Avodah Zarah, Daf Nun Tet, Part 3

 

בעו מיניה מרב כהנא עובד כוכבים מהו שיוליך ענבים לגת?

אמר להו אסור משום לך לך אמרין נזירא סחור סחור לכרמא לא תקרב

 

They asked R. Kahana: May a non-Jew carry grapes to a winepress? He replied: It is prohibited on the principle, Go away, go away, we say to a Nazirite; go around the vineyard and do not come near it!

 

In principle, a non-Jew can carry grapes to the winepress because they are not yet wine. But R. Kahana says we should not let them do so just to stay away from any chance of them coming to touch the wine.

 

איתיביה רב יימר לרב כהנא עובד כוכבים שהביא ענבים לגת בסלין ובדודורין אע"פ שהיין מזלף עליהן מותר

 

R. Yemar raised an objection against R. Kahana: If a non-Jew carried grapes to a winepress in baskets or barrels, even though the wine drips upon them, they are permitted!

 

The baraita clearly allows grapes carried by non-Jews to the winepress. Even if some liquid comes out of the grapes, the grapes do not become yayin nesekh.

 

א"ל הביא קאמרת אנא לכתחלה קאמינא

 

[R. Kahana] replied to him: You used the word carried, I was speaking of a case of ab initio.

 

R. Kahana responds that the baraita allows grapes that were carried to the winepress by a non-Jew. But it does not allow him to do so ab initio. Thus we can say that a non-Jew should not bring grapes to the winepress but if he does the grapes and subsequent wine are permitted.