Commentary for Avodah Zarah 41:1
משכירין להם בתים אבל לא שדות ובחו"ל מוכרין להם בתים ומשכירין שדות דברי רבי מאיר רבי יוסי אומר בארץ ישראל משכירין להם בתים אבל לא שדות ובסוריא מוכרין בתים ומשכירין שדות ובחוץ לארץ מוכרין אלו ואלו
Outside of the land of Israel, houses may be sold and fields let to them, these are the words of Rabbi Meir. Rabbi Yose says: in the land of Israel, one may let to them houses but not fields; In Syria, we may sell them houses and let fields; Outside of the land of Israel, both may be sold.
Daf Shevui to Avodah Zarah
In all of these cases, Rabbi Yose is slightly more lenient. Inside of Israel he allows the renting of houses, but not fields. In Syria he allows the sale of houses and the renting of fields and outside of the land, both may be sold. Note that he is still consistent in that the rules are stricter with fields than with houses. The major difference is that he does not rule more strictly in cases that should be permitted (such as selling fields outside of the land) but were forbidden by Rabbi Meir lest one come to sell something that really should not be sold.
Ask RabbiBookmarkShareCopy