What’s the difference? TB Avodah Zarah 14-15

As we have previously learned, a Jew may not sell to an idolater anything connected to his idolatry. On daf TB Avodah Zarah 14a wonders whether a person may whole sell something that is used for the purposes of idolatry to a pagan.

“The mishna taught that selling frankincense to gentiles is prohibited. Rabbi Yitzḥak says that Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish says: The mishna is referring specifically to pure frankincense, which is used as incense for objects of idol worship. A Sage taught: And with regard to all of these items whose sale is prohibited, one may sell to gentiles a large bundle of merchandise, as it is clear that the gentile intends to sell the merchandise rather than sacrifice it to his object of idol worship. And how much does such a bundle weigh? Rabbi Yehuda ben Beteira explained: For the purposes of this halakha, no bundle is less than the weight of three hundred dinars.

 “The Gemara raises a difficulty: But let us be concerned lest the buyer go and sell these items to another gentile, and they sacrifice them. Abaye said in response: This scenario is certainly possible, but we are commanded only not to “place a stumbling block before the blind” (Leviticus 19:14), i.e., one may not be the direct cause of a gentile’s idol worship. We are not commanded not to place a stumbling block before one who may subsequently place it before the blind.” (Sefaria.org translation) Abaye teaches that if we have such a concern, we could never do business with the pagan. That would be economically catastrophic for the Jew.

On daf TB Avodah Zarah 15b the rabbis enacted a prohibition of selling large animals to pagans. Large animals like oxen are work animals. The sages were afraid that the business deal was going down on erev Shabbat. Not only are Jews are commanded to rest on the Shabbat, we are also commanded to allow our animals to rest as well. “Remember the sabbath day and keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath of your God YHVH: you shall not do any work—you, your son or daughter, your male or female slave, or your cattle (my emphasis-gg), or the stranger who is within your settlements.” (Exodus 20:8-10)

In their minds they envisioned a scenario on erev Shabbat where the Jewish owner of the oxen to ensure a sale would tell the pagan go and give the oxen a “test drive.” The pagan while test driving the oxen, Shabbat enters and the Jew who still owns the oxen and has violated a Sabbath prohibition of not letting your animals rest.

The Gemara cites a story with her one is prohibited to sell large animals to a fellow Jew who is suspect of selling large animals to pagans. Aren’t we afraid that the first pagan buyer will sell it to another pagan for the purposes of idolatry.? “The Gemara relates: Rabba sold a certain donkey to a Jew who was suspected of selling large livestock to a gentile. Abaye said to Rabba: What is the reason that the Master acted in this manner? Rabba said to him: I sold the donkey to a Jew. Abaye said to him: But he will go and sell it to a gentile. Rabba responded: Is the only possibility that he will sell to a gentile, and he will not sell it to a Jew? Since there is no reason to assume that he will sell specifically to a gentile rather than to a Jew, there is no problem in selling to him.” (Sefaria.org translation)

Tosefot ד'"ה לְגוֹי קָא מְזַבֵּין, לְיִשְׂרָאֵל לָא קָא מְזַבֵּין sees a qualitative difference between the two sales. In the latter case we are commanded not to place a stumbling block before one who may subsequently place it before the blind. The Jew who is suspect of selling large animals to pagans is still obligated just like the original Jewish seller not to put a stumbling block in front of the blind. In the first case, pagans are not obligated to observe the Torah law not to put a stumbling block before the blind. That’s why we don’t care what happens after the original sale is completed. That’s the qualitative difference between the two stories.