Commentary for Avodah Zarah 126:12
יתיב רב נחמן ועולא ואבימי בר פפי ויתיב רבי חייא בר אמי גבייהו ויתבי וקא מיבעיא להו שכרו לשבור ביין נסך מהו מי אמרינן כיון דרוצה בקיומו אסור או דלמא כל למעוטי תיפלה שפיר דמי
Nahman, Ulla and Avimi b. Papi were sitting together and R. Hiyya b. Ammi sat with them. As they were sitting the question was asked: What is the rule if [a Jew] was hired to break [a jug of] yayin nesekh? Do we say that since his wish is the preservation [of the cask] it is prohibited, or perhaps any case where improper things are wasted is okay?
Daf Shevui to Avodah Zarah
The Jew is hired to break the jugs, which would end in the destruction of the wine inside. But until that point, he wants the jugs to continue to exist. Are his wages prohibited because he does want the caskets to continue to exist at least until he breaks them? Or are they permitted because ultimately he is causing the wine’s destruction? Nahman allows the Jew to do this work.
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