Study Avodah Zarah folio 69B with parallel Hebrew-English text, traditional commentary, and modern study tools. Free access to Babylonian Talmud online.
It is a case where he came to them in a roundabout way, such that they would not know from where he might appear, and they would be afraid to tamper with the goods because he might catch them in the act. The Talmud objects: If that is so, this can apply to the latter clause also. The Talmud answe
§ The Mishnah teaches similar cases, including the case of one who left a non-Jew in his shop, and the case of one who placed his wine in a wagon or on a ship. The Talmud explains: And it is necessary for the Mishnah to cite all these cases, even though they appear similar, as, had the Mishnah tau
And had the Mishnah taught only the case where the Jew placed his wine in a wagon or on a ship, one might assume that the concern there is because the non-Jew thinks: Perhaps he will come on a different road or stand on the bank of the river and see me. But in the case of a non-Jew in his shop, on
§ There is a dispute in the Mishnah with regard to the length of time that causes the wine to be rendered forbidden if the owner notified the non-Jew that he is going off some distance. Rabba bar bar Ḥana says that R' Yoḥanan says: The dispute is only with regard to the case of a stopper made of li
The Talmud raises an objection to this explanation of the dispute from a baraita: Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel said to the Rabbis: But isn’t the sealing of the hole noticeable both from above and from below, and therefore the non-Jew will be wary of doing so?