Avodah Zarah 70a (ע.) — the Talmud in English

And there is no concern that they gave the gentile prostitute permission to touch the wine,

although their inclination toward sexual transgression overcame them,

the inclination toward libation wine did not overcome them [although their desire for forbidden relations overcame them, they were not so desirous of drinking libation wine, and there is no concern that they stumbled in this matter].

that is, although their sexual desire became stronger than they could control, they did not have such a strong desire to drink wine used for idolatrous libation, and there is no concern that they violated this prohibition].

However,

if she was a Jewish prostitute, and gentiles were reclining

with her,

and she had brought wine with her,

the wine is prohibited

[the wine is prohibited].

What is the reason?

Since she is degraded in their eyes, she is drawn after them

[since she has made herself available to them, she certainly allowed them to touch the wine].

According to Rashi, it appears that the prostitute allows them to touch the wine. And although “the inclination toward libation wine” did not overcome them, nevertheless, since “she is degraded in their eyes,” she does not prevent them from touching the wine. The Ya'avetz explains that a prostitute who has intercourse with a gentile becomes especially attached to him, and it is difficult for her to separate from him, since he is available to her at all times. Therefore, she allows him to make the wine libation, thereby satisfying all his desire, as explained in Gittin (45a) concerning the daughters of Rav Yannai who were taken captive: They preferred gentiles and complied with them in everything. But the Rambam (Forbidden Foods 12:26) wrote that the gentiles touch the wine without her knowledge. She herself, however, does not allow them to touch it, because “the inclination toward libation wine did not overcome her.” (See there the Lehem Mishne, and the Torat Hayyim on this sugya.)

There was a certain house in which Jewish wine was located, and a gentile entered it and closed the door behind him, but there was a crack in the door. [There was an incident involving a house in which a Jew’s wine was stored. A gentile entered it and closed the door behind him. However, there was a crack in the door through which one could look into the house.]

[There was an incident involving a house in which a Jew’s wine was kept. A gentile entered it and closed the door behind him. However, there was a crack in the door through which one could look into the house.]

Afterwards, when they opened the door,

they found the gentile standing among the barrels [they found the gentile standing between the barrels].

[they found the gentile standing among the barrels].

Rava said: Everything opposite the crack is permitted [all the barrels opposite the crack in the door are permitted for drinking], since the gentile was afraid to touch them, lest they see him from outside.

[all the barrels opposite the crack in the door are permitted for drinking], because the gentile was afraid to touch them, lest people outside see him.

But

those on this side and that side [the barrels located on the sides] are

[the barrels located on the sides]

prohibited

even for benefit, lest he waved his hands in them and rendered them libation wine.

There was a certain Jew’s wine that was located in a house [there was an incident involving a Jew’s wine stored in a two-story house]

[There was an incident involving a Jew’s wine kept in a two-story house]

in which a Jew lived on the

upper floor,

and a gentile on the

lower floor.

The wine had been placed on the upper floor, and the Jew watched over it from above.

Once,

the residents of that house

of that house

heard

a

sound of a quarrel,

and

they went out [to see what was happening].

[to see what was happening].

The gentile came first and closed the door behind him. [The gentile returned home before the Jew and closed the door behind him.]

[The gentile returned home before the Jew and closed the door behind him.]

Rava said: The wine is permitted [the wine is permitted for drinking].

[the wine is permitted for drinking].

He thinks to himself: Just as I came first, perhaps the Jew also came first and is sitting upstairs, watching me. [The gentile thinks: Just as I returned first, perhaps the Jew also returned first and is standing on the upper floor, watching the wine].

[Since the gentile thinks: Perhaps, just as I returned first, the Jew also returned first and is standing upstairs watching the wine, he is afraid to touch it].

There was an incident involving

a certain inn [an inn]

[lodging house]

in which there was

[stored]

Jewish wine, and a gentile was found sitting among the barrels [and a gentile was found standing between the barrels].

