regarding נשא ונתן – one who already did prohibited business, if the proceeds are forbidden in benefit. (3) They disagree about Shmuel’s ruling, that outside Eretz Yisroel, doing business with idolators is only prohibited on the festival itself. (4) Although the latter Rabbonon agree that business is prohibited before a festival, they hold like נחום המדי, who said: אינו אסור אלא יום אחד לפני אידיהן – it is only prohibited to do business with idolators one day before their festival, whereas the Tanna Kamma prohibits three days before.

Tannaim debate how a person should daven. Rebbe Eliezer says: שואל אדם צרכיו – a person should first request his personal needs, ואחר כך יתפלל – and then daven [Shemoneh Esrei], because the passuk says: תפלה לעני כי יעטוף ולפני ה' ישפוך שיחו – a prayer of the afflicted man when he faints, and before Hashem he pours out his speech ("שיחה" refers to davening, and follows the prayer of a “fainting” person, which connotes a person in great need). Rebbe Yehoshua says: יתפלל ואח"כ ישאל צרכיו – he should daven first, and then request his personal needs, as the passuk says: אשפוך לפניו שיחי צרתי לפניו אגיד – I pour forth my speech before Him; my distress I declare before Him. After explaining how each Tanna explains the other Tanna’s passuk, the Gemara says they argue about Rebbe Simlai’s statement: לעולם יסדר אדם שבחו של מקום ואח"כ יתפלל – a person should always verbally arrange Hashem’s praises and afterwards daven. This is derived from Moshe, who only asked to enter Eretz Yisroel after praising Hashem. Rebbe Eliezer holds Moshe is different, דרב גובריה – because his strength was great, and it was appropriate for him.

The Chochomim have a third opinion, presented on the next Daf.