Study Shabbat folio 83A with parallel Hebrew-English text, traditional commentary, and modern study tools. Free access to Babylonian Talmud online.
And according to the opinion of R' Akiva, with regard to what halakha was idolatry juxtaposed to a menstruating woman? If it was to teach the halakha of impurity imparted by carrying, let it be juxtaposed to an animal carcass and not to a menstruating woman and creeping animals. The Talmud answers
The Talmud now clarifies the explanations of Rabba and R' Elazar in light of other sources. The Talmud raises an objection from that which was taught in a baraita: The ritual impurity of idolatry is like that of a creeping animal, and the ritual impurity of its accessories is like that of a creeping
The Talmud raises an objection from what we learned: A non-Jew man and a non-Jew woman, with regard to whom the Rabbis issued a decree that they transmit impurity like a zav, idolatry and its accessories, all transmit impurity. They transmit impurity, and not their movement, i.e., they do not tra
Rather, Rabba explains and adds to the baraita in accordance with his reasoning: A non-Jew man and a non-Jew woman transmit impurity, they and their movement and their very heavy stone. And idolatry transmits impurity, it and its movement but not its very heavy stone. R' Akiva says: Idolatry transm
Rav Ashi strongly objects to this explanation: According to this explanation, what is the meaning of the word they in the context of this baraita? It would have been sufficient to say that their movement transmits impurity. The fact that the non-Jews themselves are ritually impure is obvious. Appare