Avodah Zarah, Daf Lamed Aleph, Part 5

 

Introduction

Today s section discusses beer produced by non-Jews. Beer was not libated, so it could not be prohibited for the same reason that wine was. The question then becomes why can t Jews drink beer produced by non-Jews? Or maybe they can?

 

אתמר מפני מה אסרו שכר של עובדי כוכבים: רמי בר חמא אמר רבי יצחק משום חתנות

רב נחמן אמר משום גילוי

אגילוי דמאי אילימא גילוי דנזייתא אנן נמי מגלינן ואלא דחביתא אנן נמי מגלינן לא צריכא באתרא דמצלו מיא

 

It has been stated: Why did they prohibit the beer of idolaters? Rami b. Hama said in the name of R. Yitzchak: Because of fraternization. R. Nahman said: Because it might have been left uncovered. Uncovered when? If while in the vat, we also keep it uncovered; and if while in the barrel, in that state, too, we keep it uncovered!

It may only refer to a place where the water is allowed to settle.

 

According to one opinion, drinking beer with non-Jews encourages fraternization with them, and that is why it is prohibited. In other words, not allowing people to drink together is a good way to prevent them from marrying each other. The other opinion holds that the problem is that non-Jews leave their beer uncovered, and it might be susceptible to snake poison. The problem with that opinion is that Jews also let their beer remain uncovered. The answer is that if the beer is left so that all the sediment falls to the bottom, then the water on top would be subject to the rules of uncovered water.

 

אלא מעתה ישן תשתרי דא"ר ישן מותר אין מניחו ליישן החמיץ מותר אין מניחו להחמיץ

גזירה ישן אטו חדש

 

In that case it should be permitted when it matures, for Rav said: [Wine which is] matured is permitted, for [the venom] would not allow it to mature; [so also wine which has] gone to vinegar is permitted, for it would not have allowed it to go to vinegar!

Matured is forbidden as a safeguard against the fresh.

 

If the problem with non-Jewish beer is that it has been left uncovered, then why should aged beer be prohibited? Rav said that snake venom prevents wine from properly maturing or going to vinegar. Thus if the wine has matured or gone to vinegar it is permitted because we can assume that there is no poison in it. The same should be true with beer.

The Talmud answers that mature beer is prohibited lest one come to drink immature beer in which there may be snake poison.

 

רב פפא מפיקין ליה לאבבא דחנותא ושתי

רב אחאי מייתו ליה לביתיה ושתי

ותרוייהו משום חתנות

רב אחאי עביד הרחקה יתירתא

 

R. Papa used to drink beer when it was brought out to him to the door of the shop; R. Ahai used to drink it when it was brought to his house. Both of them held that the reason [for the prohibition] is intermarriage.

R. Ahai was extra precautious.

 

We can see here a variety of opinions on drinking non-Jewish beer. Some of the amoraim held that as long as the Jew did not drink with the non-Jew, particularly in the non-Jew s house, he could drink the beer. But one amora was particularly cautious, and assumedly did not drink the beer at all.

I should note that by the Middle Ages the laws involving beer had been much more relaxed. Today religious Jews drink beer brewed by non-Jews. Indeed, on a personal note, this particular Jew very much enjoys the excellent beer crafted by non-Jews. And that s an understatement.