V. And even though the worker [may have] completed [working with]
his tools prior to [commencement of] his [the Gentile’s] holy day,
W. he may not transport them on the day of his holy day,
X. because he [the Israelite] gladdens him [the Gentile on his holy day].
Tosefta Avodah Zarah1:1 thus functions as a commentary on m. Avodah
Zarah1:1–2.Tosefta1:2 and 1:3 complement and supplement, respectively,
the Mishnaic passage, introducing matters related to (but also extensive of)
the agenda set by the Mishnahitself. The Tosefta’s penchant for precisely
ramifying Mishnaic law by proffering a greater degree of differentiation of
social circumstances is clearly evident in t. Avodah Zarah1:1, 1:2, and the first
statement of 1:3. To rehearse what the Mishnahdoes,m. Avodah Zarahcon-
siders the implications of the overlap between two socially differentiated
spheres: commercial enterprise (in which social interaction with Gentiles
is normally permitted) and cultic celebration of Gentile holy days (in which
interaction with Gentiles is normally forbidden). The Mishnahlists and
permutes circumstances dealing with definitional issues: What amounts to
commercial activity? What counts as a Gentile holy day?
Tosefta Avodah Zarah1:1 addresses, but also moves beyond, mere ram-
ification of Mishnah’s definitional questions. One standard rhetorical for-
mula, which indicates that the Toseftais about to engage in an exercise of
social differentiation beyond that contemplated by the Mishnah,is the stock
question, “With respect to what are these things stated (íéøåîà íéøáã
äîá)?” After introducing an entirely new socially differentiated category
att. Avodah Zarah1:1A (namely, the territorial distinction between the Dias-
pora and the home territory of the land of Israel), the Toseftamoves on to
distinguish two subcategories of Gentile holy days: calendrical (public)
holy days, and those which are not calendrical. Within the category of the
commercial sphere, Toseftafurther distinguishes financially risk-laden com-
mercial activity and that which is not (or less) risk-laden.
Tosefta Avodah Zarah1:2 (including the first complete sentence of 1:3)
further differentiates the social map, adding the following categories
involved in mapping out the situation: play, commiserative or other more
intimate social interaction (versus the rather more episodic commercial
interaction); and the civil-private sphere (versus the civil-public sphere).
The remainder of t. Avodah Zarah1:3 supplements the Mishnah’s agenda by
introducing quite another category of economic activity: contract work. In
this context, t. Avodah Zarahdistinguishes the Israelite private sphere from
the Gentile private sphere (as opposed to the distinction between public and
private); real versus immovable property; and long-term contract work
versus short-term day labour.
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