[Avodah] Mezuzos for Nachriim

[Zev Sero]

Either way it's not possible that Rebbi sent the mezuzah to Artevan
to prevent eivah.  Artevan did not request a mezuzah, and was taken
aback when he received it.  If there were a worry about eivah, then
sending it would have been foolhardy; who was to say that he'd bother
to ask Rebbi for an explanation, rather than immediately jumping to
the conclusion that he'd been disrespected, and even if he were sure
to ask, who was to say that he'd accept the answer?  Surely it would
have been far easier and more appropriate for Rebbi to have sent him
a normal, expensive gift, which he could well afford since he was
noted for his wealth, and which would be far more likely to generate
goodwill for the Jews in Ardevan's kingom.  It's therefore clear that
Rebbi expected only a good response to his gift, albeit a puzzled one.

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