Bava Metzia 60a (ס.) — the Talmud in English

And needless to say

that one may not mix new produce with old produce

new with old,

because there are those who specifically want the old produce ; but it is permitted to mix old produce with new .

In truth, they said

the Sages:

with regard to

a seller

of wine

that is still young, who sells it to another,

they permitted

him

to mix

wine

that is harsh with young wine, because it improves it.

The harsh wine improves the young wine, but if one purchased harsh wine, he may not mix young wine with it .

One may not mix the sediment of wine

from this barrel

with the wine

of another barrel,

but

one who purchases wine,

the seller gives him

the

its sediment

of that same wine within the wine.

One whose wine has had water mixed into it may not sell it in a shop unless he informs

the purchaser that the wine has been diluted with water,

and he may not

sell the wine into which water has been mixed

to a wholesaler

who sells in the marketplace,

even if he informs him,

because he

does not

want to purchase the diluted wine

except

in order

to deceive others with it

.

But

where it is customary

for everyone

to add water to wine, they may add it,

and there is no need to inform the purchaser; and it is likewise permitted to sell it to a wholesaler.

A wholesaler,

who sells in a shop,

takes

grain

from five threshing floors

that the owners of the grain sold him,

and puts

it all

into a single granary,

and although he mixes grain from several places, it is permitted, because they purchase from him on the presumption that this is what he does.

But the owner of the grain may not mix grain from other places into his grain, because the purchasers rely on the fact that they are buying only his grain.

And likewise, the wholesaler takes wine

from five different winepresses

of different origins,

and puts

it all

into a single vat,

a large basin,

provided that he does not intend

to purchase most of the grain from a superior location so that word will spread that the grain is of superior quality, and afterward

to mix

lesser-quality grain into it, thereby misleading the purchasers, who think that all the grain was taken from the superior location.

Gemara:

We learned in the Mishna: One may not mix produce with produce.

The Sages taught: Needless to say, one may not mix new produce sold at four

seahs per sela

with old produce sold at three

seahs per sela,

as one may not mix them;

rather, even new produce sold at three

seahs per sela

with old produce sold at four

seahs per sela as well

may not be mixed, because a person wants to let it age

.

We learned in the Mishna:

In truth, they said: With regard to wine, they permitted mixing harsh wine with young wine because it improves it

and so forth:

Rabbi Elazar said: This teaches,

that is to say,

whenever the expression “In truth, they said” appears, it indicates halakha .

.

Rav Naḥman said: And

the permission to mix harsh wine with young wine applies specifically when the wine is

between the winepresses,

when it is still fermenting. When it is mixed with other wines, they ferment together and acquire a single flavor, and it is with regard to this that they

taught

that it is permitted to mix them. But once the wine has already fermented, mixing it with other wine is of no benefit and damages it.

And nowadays, when they mix

wines even

when they are not between the winepresses,

after fermentation has ended, why are we not concerned about deception?

Rav Pappa said:

Because

the

purchasers

know and waive their rights.

Rav Aḥa, son of Rav Ika, said: This

practice that we find, of mixing wine even after fermentation,

follows the opinion of Rabbi Aḥa,

as it was taught: Rabbi Aḥa permits

mixing

a substance whose flavor is discernible.

Anyone who tastes wine mixed with another wine recognizes that the wine has been mixed. Therefore, we are not concerned about deception, since the purchaser tastes it before purchasing it.

We learned in the Mishna:

And one may not mix wine sediment with wine, but he gives him its sediment

and so forth:

And we raise a difficulty: How may he give him its sediment?

