174. Idolatrous Midwives and Wet-Nurses

Avodas Kochavim 9:16

A Jewish woman may not nurse the child of an idolator because doing helps to raise an idolator. She should not serve as a midwife for an idolator but she may do so for a fee in order to avoid animosity. A Jewish woman may engage an idolator to serve as a midwife and to nurse her child but only in a Jew’s home, since idolators are suspected of murder.

Avodas Kochavim 9:17

It is forbidden to do business with idolators who are on the way to the places of their idolatry but it is permitted to do business with them on the way back. This applies when they are not traveling in a caravan; if they are traveling in a caravan, they might change their minds and go back again.

If a Jew is traveling to a place of idolatry, one may do business with him on the way there since he may change his mind; it is prohibited to do business with him on his way back. One may not engage in business with an apostate Jew, neither on his way to an idol nor on his way back.