Talmud Bavli
Talmud Bavli

Tosefta for Avodah Zarah 108:13

אמרו להן א"כ יאבד דבר שאין צורך לעולם בו ויניח דבר שצורך העולם בו אמרו להן אף אנו מחזיקין ידי עובדיהן של אלו שאומרים תדעו שהן אלוהות שהרי הן לא בטלו:

They said [to the elders], “If so, he should destroy what is unnecessary for the world and leave what is necessary for the world!” They replied, “[If he did that], we should merely be strengthening the hands of the worshippers of these, because they would say, “know that these are deities, for behold they have not been abolished!”

Tosefta Terumot

But orlah and diverse crops (kilayim) of the vineyard (see Orl. 3:7) are [treated] the same for Gentiles in the Land of Israel, in Syria, and outside the Land (cf. Avodah Zarah 54b:6). But Rabbi Yehudah says, the [laws of] the fourth-year vineyard do not [apply to] a Gentile in Syria. And the Sages say, they do apply (Ter. 3:9). Said Rabbi Yehudah, it so happened with S'gabion (שְׂגַבְיוֹן not שביון) the head of the synagogue of Achziv, that he had purchased from a Gentile a fourth[-year vineyard] in Syria and had paid [the Gentile] money for it. And he came and asked Rabban Gamaliel, who had been passing from place to place [about whether such a vineyard is liable]. And [Rabbi Gamaliel] said to him, "Wait until [this situation] becomes [the subject of] halachah" (i.e., Rabban Gamaliel did not know the answer). They [the Sages] said to him [Rabbi Yehudah], "This is no proof [that such a vineyard is not liable]. Not only that, but [Rabban Gamaliel later] sent him [S'gabion] in the hand of a deaf-mute messenger (alt., "a secret message," see Lieberman), [stating,] 'What you did, you did, but do not teach [others] to do so.'"
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