Khullin 5 Rav Anan’s position is hard to swallow

On yesterday’s  daf TB Khullin 4b Rav Anan makes unbelievable statement. “Rav Anan says that Shmuel says: With regard to a Jew who is a transgressor with regard to idol worship, it is permitted to eat from what he slaughters, as we found with regard to Jehoshaphat, king of Judea, who partook of the feast prepared by Ahab, king of Israel, who was a transgressor with regard to idol worship, as it is stated: “And Ahab slaughtered sheep and cattle for him in abundance, and for the people that were with him, and incited him to go up with him to Ramoth Gilead” (II Chronicles 18:2).” (Sefaria.com translation)

The first half of today’s daf TB Khullin 5 tries to support Rav Anan’s position with the close reading of verses from I Kings 22 where the two kings were trying to form an alliance over a meal of meat and wine. King Jehoshaphat apparently ate the meat slaughter by King Ahab’s chefs.

Elijah was such a thorn in King Ahab’s side that he had to flee for his life and hide in a cave. The Gemara cites I Kings 17: 6 as another proof that one may eat meat slaughter by a Jew who transgresses with regard to idol worship. “The Gemara suggests: Let us say that the verse written with regard to Elijah supports the opinion of Rav Anan. The verse states: “And the ravens [orevim] brought him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening” (I Kings 17:6); and Rav Yehuda said that Rav said: They would bring the meat from the slaughterhouse of Ahab. Clearly, Elijah would not have eaten the meat if Ahab’s slaughter was not valid.

“(But this interpretation is immediately rejected by the Gemara-gg) Since he ate the meat according to the word of God, the case of Elijah is different, and no proof may be cited from there.” (Sefaria.com translation)

The very idea that Elisha would eat meat by an idolater was hard to swallow for the midrash. Of course he would not eat such meat. Then where did the meat come from? “From where did they bring him [it]? From Jehoshaphat's table, because those ravens did not want to enter Ahab's house to take anything from his table for this righteous man. [They would not go there] because his house was full of idolatry. (Midrash Tanchuma, Masei 8:1,Sefaria.com translation )”

Ultimately the Gemara rejects Rav Anan’s position. One may not eat meat slaughtered by a Jew who is a transgressor with regard to idol worship.