Commentary for Avodah Zarah 51:12
ורמינהו יהודית מילדת עובדת כוכבים בשכר אבל לא בחנם אמר רב יוסף בשכר שרי משום איבה
The following was cited in contradiction: A Jewish woman may act as midwife for a non-Jewish woman for payment but not for free. R. Yoseph said: Payment is permitted to prevent enmity.
Daf Shevui to Avodah Zarah
The baraita cited here allows a Jew to act as a midwife for a non-Jew, as long as she is paid for her services. This seems to contradict the mishnah categorically prohibits a Jewish woman for acting as a midwife.
R. Yoseph solves the difficulty by claiming that this was permitted to prevent enmity. In other words, in principle it should be prohibited, but it is permitted because such a law would create enmity between Jews and non-Jews.
R. Yoseph solves the difficulty by claiming that this was permitted to prevent enmity. In other words, in principle it should be prohibited, but it is permitted because such a law would create enmity between Jews and non-Jews.
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