Study Avodah Zarah folio 3B with parallel Hebrew-English text, traditional commentary, and modern study tools. Free access to Babylonian Talmud online.
Text Excerpt
דמשכא להו תקופת תמוז עד חגא, והוי להו צערא. והאמר רבא: מצטער פטור מן הסוכה! נהי דפטור, בעוטי מי מבעטי?
when the season of Tammuz extends until the festival of Sukkot, and in such years sitting in the sukka causes them suffering. The Talmud asks: But doesn’t Rava say that one who suffers in the sukka is exempt from performing the mitzva of sukka, and under these circumstances even a Jew is permitted to leave the sukka? If so, why are the non-Jews criticized for leaving? The Talmud answers: Granted that one is exempt from performing the mitzva and is permitted to leave his sukka, but should one kick it?
מיד, הקדוש ברוך הוא יושב ומשחק עליהן, שנאמר: ״יושב בשמים ישחק וגו׳״. אמר רבי יצחק: אין שחוק לפני הקדוש ברוך הוא אלא אותו היום בלבד.
The Talmud resumes its narration: Immediately, God sits and makes sport of those non-Jews, i.e., He laughs at them, as it is stated: “He that sits in heaven makes sport, YHWH has them in derision” (Psalms 2:4). With regard to this verse, R' Yitzḥak says: There is no making sport for God but on that day alone.
איכא דמתני להא דרבי יצחק אהא, דתניא: רבי יוסי אומר: לעתיד לבא באין אומות העולם ומתגיירין. ומי מקבלינן מינייהו? והתניא: אין מקבלין גרים לימות המשיח, כיוצא בו לא קבלו גרים לא בימי דוד ולא בימי שלמה!
There are those who teach that which R' Yitzḥak subsequently said with regard to this matter, as it is taught in a baraita that R' Yosei says: In the future, the non-Jewish nations will come and convert. The Talmud asks: And do we accept them as converts at that time? But isn’t it taught in another baraita: The court does not accept converts in the days of the Messiah; similarly, they did not accept converts either in the days of David or in the days of Solomon, due to a concern that these people wanted to convert for ulterior motives, because the Jewish people were mighty and respected?