The Prohibition of Wine of Gentiles - Rav Ofer Livnat

Publicized in the weekly leaflet Hemdat Yamim - Eretz Hemdah

 
This week in the Daf Hayomi, one of the issues the Gemara deals with is the prohibition of wine of gentiles. The Gemara (29b) explains that it is prohibited from the Torah to derive any pleasure from wine that was sacrificed to idolatry. The Sages prohibited deriving pleasure from any wine of gentiles. There appears to be a contradiction in the Gemara regarding the reason for this decree. From one place (29b), it appears that the Sages prohibited all wine of gentiles out of concern that it was sacrificed. However, from another place in the Gemara (36b), it appears that wine of gentiles was prohibited in order to avoid the social mixing of Jews and gentiles and thus prevent intermarriage.

The Ran (Avodah Zarah 9b in the pages of the Rif) explains that both reasons form the basis for the decree. The basic reason that the Sages prohibited wine of gentiles was to prevent intermarriage. However, it should then have been sufficient to just prohibit drinking it. But, since it is prohibited to derive any benefit from wine that was sacrificed, the Sages wanted to prevent confusion and prohibited deriving any pleasure from all wine of gentiles.

Following this understanding, the Tosafot (57b d"h le'apokei) suggest that, nowadays, the halacha regarding wine of gentiles would be different. Since nowadays the gentiles usually do not sacrifice wine, the Tosafot claim that only the prohibition intended to prevent intermarriage exists, and it is therefore only prohibited to drink wine of gentiles, but other forms of pleasure are permitted. However, the Tosafot quote those who disagree with this claim and conclude that it is better to be stringent.

Summary and Ruling:
The Mechaber (Yoreh Deah 123, 1) rules that even nowadays it is prohibited to derive any benefit from wine of gentiles. The Remma rules that in a situation where there would be a monetary loss, one may rely on the lenient opinion that today it is only prohibited to drink wine of gentiles. However, if one will not lose money, it is better to be stringent.

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