Commentary for Avodah Zarah 72:19
דא"ר זירא צער גדול היה לי אצל ר' אסי ור' אסי אצל ר' יוחנן ור' יוחנן אצל ר' ינאי ור' ינאי אצל רבי נתן בן עמרם ור"נ בן עמרם אצל רבי תינוק עובד כוכבים מאימתי מטמא בזיבה ואמר לי בן יומו וכשבאתי אצל ר' חייא אמר לי בן ט' שנים ויום אחד
For R. Zera said: I experienced great trouble with R. Assi, and R. Assi with R. Yohanan, and R. Yohanan with R. Yannai, and R. Yannai with R. Nathan b. Amram, and R. Nathan b. Amram with Rabbi over this question: From what age does a non-Jewish child cause defilement as if he had genital discharge? He replied to me: From a day old; but when I came to R. Hiyya, he told me: From the age of nine years and one day.
Daf Shevui to Avodah Zarah
There was some debate among the rabbis whether a non-Jewish child gets this status immediately upon birth, or whether it happens later, when he is 9 years old, the age at which the rabbis believe a boy is physically capable of having sex (i.e. maintaining an erection). The decision was the latter.
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