Tosefta for Avodah Zarah 1:2

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).

The rule is the same for idolators and for Samaritans. One may entrust to them shorn fields, harvested grain, and cut trees. Rabbi Yehuda says, low growth for shearing on the condition that he will shear it, grain to harvest on condition that he will harvest it, trees for cutting on the condition of cutting them. He who visits gentile camps (s’rat’ya’ot), it is prohibited, because of idolatry according to Rabbi Meir, but the Sages say, in a time when they are [actually] making offerings to idols it is prohibited because of idolatry but if they are not making offerings to idols it is prohibited because of “a session of scorners” (Ps 1:1). The one who goes theater and sees the snakes and the members of the muleteers in the saeculares, the saeculare is prohibited because of “a session of scorners” as it says, “And in a session of scorners he did not sit” (Ps 1:1), you learn that these bring a man to neglect studying Torah. The one who visits the theater of the idolators, if he cries out because someone is in need, he is permitted, but if he does it in alliance [with the Romans] it is prohibited. The one who sits in the theater, this is one who sheds blood. Rabbi Natan permits because of two things: because of crying and saving a life and testifying for a woman that would remarry. One may go to the theater in order to cry out and save the life or a camp of besiegers because of the welfare of the town, but if he is counted among them, it is forbidden.