Talmud Bavli
Talmud Bavli

Commentary for Avodah Zarah 54:6

מעשה בבן דמא בן אחותו של ר' ישמעאל שהכישו נחש ובא יעקב איש כפר סכניא לרפאותו ולא הניחו ר' ישמעאל וא"ל ר' ישמעאל אחי הנח לו וארפא ממנו ואני אביא מקרא מן התורה שהוא מותר ולא הספיק לגמור את הדבר עד שיצתה נשמתו ומת

It once happened that Ben Dama the son of R. Ishmael's sister was bitten by a snake and Jacob, a man of Kefar Sekaniah, came to heal him but R. Ishmael did not let him; whereupon Ben Dama said, “My brother R. Ishmael, let him, so that I may be healed by him. I will even cite a verse from the Torah that he is to be permitted,” but he did not manage to complete his saying, when his soul departed and he died.

Daf Shevui to Avodah Zarah

Most scholars interpret Jacob of Kefar Sekaniah as being a student of Jesus. Jesus was often portrayed as having healing powers. Ben Dama wants to be healed, perhaps by some sort of incantation, which is often the way that Jesus heals. But R. Ishmael does not allow him to do so because of his heresy. This proves that the prohibition of being healed by a non-Jew is absolute.
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