Avodah Zarah, Daf Ayin Daled, Part 3

 

Introduction

This mishnah returns to the discussion of yayin nesekh that falls into a larger quantity of permitted wine.

 

מתני׳ יין נסך שנפל לבור כולו אסור בהנאה רשב"ג אומר ימכר כולו לעובד כוכבים חוץ מדמי יי"נ שבו:

 

If yen nesekh fell into a vat, the whole of it is prohibited for use.

Rabban Shimon ben Gamaliel says: the whole of it may be sold to non-Jews with the exception of [a quantity corresponding to] the value of the yen nesekh in it.

 

This mishnah contains a dispute between Rabban Shimon ben Gamaliel and the anonymous mishnah with regards to the prohibition of a mixture of yen nesekh and permitted wine. According to the first section in the mishnah it is forbidden to derive any benefit from even a mixture of yen nesekh and other wine. In essence, the wine must be thrown away. According to Rabban Shimon ben Gamaliel, the Jew may remove a quantity of wine from the mixture that corresponds to the quantity of yen nesekh which fell in, and the rest he may sell to a non-Jew. In this way he is not deriving any financial benefit from yen nesekh.

 

גמ׳ אמר רב הלכה כרשב"ג חבית בחביות אבל לא יין ביין ושמואל אמר אפי’ יין ביין

וכן אמר רבב"ח א"ר יוחנן אפי’ יין ביין וכן א"ר שמואל בר נתן א"ר חנינא אפי’ יין ביין וכן א"ר נחמן אמר רבה בר אבוה אפי’ יין ביין

 

GEMARA. Rav said: The halakhah accords with R. Shimon b. Gamaliel when a cask [of yayin nesekh] has been mixed with other casks, but not when wine is mixed with other wine. And Shmuel said: Even when it is wine mixed with wine.

Similarly Rabbah b. Bar Hanah said in the name of R. Yohanan: Even when it is wine mixed with wine.

Similarly R. Shmuel b. Nathan said in the name of R. Hanina: Even when it is wine mixed with wine.

Similarly R. Nahman said in the name of Rabbah b. Abbuha: Even when it is wine mixed with wine.

 

According to Rav, the halakhah follows R. Shimon b. Gamaliel s more lenient opinion only when casks of yayin nesekh get mixed up. But if wine falls into other wine, it is all strictly prohibited. But all other amoraim (and the list is quite long) hold that the halakhah follows R. Shimon b. Gamaliel in all cases the wine may always be sold except for the amount of yayin nesekh that fell in.

 

א"ר נחמן הלכה למעשה יי"נ יין ביין אסור חבית בחבית מותר סתם יין אפי’ יין ביין מותר:

 

R. Nahman said: The practical halakhah with yayin nesekh: when wine is mixed with wine it is prohibited and a cask mixed with casks is permitted;

But with ordinary wine (stam yeynam): even when wine is mixed with wine it is permitted.

 

R. Nahman distinguishes between yayin nesekh, wine which we know was libated, and ordinary wine belonging to gentiles. With the former, the halakhah follows R. Shimon b. Gamaliel only when casks are mixed up. But when it comes to ordinary wine, the rule is always lenient. The mixture may be sold minus whatever amount of yayin nesekh was part of the mixture.