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AVODAH ZARAH 20

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(a) We just cited Rebbi Yossi b'Rebbi Chanina's D'rashah from the Pasuk in Va'eschanan "Lo Sechanem". We also learn from the same Pasuk "Lo Siten lahem Chein", which means - that one should not ascribe 'Chein' to a Nochri by praising his looks.
(b) Rebbi Yossi b'Rebbi Chanina is able to Darshen the way he does, because had the Torah meant to teach us only the latter D'rashah, it ought to have read - "Lo Sechonem" (with a 'Cholam' as the vowel [as in 'Atah Chonen le'Adam Da'as']).
(c) The simple reading of the word would be "Lo Sechinem" (Do not give them a free gift). We nevertheless know that the Torah also means to incorporate the other two D'rashos - by virtue of the fact that it omits a 'Yud' (which would have precluded them).
(d) We know that the three above explanations are all correct - because we have a Beraisa which cites them.

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(a) In the Pasuk in Re'ei (in connection with Neveilah) "la'Ger asher bi'She'arecha Titnenah ... O Machor le'Nochri"), what does the word "la'Ger" refers to - a Ger Toshav, who observes his seven Mitzvos but who continues to eat Neveilah.
(b) The basis for giving him precedence over a regular Nochri is - the Pasuk in B'har, which obligates us to sustain him.
(c) Rebbi Meir, in a Beraisa, learns from the juxtaposition of "Titnenah" to ...
1. ... "O Machor" - that one may also sell Neveilah to a Ger.
2. ... "va'Achalah" to "O Machor la'Nochri" - that one may also give it to a Nochri.
(d) Had the Torah meant precisely what it wrote - it ought to have written "Titnenah va'Achalahinverted la'Ger ... O Machor le'Nochri".

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(a) According to Rebbi Yehudah - one either gives Neveilah to a Ger or sells it to a Nochri ('Devarim ki'Shesavan').
(b) According to him, had the Torah meant to include giving to a Nochri and selling to a Ger it ought to written - "Titnenah va'Achalah u'Machor le'Nochri" (with a 'Vav', rather that "O").
(c) Rebbi Meir counters that - the Torah needs to write "O", to give precedence to giving to a Ger before selling to a Nochri.
(d) Rebbi Yehudah find this unnecessary however - because, seeing as it is a Mitzvah to sustain a Ger Toshav, it goes without saying that his needs take precedence over those of a Nochri (even though it means a loss for the owner).
(e) We prove from this Beraisa - that the D'rashah from "ve'Lo Sechinem" (not to give a Nochri a free gift) is a Machlokes Tana'im (since Rebbi Meir permits it).

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(a) When Raban Shimon ben Gamliel once saw a beautiful woman whilst standing on one of the steps of the Har ha'Bayis, he declared - "Mah Rabu Ma'asechah Hash-m!"
(b) When Rebbi Akiva saw the wife of Turnusrufus - he spat, laughed and cried.
(c) He spat, as he recalled that she was formed from a putrid drop (negating any negative thoughts that might have otherwise have entered his mind), laughed (because he foresaw that he he would later marry her) and cried (at the thought that such beauty would eventually wither in the dust).

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(a) Rav - forbade appraising the beauty of a Nochri woman (like we Darshened earlier about Nochrim in general).
(b) We reconcile this with the two above episodes - by differentiating between appraising their beauty per se (which is forbidden) and doing it in order to praise the G-d who created them (which is an obligation).
(c) Upon seeing beautiful creatures - one should recite the B'rachah 'Baruch she'Kachah Lo be'Olamo'.
(d) Based on the Pasuk in Ki Seitzei "Ve'nishmarta mi'Kol Davar Ra" (which incorporates the prohibition of looking at beautiful women [and even ugly women, if they are married]), the problem we have with the two above episodes is - how the Tana'im could look at the women concerned in the first place.
(e) We answer - that the women appeared from around the corner, and they came into view before the Ta'naim had a chance to turn away.

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(a) Based on the same Pasuk, Chazal also forbid looking at the colored clothes of a woman - because it will remind one of the wearer, whose looks are enhanced by them.
(b) They include in the same prohibition (all of these even if one was covered with eyes like the Mal'ach ha'Ma'ves [see Iyun Ya'akov]) - watching animals, beast and birds breeding (all of these even if one was covered with eyes like the Mal'ach ha'Ma'ves [see Iyun Ya'akov]).
(c) When a person is on his deathbed, the Mal'ach ha'Ma'ves (who is full of eyes) - is standing at the head of his bed, holding a drawn sword (with a drop of poison on the tip).
(d) When the dying man sees him - he shudders and opens his mouth, upon which the Mal'ach ha'Ma'ves tosses in the poison.
(e) The Mal'ach ha'Ma'ves' poison has the triple effect - of killing the person, causing his body to become putrid and his face to turn yellow.

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(a) Rav Yehudah Amar Shmuel - forbids looking at the colored clothes of a woman even when they are hanging on the wall (or on the washing-line).
(b) Rav Papa restricts this prohibition to where one actually knows the owner of the clothes. Rava proves this from the Lashon of the Beraisa 've'Lo be'Bigdei Tzeva shel Ishah' - since the Tana ought otherwise to have written - 've'Lo be'Vigdei Tziv'onin' (which are only worn by women).

