Commentary for Avodah Zarah 39:5
ומתנת חנם גופה תנאי היא דתניא (דברים יד, כא) לא תאכלו כל נבילה לגר אשר בשעריך תתננה ואכלה או מכור לנכרי אין לי אלא לגר בנתינה ולעובד כוכבים במכירה לגר במכירה מנין תלמוד לומר תתננה או מכור
The giving of free gifts [to idolaters] is itself a matter of dispute between Tannaim, for it has been taught: [The verse], “You shall not eat anything that has died a natural death; give it to the stranger in your community to eat, or you may sell it to a foreigner.” We know only that it may be given away to a stranger or sold to an idolater. How do we know that it may be sold to a stranger? Because Scripture says, “You may give it — or sell it.”
Daf Shevui to Avodah Zarah
This verse refers to what a Jew may do with meat that was not properly slaughtered. According to R. Meir, it may be given or sold either to a “ger”—the stranger, which here probably refers to someone who has accepted upon himself to observe some of the commandments, or to an idolater. But R. Yehudah says it must be given to the stranger, but can only be sold to the idolater. Thus we can see that there is a tannaitic dispute over whether one can give a gift to an idolater—R. Meir permits and R. Judah does not.
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