Study Makkot folio 22A with parallel Hebrew-English text, traditional commentary, and modern study tools. Free access to Babylonian Talmud online.
Text Excerpt
משום הבערה. ואם איתא, משום הבערה לא מחייב, דהא איחייב ליה משום בשולו! אפיק הבערה ועייל גיד הנשה של נבילה.
for violating the prohibition of kindling a fire on a Festival. And if it is so, that there is no division of labors on a Festival, he is not liable for violating the prohibition of kindling a fire, as he is already liable for violating the prohibition of cooking the sciatic nerve on a Festival. Rava said: Remove kindling from the list of 5 prohibitions for which he is flogged, as he is not liable for violating that prohibition, and insert the prohibition of eating the sciatic nerve of an unslaughtered animal carcass.
והתני רבי חייא: לוקה שתים על אכילתו ושלש על בשולו. ואי איתא, שלש על אכילתו הוא חייב! אלא: אפיק הבערה ועייל עצי אשירה, ואזהרתיה מהכא: ״ולא ידבק בידך וגו׳״.
The Talmud asks: But didn’t R' Ḥiyya teach a baraita that summarizes the prohibitions listed in this Mishnah: One is flogged with two sets of lashes for his eating and 3 sets of lashes for his cooking? And if it is so, that the prohibition of kindling a fire is replaced with the prohibition of eating the sciatic nerve of an unslaughtered animal carcass, he is liable to receive 3 sets of lashes for his eating; for eating a sciatic nerve, for eating meat cooked in milk, and for eating an unslaughtered animal carcass. Rather, say: Remove kindling from the list of prohibitions, and insert the prohibition of using wood of a tree worshipped as part of idolatrous rites [ashera], whose prohibition is derived from here: “And nothing of the dedicated item should cleave to your hand” (Deuteronomy 13:18), indicating that it is forbidden to derive benefit from accoutrements of idol worship.
אמר ליה רב אחא בריה דרבא לרב אשי: ולילקי נמי משום ״לא תביא תועבה אל ביתך״! אלא: הכא במאי עסקינן – כגון שבישלו בעצי הקדש, ואזהרתיה מהכא: ״ואשריהם תשרפון באש... לא תעשון כן לה׳ אלהיכם״.
Rav Aḥa, son of Rava, said to Rav Ashi: If the reference is to the wood of an ashera, let him also be flogged for violating the prohibition: “You should not bring an abomination into your house” (Deuteronomy 7:26), in addition to the other prohibitions enumerated. Rather, say: What are we dealing with here? We are dealing with a case where one cooked the sciatic nerve with wood consecrated for use in the Temple, whose warning, the source of its prohibition, is from here: “And their asherim you should burn in fire…you should not do so to YHWH your God” (Deuteronomy 12:3–4), indicating that one who destroys a consecrated item violates a prohibition.