The Eddie D Sit edition presents an audio series of the Talmud Bavli, focusing today on Avodah Zarah Daf Ayin Gimmel. We dedicate our study today for the elevation of the soul of Avraham ben Ester, may the spirit of the Almighty rest upon him in the Garden of Eden, amen. Additionally, we pray for a complete recovery for Keith ben Jamie, healing of both body and soul, and may it be close to coming, and let it be our will, and we say amen.
We begin today's daf on Ayin Gimmel Amud Rishon, starting with the Mishnah. The Mishnah states: "Yayin nesech is forbidden and prohibits even a drop." We know that yayin nesech is already established as forbidden. It is not just forbidden in large quantities; even a drop, even a little, is prohibited. The Mishnah continues, stating that if we have wine mixed with wine—yayin be'yayin—the ruling applies as we learned previously, that like items mixed together are treated as one, and thus the prohibition applies even in small amounts. This is because we are dealing with the same category: min be'mino, wine with wine.
Now, let’s consider the case of water mixed with water—mayim be'mayim. If we have permissible water and forbidden water, it does not matter what the product is; even a drop of the forbidden water is also prohibited. This applies regardless of the source, as if a gentile worshipped the water for avodah zarah, the water becomes forbidden. Therefore, any drop of this forbidden water mixed with permissible water is also prohibited.
However, when we have wine mixed with water or water mixed with wine—yayin be'mayim or mayim be'yayin—the halachic ruling changes. Here, we are dealing with two different items, which leads us to the principle of be'noten taam. In such cases, we do not apply the principle of be'chol shehu (even a little), but rather we assess based on the taste. If the taste of the forbidden item is present, it will render the mixture forbidden. Thus, the rule is: min be'mino be'mashehu and shelo be'mino be'noten taam. This is the general principle.
The Gemara codifies this for us. When Rav Dimi came from Eretz Yisrael to Bavel, he reported in the name of Rabbi Yochanan: "If one pours yayin nesech from a barrel into a pit, even if he does so all day long, the first drop that touches the permissible wine is nullified and becomes permissible." The first drop that enters is considered nullified in the presence of the permissible wine, and as more drops enter, they also become nullified. This process can continue throughout the day, allowing the mixture to convert to permissible wine.
However, this appears to contradict our Mishnah, which states that yayin nesech that falls into a pit is entirely prohibited. The Gemara explains that the case being discussed is where the yayin nesech fell in all at once, overpowering the permissible wine. In contrast, when it drips in gradually, the initial drop becomes nullified and thus transforms into permissible wine. The Gemara states: "Our Mishnah refers to a case where the permissible wine falls into the forbidden wine, causing the permissible to become forbidden." Thus, the halachic outcome depends on which item falls into which.
Next, the Gemara states: "We learned in the Mishnah that yayin nesech is forbidden and prohibits even a drop. Is this not referring to a case where the forbidden wine falls into the permissible?" The Gemara clarifies that the Mishnah is discussing a case where the permissible wine falls into the forbidden wine, thus making it forbidden. The reversal of this scenario demonstrates that the halachic outcome is contingent upon the order of the items mixed.
Now, Rav Dimi was discussing a case where the forbidden item is falling into the permissible one, which allows for the nullification to take effect. But if the permissible item falls into the forbidden, the permissible item becomes nullified and the mixture becomes prohibited. The Gemara continues to explore this principle, stating that when yayin nesech falls into permissible wine, it must be assessed based on the taste present.
When Rav Yitzchak bar Yosef came, he reported in the name of Rabbi Yochanan another innovation: "If one pours yayin nesech from a small vessel into a pit, which contains kosher wine, the first drop is nullified and becomes permissible." This follows the same logic as before, where the first drop that touches the permissible wine is nullified. However, this only applies to a small vessel that drips slowly. If one were to pour from a large barrel all at once, the Gemara indicates that we do not apply the principle of nullification in that case.
Continuing with the discussion, Rav Dimi states that when yayin nesech falls into a pit that also receives water, the water can nullify the yayin nesech if it is the majority. The Gemara emphasizes the importance of the order of the items entering the mixture. If the water falls in first, it can nullify the forbidden wine, but if the forbidden wine falls in first, it will overpower the permissible items.
Ultimately, the Gemara concludes with a principle from Rabbi Yochanan and Rav Dimi that emphasizes the order of entry and the concept of nullification. The discussion reveals a critical halachic framework regarding mixtures of forbidden and permissible items, illustrating the nuanced distinctions that govern these rulings.