[Avodah] Mezuzos for Nachriim

[Zev Sero]

On 22/09/2010 3:57 AM, Micha Berger wrote:

> On Tue, Sep 21, 2010 at 03:43:23PM +1000, Zev Sero wrote::
>> Of course there's a major problem with this: it's an open gemara that
>> Rebbi gave a mezuzah to his friend Ardeban.
>
> That was probably the last Parthian King, Artevan IV -- not a friend.

Yes a friend.  Artevan and Antoninus were both close friends of Rebbi.
(AZ 10b/11a)


> In another version (Y-mi Pei'ah 1:1, 15b) has the giver as Rav, not Rebbe.

Y'mi 1:1 (daf 4a) has Rebbi, not Rav.  I can't find anything related
at daf 15b.  In fact, the word "mezuzah" seems to appear only once in
the whole masechta: http://www.mechon-mamre.org/b/r/r12.htm


> Although why Rebbe/Rav, who lived in the Roman colony of EY would be
> sending a gift to the Parthian ruler is a mystery.

Because Artevan sent him a present first, and it's menchlich to
reciprocate.  Especially to one's close friends.


> But this is all just wild speculation on my part. Whatever the reason
> for the gift was, this was to the king of an empire with a large Jewish
> population. Since eivah was already cited as a matir

By whom?


> it could well have been involved here.

Rebbi was surely not afraid that his friend would harm the Jews, whether
he got a present or not.


> In fact, I think the Maharil which is the Rama's
> source uses this very story as his source for saying it's mutar in the
> case of potential eivah.

But the Maharil (as quoted here) *forbade* it, even in the case of eivah.

-- 
Zev Sero                      The trouble with socialism is that you
zev at sero.name                 eventually run out of other people’s money
                                                      - Margaret Thatcher