תּוספֿתּא אויף יהושע 1:8

One may not go to a [idolatrous] market-place that is in a village or in any of the surrounding cities because it looks like he is going to the market-places in those cities. These are the words of R. Meir. The sages say, "Only that village is forbidden. A market-place that is inside of a village is forbidden. If it is outside of the village, it is permitted. As for the nobility [?] of a village, it is forbidden to deal with them outside the village, but it is permitted inside the village. The shops that are crowned at each place are forbidden. If a man is in a caravan going from place to place and enters a village in which there is a market-place, let him not worry because it looks like he goes into an market-place. A market-place that was given by the kingdom, the state, or by the elite of the state are permitted. Only the market-place of idolaters is forbidden. One may go to an idolatrous marketplace and receive medical treatment so long as the treatment is for money(?) and not for life(?). One may not take from them houses, fields, vineyards, animals, slaves, or maidservants because it is as though one is rescuing from his hand. And he writes and deposits [a deed] in an archive. A priest contracts impurity to give testimony outside Eretz Yisrael. Just as he contracts impurity from outside Eretz Yisrael, so too he contracts uncleanness in a graveyard. And he contracts uncleanness [in order] to study Torah or to marry a woman. Rabbi Yehuda says, If he has someone with whom to study, he should not contract uncleanness, but if not, he should. Rabbi Yosei says, even if he has someone with whom to study, he should contract uncleanness for it is not from any man that a person should merit to learn, but with the person who can give that merit to him. They said about Yosef haKohein that he should contract impurity and go out [to study with[ Rabbi Yosei in Tzidon. A priest should not go ab road even to marry a woman unless they assured him. Merchants who moved up the time of a yarid or pushed it back, it is permitted. It is only forbidden at the time of the yarid alone. Four [instances of the word] “dust” are [used] figuratively [meaning “something akin to” or “a shade of”]: “the dust of usury,” “the dust of the seventh year,” “the dust of idolatry,” and “the dust of lashon hara.” The dust of usury: a man should not do business in a loan of his fellow. The dust of the seventh year: A man should not do business with an idolator in (idolatrous) fruit because of the shade of [that is, it is akin to, produce of] the seventh year. The dust of idolatry: One should not do business with an idol worshipper on the day of his festival because of the dust [or because it is akin to] of idolatry. The dust of lashon hara: One should not do business in as a favor to his fellow because of the shade of [it is akin to] lashon hara. Jews who are going to a yarid are permitted to do business with them, and on their return it is prohibited because they engaged in idolatry, but as for an idolator, it is permitted whether he is going or coming back. Idolators who are going to their debauchery, it is prohibited to do business with them but on their return it is permitted, because it is like idolatry and they have abandoned its worship. A Jew, whether going or coming, is prohibited. A Jew should not travel in a caravan to a debauchery even to go out and even to to before it and even to be there when it gets dark and even though one is fearful because of idolators or brigands or evil spirits, as it says, “you shall not go after other gods” (Deut 6:14). Rabbi Eliezer the son of Rabbi Yosei haGalili says, if you see a righteous person who is going out on a journey and you are planning on making the same journey, you should move your trip three days earlier or later to travel with him, as he is accompanied by ministering angels, as it says, “For he will command his angels to keep you in all your ways” (Ps 91:11). And if you see an evil person going out on a journey and you want to make the same journey, you should move your trip even three days earlier or later so as not to accompany him, because adversary angels accompany him, as it says, “Appoint a wicked man against him, let an accuser stand at his right hand” (Ps 106:6). Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar says, if young people say to you “build the temple!” do not listen to them. And if old people tell you, “destroy the temple!” listen to them, for the building of youths is destruction and the destruction of the old is building. Proof of the matter is Rehoboam the son of Shlomo. They asked Rabbi Yehoshua, what [is the law] of a man teaching his son a book in Greek? He said to them, Let him teach [it] at an hour which is not day or night, as it says, “And you will meditate in it day and night” (Josh 1:8).

Rabbi Yosei says, it would have been befitting for the Torah to have been given through Ezra had Moses not preceded him. It is said of Moses "aliyah" ("ascending") and it is said of Ezra "aliyah." It is said of Moses "aliyah" (Ex. 19:3): "And Moses ascended (alah) to God." It is said of Ezra "aliyah" (Ezra 7:6): "He, Ezra, ascended (alah) from Babylon." What is the "aliyah" that is mentioned? As to Moses, he taught Torah to Israel, as it is said (Deut. 4:14), "And God commanded me at that time to teach you [laws and statutes, to perform them in the Land into which you are crossing to take possession]." As to Ezra, he taught Torah to Israel, as it is is said (Ezra 7:10), "For Ezra prepared his heart to seek out the Torah of God, and to perform it, and to teach Israel the laws and the statutes." But even he was given the authority [to implement] the script and the language [of Scripture, as it is said (Ezra 4:7), "And he wrote a letter written in Aramaic [script] and interpreted (or 'translated') in Aramaic." [This means that] just as it was interpreted in Aramaic, so too it was written in Aramaic. And it says (Dan. 5:8), "And they could not read the writing, etc." It teaches that on that very same day it was given. And it says (Deut. 17:18), "And he is to write for himself a copy of this Torah (or 'teaching')." [This refers to] the Torah of the future, which would change [in script and language]. And why is the name [of the script] referred to as "Assyrian"? Because it ascended with them from Assyria. Rebbi says, with Assyrian script the Torah was [originally] given to Israel, but once they sinned, its language was changed for them, but once they returned in the days of Ezra, Assyrian was returned to them, as it is said (Zech. 9:12), "Return to Bizzaron, etc." Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar says in the name of Rabbi Elazar ben Parta, who said in the name of Rabbi Elazar of Modiin, with this script the Torah was given to Israel, as it is said (Ex. 38:17), "The hooks (vavei) of the columns." The vavei (i.e., the letter "vav"): That they looked like columns. And it says (Esther 8:9), "And to the Jews in their own script and their own language." What is "their own language" -- in this language. Why then is its name called Assyrian ("ashuri")? Because its writing is beautiful ("m'oshar"). If so, why is it said (Deut. 17:18), "And he is to write for himself a copy of this Torah"? It teaches that [the king] writes two Torahs for himself: One that comes in and goes out with him, and one that he brings to rest inside the Temple. The one that comes in and goes out with him -- he may not bring it to a thermal bath or to a bathhouse, as it is said (Deut. 17:19), "It shall be with him, and he shall read from it, all the days of his life, etc." [This indicates] in a place that is fitting to read, in which he is only occupied with the needs of the public. [If regarding the king] it says, "It shall be with him, and he shall read with it, all the days of his life" -- then how much more so for other men! And similarly (Deut. 34:9), "Joshua ben Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, for Moses leaned his hands on him, etc." And so too it says (Ex. 33:11), "And Joshua ben Nun the lad," and so too it says (Josh. 1:8), "Do not let this Sefer Torah depart from your mouth, but speak of it day and night." These things are a kal v'chomer: If as to Joshua ben Nun, who was occupied with the conquest of the Land and is about to divide the land among [the tribes of] Israel, it is said "Do not let [it] depart, etc.," then how the much more so for other men!