Commentary for Avodah Zarah 42:4
אבל שדהו לעובד כוכבים מאי שרי מאי טעמא אריסא אריסותיה קעביד מרחץ נמי אמרי אריסא אריסותיה קעביד אריסא דמרחץ לא עבדי אנשי
But renting a field to a non-Jew is permitted! What is the reason? Because people will say that he is merely a tenant working for his tenancy. With regard to a bath-house people will also say that he is working for his tenancy? People do not generally rent a bath-house on terms for tenancy.
Daf Shevui to Avodah Zarah
A Jew is allowed to rent, at least outside of Israel, a field to a non-Jew, even though non-Jews will certainly work there on Shabbat. Why are we not concerned lest people think that non-Jews are working for Jews on Shabbat? The answer is that people will think that he is a tenant—someone working for a share of the crops. It is permitted to have such an arrangement.
But then why not say the same thing about the bath-house—people will think that the non-Jew has a tenant relationship with the Jew, and works the bath-house for a share of the profits? The answer is that such business relationships are not typical for bath-houses.
But then why not say the same thing about the bath-house—people will think that the non-Jew has a tenant relationship with the Jew, and works the bath-house for a share of the profits? The answer is that such business relationships are not typical for bath-houses.
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