Commentary for Avodah Zarah 46:11
וכי תימא ה"נ והאמר רב יהודה אמר שמואל שאלו את ר"א עד היכן כיבוד אב ואם אמר להם צאו וראו מה עשה עובד כוכבים אחד לאביו באשקלון ודמא בן נתינה שמו פעם אחת בקשו ממנו אבנים לאפוד
And were you to say that this is indeed so, surely Rav Judah said in the name of Shmuel: They asked R. Eliezer: To what extent must one go to honor one's father and mother? He answered: Go forth and see how a certain gentile in Ashkelon, Dama the son of Natina was his name, acted. Once they asked him about selling precious stones for the ephod
Daf Shevui to Avodah Zarah
This famous story is brought here as proof that one can buy offerings for the Temple from non-Jews. After all, the sages approached Dama b. Natina asking him to sell them stones for the ephod, the high priest’s breastplate.
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