What’s the status of Christians? TB Avodah Zarah 2

Last Shabbat we began the new massekhet Avodah Zarah which deals with the laws concerning idolatry. This massekhet is placed in Seder Nizikin because a Jew who worships an idol is subject to the death penalty. In order to adjudicate the case of idolatry correctly, judges had to know all the ins and outs of these forms of worship.

Israel even as a constituted nation in their own land having a monotheistic faith was a minority surrounded and times conquered by pantheistic nations. It was always in danger of being influenced by those idolatrous nations (which happened all too frequently when we read the books from the section of the Bible called Prophets); consequently, the Bible and the rabbis waged a never ending war against idolatry. The rabbis built fences around the law in order to protect the Jewish people from the scourge of idolatry.

The very first Mishna of our massekhet on daf  TB Avodah Zarah 2 prohibits business between Jews and idolaters three days before the idolaters’ holidays lest the idolaters thank their gods because of the positive outcome of the business deal. “On the three days before the festivals of gentiles the following actions are prohibited, as they would bring joy to the gentile, who would subsequently give thanks to his object of idol worship on his festival: It is prohibited to engage in business with them; to lend items to them or to borrow items from them; to lend money to them or to borrow money from them; and to repay debts owed to them or to collect repayment of debts from them. Rabbi Yehuda says: One may collect repayment of debts from them because this causes the gentile distress. The Rabbis said to Rabbi Yehuda: Even though he is distressed now, when he repays the money, he is happy afterward that he is relieved of the debt, and therefore there is concern that he will give thanks to his object of idol worship on his festival.” (Sefaria.org translation) The Mishna emphasizes that the Jewish people may never enable an idolater’s worship.

Defining the surrounding nations as idolatrous was easy in the ancient world until the rise of Christianity and Islam. The rabbis grappled whether those faiths were monotheistic or idolatrous. The decision about Islam’s monotheism was quite easy because Islam has been militaristically against any artistic form of Allah. Christianity was more complicated for Jews because they do believe in the Trinity. Moses Maimonides had an easy decision to call Christians idolaters because the Trinity since he never lived and worked amongst them. This was no easy solution to this question for the Jews who lived amongst the Christians.

If the Christians are considered idolaters, the Mishnah prohibits a Jew from doing business with them three days before the holiday. We are going to learn on daf 6, that the Jews are going to be prohibited from doing business with idolaters three days after the holiday. Tosefot ד" ה אָסוּר לָשֵׂאת וְלָתֵת עִמָּהֶם, notes that every Sunday is a Christian holiday. If Christians are considered idolaters Jews in Europe would never be permitted to earn a livelihood in Christians nations. This was economically untenable; consequently, sages redefine their status. Although according to a strict Jewish approach that the Trinity muddies the waters, they rule that Christians do not fall the same category as idolaters in the Bible. Christianity is a monotheistic religion. Conducting business with Christians even on Sunday is kosher.