[and a gentile was found standing among the barrels].

Rava said: If he would be caught like a thief,

that is, if he could not justify his contact with the wine, and if he were caught touching the wine he would be judged as a thief,

it is permitted [the wine is permitted for drinking].

[the wine is permitted for drinking].

And if not,

the wine is

prohibited.

There was an incident involving

a certain house in which wine was located [a Jew’s house in which wine was stored].

[a Jew’s house in which wine was kept].

A gentile was found standing among the barrels [a gentile was found standing between the barrels].

[a gentile was found standing among the barrels].

Rava said: If he has a way to justify himself, the wine is prohibited. [If he can find an excuse for entering the house, the wine is prohibited], since he is not afraid to make the wine libation, saying: If they catch me, I can justify myself.

[If he can find an excuse for entering the house, the wine is prohibited], because he is not afraid to pour an idolatrous libation into the wine, thinking: If they catch me, I can justify myself.

And if not,

if he cannot find an excuse for entering,

the wine is permitted.

The wine is permitted, since, because of his panic, he certainly did not have time to make it libation wine.

The Gemara raises an objection:

Meytivi,

did we not learn in a beraita:

“If the inn was locked,

and the gentile was secluded with the wine,

or if he said to him,

the Jew said to the gentile: Stand outside and

guard it,

the wine is

prohibited.”

For we are concerned that, once he told him “Guard it,” the gentile thinks that the Jew intends to distance himself from the place, and he is not afraid to enter and make the wine libation.

The Gemara infers:

Is it not so

that the beraita means that the wine is prohibited

even though he has no way to justify himself [even in a case in which the gentile has no excuse to explain his entry into the house where the wine is kept]?! And this is contrary to Rava’s statement.

[even in a case where the gentile has no excuse to explain his entry into the house containing the wine] ?!

This contradicts Rava!

The Gemara answers:

No!

The wine is prohibited only

when he has a way to justify himself [when the gentile has an excuse to explain his entry into the place where the wine is kept].

[when the gentile has an excuse to explain his entry into the place where the wine is kept].

There was an incident involving

a certain Jew and a gentile who were sitting and drinking wine [they were sitting and drinking wine together].

[they were sitting and drinking wine together].

Suddenly,

the Jew heard the sound of prayer in the synagogue, rose, and left [the Jew heard the sound of prayer in the synagogue, rose, and left], leaving the gentile alone with the wine.

[the Jew heard the sound of prayer in the synagogue, arose, and left the gentile alone with the wine].

Rava said: The wine is permitted [the wine is permitted for drinking].

[the wine is permitted for drinking].

Since

he thinks to himself [the gentile says to himself],

[the gentile says to himself],

perhaps

he will now remember his wine and return [he will suddenly remember his wine and return], and he is afraid to touch the wine.

[he may suddenly remember his wine and return], and he is afraid to touch the wine.

There was an incident involving

a certain Jew and a gentile who were sitting in a boat [they were sitting together in a boat],

[they were sitting together in a boat],

and it was the eve of Shabbat.

Suddenly,

the Jew heard the sound of the shofar of the twilight hour and left. [The Jew heard the sound of the shofar announcing the onset of Shabbat, and left, leaving the gentile alone with the wine.]

[The Jew heard the sound of the shofar announcing the onset of Shabbat, and left the gentile alone with the wine.]

Rava said: The wine is permitted [the wine is permitted for drinking].

[the wine is permitted for drinking].

Since

he thinks to himself [the gentile says to himself],

[the gentile says to himself],

perhaps

he will now remember his wine and return [he will suddenly remember his wine and return], and he is afraid to touch the wine.

[he may suddenly remember his wine and return], and he is afraid to touch the wine.

And what if it is because of Shabbat?

That is, if you say that the gentile is not afraid that the Jew will return to the boat on Shabbat, and he will make the wine libation.

There is no concern for this!

For

Isur the convert said to me

is what

that when we were gentiles, we would say: “Jews do not observe Shabbat; for if they did observe Shabbat, how many purses would be found in the marketplace?”

