Avodah Zarah, Daf Samekh Zayin, Part 3
Introduction
R. Abahu categorizes which forbidden mixtures are prohibited by the Torah, which are prohibited but not by the Torah and which are permitted.
אמר ר’ אבהו אמר רבי יוחנן כל שטעמו וממשו אסור לוקין עליו וזהו כזית בכדי אכילת פרס
R. Abbahu said in the name of R. Yohanan: Whenever there is the flavor and substance [of the prohibited substance in a mixture] it is prohibited [and one who eats it] is liable to the punishment of lashes; and this is an olive s worth [of prohibited substance] eaten in the time it takes to eat half a loaf.
If one eats an amount of prohibited substance equivalent to an olive within the time it takes to eat half a loaf of bread (calculations vary between 2 to 9 minutes) one has transgressed the laws of the Torah and theoretically should be punished by lashes. For instance let s say some ground pork falls into my stew. If I ate enough of the stew such that it would contain an olive s worth of pork and I did so within the time it would take to eat half a loaf of bread, I am considered as one who ate pork.
טעמו ולא ממשו אסור ואין לוקין עליו
If the [mixture] contains taste but not the substance, it is prohibited but he is not punished with lashes.
If I can taste the pork but it is only taste and not substance, then the mixture is prohibited but one who eats it has not transgressed a biblical commandment.
ואם ריבה טעם לפגם מותר
But if he put more [of the prohibited substance] so as to worsen it, then it is permitted.
If there so much prohibited substance that it gives off a bad taste then it is permitted to eat the mixture.
ולימא אם נתן טעם לפגם מותר
הא קמשמע לן דאע"ג דאיכא מילי אחרנייתא דפגמה בהדיה
והלכתא כלישנא בתרא דריש לקיש
Let him then say [more explicitly] that if it imparts a detrimental flavor it is permitted!
Behold it teaches us that it is so even when there is another element in it which worsens the flavor.
And the law follows the second version of R. Shimon b. Lakish’s statement.
R. Abahu uses some strange language if he put more of the forbidden substance. Why didn t he just say if it imparts a detrimental flavor it is permitted.
The answer is that R. Abahu was teaching another halakhah. Even if there are other reasons why the food doesn t taste good, if the prohibited substance does not improve the flavor and the mixture tastes bad, the mixture is permitted.
This also accords with the second version of Resh Lakish s statement. If the food tastes bad it is permitted even if it could be improved by more or less salt/spice.