But did you not say in the first clause that one may not mix at all

wine sediment with wine,,

And if you say: What does “he gives him its sediment” mean? That he informs him

that he placed its sediment inside the wine,

but from the fact that the latter clause teaches:

one whose wine has had water mixed into it

may not sell it in a shop unless he informs him

the purchaser that there is water in the wine,

and he may not

sell it

to a wholesaler even if he informs him,

because he intends to deceive others with it,

by inference, the

permission was granted specifically there when he informs the purchaser. But in

the first clause,

which concerns mixing sediment into wine, they permitted it

even though he does not inform him,

Rav Yehuda said: This is what it means: One may not mix the sediment of

wine that was made

yesterday with

wine

of today, nor

wine

of today with

wine

of yesterday,

because the sediment of one wine spoils the other wine; and the same law applies: one may not place the sediment of one wine into another wine even if they were made at the same time ,

But he gives him its sediment

of that same wine, since its sediment does not spoil it.

It was likewise taught: Rabbi Yehuda says: One who pours,

that is, pours gently,

wine for another may not mix

wine

of yesterday with wine of today, nor wine of today with wine of yesterday. But he may mix yesterday’s wine with yesterday’s wine and today’s wine with today’s wine.

Apparently, there is no prohibition against mixing the sediment and wine of the same wine.

We learned in the Mishna:

One whose wine has had water mixed into it may not sell it in a shop unless he informs him, and so forth:

They brought Rava wine from a shop;

they brought him wine from the shop,

he diluted it,

adding water to it as was his practice, and

he tasted it. It was not fragrant;

he tasted it, and it was not fragrant and good,

so he sent it back

back

to the shop.

Abaye said to him: But we learned in the Mishna:

One whose wine has had water mixed into it may not sell it, and so forth,

and not to a wholesaler even if he informs him.

How, then, did you return wine diluted with water to a wholesaler? He will come to sell it to others, and you will thereby be transgressing the prohibition of placing a stumbling block before the blind!

He said to him,

Rava:

My dilution is recognizable,

because I add a great deal of water, until it is apparent to everyone that the wine is diluted, and there is no concern that the wholesaler will come to deceive others with it.

And if you say

that there is reason for concern

that he will add to it and conceal it,

that the wholesaler will add wine to the wine that Rava diluted with a great deal of water, until the dilution is no longer apparent to everyone,

and sell it

to others,

If so, there is no end to the matter,

and even water should be forbidden to sell to a shopkeeper, lest he mix it with wine. Rather, evidently, they prohibited selling to a wholesaler only things with which he himself can deceive his customers, such as selling him diluted wine. But beyond this, we are not concerned.

“Where it is customary to add water to wine, they may add it,” and so forth:

The tanna

said: Everything follows the custom of the country,

whether half, a third, or a quarter.

Rav said: And

the permission to mix wine without qualification was granted only when

they taught this with regard to the period between the winepresses,

when the wine is still fermenting, as there is then an advantage to mixing the wines; but after fermentation, it is forbidden:

Mishna:

Rabbi Yehuda says: A shopkeeper may not distribute roasted grain and nuts to children, because he thereby accustoms them to come to him,

and consequently deprives the other shopkeepers of their livelihood.

But the Sages permit it.

And

likewise,

he may not lower

the shopkeeper

the market price

by selling cheaply,

but the Sages say:

It is permitted; on the contrary, one who lowers the price

is worthy of being remembered for good.

And likewise,

he may not sort split peas

by removing the refuse found among them, since by doing so he raises their price excessively;

these are the words of Abba Shaul, but the Sages permit it.

And the Sages concede

that

he may not sort

the refuse only

from the mouth of the granary—

the place where he stores the produce—while leaving the refuse inside;

for this is nothing other than stealing the eye,

as the purchasers think that he removed the refuse from throughout the granary .

One may not beautify

by making more attractive

either a person, an animal, or utensils:

Gemara:

What is the reason of the Sages

who permit a shopkeeper to distribute roasted grain and nuts to children?

Because

he says

to the other shopkeepers:

I will distribute nuts,

I will distribute nuts,

and you distribute plums.

You distribute plums [Rashi, Yoma 81a]. We learned in the Mishna:

“And he may not lower the market price, but the Sages say: He is worthy of being remembered for good,” and so forth:

And we inquire into it:

What is the reason of the Sages

who blessed one who lowers the price?