[a convert named Issur]

[When I was a gentile, I said to myself: Surely the Jews do not truly observe Shabbat. For if they observed Shabbat, we would find purses of money lost in the marketplace. Rather, it must be that Jews who see money before their eyes desecrate Shabbat for its sake.]

[When I was a gentile, I said to myself: Surely Jews do not truly observe Shabbat. For if they did observe Shabbat, we would find money-pouches lost in the marketplace. Rather, Jews who see money before them certainly desecrate Shabbat for its sake].

And they did not know

that the reason we do not find purses of money on Shabbat is because

we hold in accordance with Rabbi Yitzhak.

As Rabbi Yitzhak said: One who carries a purse on Shabbat,

and wishes to carry it to a secluded place so that he can return and retrieve it after Shabbat,

carries it less than four cubits at a time.

Therefore, in our case, the gentile does not rely on the Jew’s observance of Shabbat. He assumes that since the Jew faces a monetary loss here, he will certainly return to the boat on Shabbat to take the wine, and he is afraid to touch it.

There was an incident involving

a certain lion that was roaring in a winepress [a lion roared in the winepress].

[a lion roared in the winepress].

A gentile heard it

and became frightened;

he hid among the barrels [he ran and hid among the barrels].

[he ran and hid among the barrels].

Rava said: The wine is permitted [the wine is permitted for drinking].

[the wine is permitted for drinking].

Since

he thinks to himself [the gentile says to himself],

[the gentile says to himself],

perhaps

just as I am hiding, the Jew is also hiding behind me and watching me [just as I am hiding here, the Jew is hiding behind me as well, and will see me], and he is afraid to touch the wine.

[just as I am hiding here, perhaps the Jew is hiding behind me as well and will see me], and he is afraid to touch the wine.

There was an incident involving

certain thieves who came to Pumbedita and opened many barrels [thieves came to Pumbedita and opened many barrels of wine].

[thieves came to Pumbedita and opened many wine barrels].

Rava said: The wine is permitted [

the wine is permitted to drink].

What is the reason?

Because

most thieves

the majority of the thieves of Pumbedita

are Jews.

And likewise,

there was an incident in Nehardea [

a similar incident occurred in Nehardea];

and Shmuel said: The wine is permitted [

the wine is permitted to drink].

Even though the majority of the thieves of Nehardea were not Jews.

And the Gemara explains:

In accordance with whom?

In accordance with whose view did Shmuel hold when he permitted the wine?

In accordance with

the view of

Rabbi Eliezer.

As he said:

Whenever the uncertainty does not concern the “contact” [for example, whether the gentile touched the wine], but rather there is

uncertainty

regarding the very

entry

into the forbidden place,

it is pure.

Therefore, here, since we are not certain that the thief was a gentile, there is uncertainty regarding the very entry: Did a Jew enter, or did a gentile enter? The wine is therefore permitted.

As we learned

in tractate Taharot (chapter 6, Mishna 5):

“One who enters a valley

during the rainy season, and

knows that there is

impurity in a particular field, and says: I walked in that place, but I do not know whether I entered that field or whether I did not enter it.

Rabbi Eliezer

deems him pure, whereas the Sages deem him impure.” Because Rabbi Eliezer

said (there, Mishna 4):

“Uncertainty concerning entry renders one pure; uncertainty concerning contact renders one impure.”

The Gemara rejects this:

No!

There is no necessity to establish Shmuel’s statement only in accordance with Rabbi Eliezer’s view.

For

the case there is different, since there are those who open them for the sake of money [

there are thieves who open the barrels in order to look for money, and when they see that they contain wine, they do not touch it],

and if so,

it is a compound uncertainty.

Uncertainty one: Was the thief a Jew or a gentile?

Uncertainty two: Even if he was a gentile, did he touch the wine or not?

In such a case, everyone agrees that the wine is permitted.