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(a) Rav Chisda also permits looking at a woman's new clothes that she has not worn before. Even if she has however - he confines the prohibition to colored clothes which are particularly pretty and less common, but precludes plain, white ones.
(b) We refute Rav Chisda's proof from a tailor who fixes women's dresses (and who is bound to look at the article of clothing that he is repairing) - on the grounds that a tailor is different, inasmuch as he is too immersed in his work to be concerned with other thoughts.
(c) And we support this with a statement of Rav Yehudah - who permits an animal farmer to positively assist two animals to breed, even though he needs to watch what he is doing ...
(d) ... because he is involved in his work, and is too busy to become involved in forbidden thoughts.

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(a) The Mal'ach ha'Ma'ves told Shmuel's father - that were it not for the aspect of human dignity, he would slit the dying person's throat like one does to an animal.
(b) We reconcile this statement with what we just learned (that it is the Mal'ach ha'Ma'ves poison that kills a person - by attributing what he told Shmuel's father he would do to the drop of poison on his sword (and not to the sword itself).
(c) The Beraisa which attributes the putrid smell of a corpse to the drop of poison from the Mal'ach ha'Ma'ves' sword, supports a statement by Rebbi Chanina bar Kahana, who advises someone who wants to prevent his dead relative's corpse from smelling - to turn him face downwards after his death (to enable the poison to run from his mouth).
(d) The Beraisa learns from the Pasuk "Ve'nishmarta mi'Kol Davar Ra" (that we quoted earlier) and that of "Ki Yih'yeh b'cha Ish asher Lo Yih'yeh Tahor Mikreh Laylah" - that to avoid becoming Tamei by night, one should not think unclean thoughts by day.

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(a) Rebbi Pinchas ben Ya'ir in a Beraisa learns from here the chain of Midos that serves as the basis of the Seifer 'Mesilas Yesharim'. Torah he says, leads to Zehirus, which in turn, leads to Zerizus. 'Torah' means - both Torah-study per se, and a deeper understanding of the Mitzvos.
(b) Zehirus is the ability to overcome the urge to sin when the temptation arises - whereas Zerizus refers to the ability to foresee the impending temptation and to avoid it by avoiding the circumstances that lead up to it.
(c) Zerizus leads to Neki'us ... Perishus ... Taharah. Neki'us means clean of sin ...
1. ... Perishus - going 'Lif'nim mi'Shuras ha'Din' (beyond the letter of the law), and ...
2. ... Taharah' - a more refined level of 'Lif'nim mi'Shuras ha'Din'.
(d) Taharah leads to Kedushah - which leads to Anavah (humility), and Anavah to Yir'as Chet (fear of sin).

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(a) Yir'as Chet leads to 'Chasidus (piety).
(b) Chasidus leads to Ru'ach ha'Kodesh, and Ru'ach ha'Kodesh - to Techi'as ha'Meisim (the ability to revive the dead).
(c) Rebbi Pinchas ben Ya'ir learns from the Pasuk in Tehilim "Az Dibarta be'Chazon la'Chasidecha" - that the highest level of attainment (that leads to Ru'ach ha'Kodesh) is Chasidus, as he explained.
(d) Rebbi Yehoshua ben Levi disagrees. In his opinion, the Pasuk Pasuk in Yeshayah "Ru'ach Hash-m Elokim Alai, Ya'an Mashach Hash-m Osi le'Basar Anavim" - teaches us that the highest level of attainment (that leads to Ru'ach ha'Kodesh) is - Anavah.

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(a) Rebbi Yehudah permits selling to a Nochri a tree, Shachas (fodder or unripe crops) and standing corn, provided that the latter undertakes to cut them down. Rebbi Meir - forbids it.
(b) Having presented the Machlokes in the case of ...
1. ... a tree, the Tana nevertheless finds it necessary to repeat it in the case of ripe standing corn - which the purchaser is in any event unlikely to leave in the ground for long, because, unlike a tree, it tends to deteriorate if left in the ground for too long. Consequently, we might have otherwise thought that Rebbi Meir will concede to Rebbi Yehudah there.
2. ... a tree and standing corn, he still needs to repeat it in the case of Shachas, where we might have thought that Rebbi Yehudah will concede to Rebbi Meir - because, unlike the other two (whose improvement is non-existent in the one case [as we explained] or not distinctly visible, in the other), Shachas visibly improves if it is left in the ground.
3. ... Shachas, he needs to repeat it in the case of the other two - because, by reverse logic, we might otherwise have thought that Rebbi Meir will agree with Rebbi Yehudah there.
(c) We ask whether Rebbi Yehudah's leniency extends to selling the Nochri an animal on condition that he agrees to Shecht it, or perhaps not - because, as opposed to the crops which are growing in somebody else's ground, the animal belongs entirely to him, good reason to suspect that he will not abide by his condition.
(d) We resolve the latter She'eilah from a Beraisa - where Rebbi Yehudah specifically permits selling a Nochri an animal on condition that he Shechts it.

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