Avodah Zarah, Daf Lamed Bet, Part 1

 

Introduction

The mishnah ruled that Jews may not derive benefit from Hadrianic earthenware. What is this earthenware?

 

וחרס הדרייני: מאי הדרייני אמר רב יהודה אמר שמואל חרס של הדריינוס קיסר

 

Hadrianic earthenware. What does Hadrianic mean? Rav Judah said in the name of Shmuel: Earthenware of King Hadrian.

 

The first attempt to understand this term seems to be that it is simply related to the emperor Hadrian. Rashi explains that his troops took it with them when they went on long journeys to battle. It is unclear whether this is connected with what appears below.

 

כי אתא רב דימי אמר קרקע בתולה היתה שלא עבדה אדם מעולם עבדה ונטעה ורמי ליה לחמרא בגולפי חיורי ומייצי להו לחמרייהו ומתברו להו בחספי ודרו בהדייהו וכל היכא דמטו תרו להו ושתו

 

When R. Dimi came [from Eretz Yisrael] he said: Virgin soil, which had not been tilled before, used to be tilled by [the Romans] and planted with vines. They would the put the wine into white jugs which absorbed the wine. They broke these vessels into fragments which they used to carry, and wherever they came they soaked them [in water] and drank of it.

 

R. Dimi explains that Hadrianic earthenware was an ancient way of making instant wine. Sort of like a tea bag for wine.

 

א"ר יהושע בן לוי וראשון שלנו כשלישי שלהן

 

R. Joshua b. Levi said: Our first [quality wine] is only equal to their third [soaking].

 

Roman instant wine was even better than Jewish first quality wine. I guess they were drinking Manischewitz back then as well.