Avodah Zarah, Daf Ayin Daled, Part 5

 

Introduction

Today s section continues to deal with kashering vessels used with wine.

 

ת"ר הגת והמחץ והמשפך של עובדי כוכבים רבי מתיר בניגוב וחכמים אוסרין

ומודה רבי בקנקנים של עובדי כוכבים שהן אסורין ומה הפרש בין זה לזה זה מכניסו בקיום וזה אין מכניסו בקיום

 

Our Rabbis taught: As for a winepress, a ladle and a funnel belonging to non-Jews, Rabbi permits them after scouring, whereas the Sages prohibit.

And Rabbi agrees that flasks belonging to a non-Jew are prohibited.

What is the difference between one and the other?

In this one he stores [wine] and in this one he does not.

 

According to the rabbis, scouring a vessel in order to kasher it is not sufficient. Since we are assumedly dealing with either a winepress sealed with lime or with earthenware vessels, the kashering must be performed by peeling off the outside layer. In contrast, Rabbi agrees that generally scouring is sufficient. However, a vessel used to store wine for a longer period will absorb more and therefore in that case even Rabbi agrees.

 

ושל עץ ושל אבן ינגב ואם היו מזופפין אסורין

 

If made of wood or stone he may scour them, but if they had been covered with pitch they are prohibited.

 

Wood and stone are less absorbent than earthenware and therefore all agree that they may be scoured. But a winepress covered with pitch must be kashered by peeling off the outside layer that had absorbed the wine.

 

והתנן גת של אבן שזפתה עובד כוכבים מנגבה והיא טהורה מתניתין דלא דרך בה ברייתא דדרך בה

 

But have we not taught: A stone winepress covered with pitch by a non-Jew he may scour it and then it is pure!

Our Mishnah refers to when he hadidd not tread in it, and the baraita to when he had tread in it.

 

If the winepress had been tread in by the non-Jew, then scouring is not sufficient because it has absorbed more. But if the grapes were not trodden in the press, then scouring is sufficient.