Bava Metzia 60a — the Talmud in English

And there is no need to say

that one may not mix new produce

with old produce,

since there are those who specifically want the old produce , but old produce with new produce is permitted , .

In truth, they said

the Sages:

with

a seller

of wine

that is still fresh to his fellow,

they permitted

him

to mix

wine

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

The harsh wine improves the fresh wine, but if he bought harsh wine, he may not mix fresh wine with it

. . One may not mix the lees of wine

of this barrel

with wine

of another barrel,

but

the buyer of wine,

the seller gives him

the lees

of his own wine

within the wine.

One whose water became mixed with his wine may not sell it in a shop unless he informs him

the buyer that the wine has been diluted with water,

and he may not

sell the wine into which water became mixed

to a wholesaler

who sells in the marketplace,

even though he informed him,

because he

does not

want to take the diluted wine

except

in order

to deceive with it

others.

But

where it is customary

for everyone

to add water to wine, they may add it,

and there is no need to inform the buyer, and likewise it is permitted to sell it to a wholesaler.

The wholesaler,

who sells in a shop,

takes

produce

from five granaries

that the owners of the produce sold to him,

and puts

it all

into one granary,

and even though he mixes produce from several places, it is permitted, since people purchase from him on the presumption that this is so.

But the owner of the produce may not mix into his produce produce from other places, since the customers rely on the fact that they are buying only his produce.

And likewise, the wholesaler takes wine

from five winepresses

that are different,

and puts

it all

into one wine vat,

a large basin,

provided that he does not intend

to buy most of the produce from a superior place so that word will spread that the produce is superior, and afterward he adds

to mix

into it less superior produce, thereby misleading the customers who think that all the produce was taken from the superior place

. Gemara:

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

The Sages taught: There is no need to say that new produce sold at four

seahs for a sela

and old produce at three

seahs for a sela

may not be mixed,

but even new produce at three

seahs for a sela

and old produce at four

seahs for a sela also

may not be mixed, because a person wants to keep it

.

We learned in the Mishna:

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

(and so forth):

Rabbi Elazar said: This teaches,

that is to say,

whenever they taught “In truth, they said,” it is halakha

.

Rav Naḥman said: And

the fact that they permitted mixing harsh wine with fresh wine applies specifically when the wine is

between the winepresses,

when it is still fermenting. When he mixes it with other wines, they ferment together and become one flavor, and concerning this

they taught

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

And nowadays, when they mix

wines even

not between the winepresses,

after the fermentation has ended, why do we not fear overreaching?

Rav Pappa said:

Because

the

buyers

know and waive their rights.

Rav Aḥa, son of Rav Ika, said: This

practice that we find, that people mix wine even after fermentation,

is the opinion of Rabbi Aḥa,

as it was taught: Rabbi Aḥa permits

mixing

something whose taste is discernible.

And everyone who tastes wine diluted with other wine recognizes that the wine is mixed. Therefore, there is no concern of overreaching, since the buyer tastes it before he purchases it.

We learned in the Mishna:

And one may not mix the lees of wine with wine, but he gives him its lees

(and so forth):

And we raise an objection: How does he give him its lees?

But did you not say at the beginning that one may not mix at all

the lees of wine with wine?

And if you say, what is the meaning of “he gives him its lees”? He informs him

the buyer that he put its lees into the wine—

but since the latter clause teaches

“one whose water became mixed with his wine,”

he may not sell it in a shop unless he informs him

the buyer that there is water in the wine,

and he may not

sell it

to a wholesaler even though he informs him,

because he intends to deceive others with it—

by inference,

only there did they permit it when he informs the buyer. But in

the first clause,

where he mixes the lees into the wine, they permitted it

even though he does not inform him,

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

wine made

yesterday with

wine

of today, nor

wine

of today with

wine

of yesterday,

because the lees of one wine spoil the other wine. And the same law applies: one does not put the lees of one wine into another wine even if they were made at the same time

. But he gives him its lees

of that same wine, since its lees do not spoil it.

It was also taught so: Rabbi Yehuda says: One who pours,

that is, pours gently,

wine to his fellow may not mix

wine

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

Thus, there is no prohibition against mixing the lees and wine of the same wine.

We learned in the Mishna:

One whose water became mixed with his wine—he may not sell it in a shop unless he informs him, and so forth:

They brought Rava wine from the shop;

they brought him wine from the shop,

he diluted it,

he added 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,

he sent it back,

he sent it back

to the shop.

Abaye said to him: But we learned:

One whose water became mixed with his wine may not sell it and so forth,

nor to a wholesaler even though he informed him.

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

He said to him,

Rava:

My dilution is clearly recognizable,

because I add much 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 restore it,

that the wholesaler will add wine to that wine which Rava diluted with much 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, inevitably, 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 do not fear.

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

A tanna taught,

everything follows the custom of the country,

by half, by a third, or by a quarter,

Rav said: And

they permitted mixing without qualification only

between the winepresses, they taught,

when the wine is still fermenting, for then there is an advantage in mixing the wines; but after fermentation it is forbidden.

Mishna:

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

and he is thereby found to deprive the other shopkeepers of their livelihood.

And the Sages permit.

And

likewise,

he may not reduce

the shopkeeper

the 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 the split beans

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.

And the Sages concede

that one

may not sort

the refuse except

from the mouth of the granary—

the place where he stores the produce, whereas inside he leaves the refuse—

since this is nothing but stealing the eye,

as the customers think that he sorted the refuse out from within the granary

. One may not adorn

beautifying

neither a person, nor an animal, nor utensils:

Gemara:

What is the reason of the Sages

who permit the shopkeeper to distribute parched 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 reduce the price, but the Sages say: He is worthy of being remembered for good,” and so forth:

And we inquire:

What is the reason of the Sages

who blessed the one who lowers the price?