Commentary for Avodah Zarah 55:5
ת"ש רבי יוחנן חש בצפדינא אזל לגבה דההיא מטרוניתא עבדה חמשא ומעלי שבתא א"ל למחר מאי אמרה ליה לא צריכת אי צריכנא מאי אמרה אשתבע לי דלא מגלית אישתבע לה לאלהא ישראל לא מגלינא גלייה ליה למחר נפק דרשה בפירקא
Then come and hear this: R. Yohanan was troubled with scurvy [on his gums] and he went to a certain [non-Jewish] lady. She attended to him on Thursday and the Friday. He said: What about tomorrow? She replied: You will not need [the treatment]. But what if I do need it? he asked. She replied: Swear to me that you will not reveal [the remedy]. He said: I swear, to the God of Israel I will not reveal it. She revealed it to him. The next day he went out and expounded on it in his public lecture.
Daf Shevui to Avodah Zarah
In this strange vignette, R. Yohanan goes to a female non-Jewish doctor. She heals him but he wonders what he will do on Shabbat. Rashi explains that he can’t come to her on Shabbat because he will be busy teaching. In any case, the story seems to prove that one can heal gum sores on Shabbat.
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