Avodah Zarah 66a

עבודה זרה ס״ו ע״א

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Topic

Mixtures of forbidden wine, vinegar and leaven: do we decide 'same kind' (משהו) or 'different kind' (נותן טעם) by taste, as אביי says, or by name, as רבא says?

Overview

The גמרא discusses forbidden wine mixing with other foods and asks whether a tiny amount (משהו) forbids or only enough to give flavor (נותן טעם). Everyone agrees that old יין נסך on grapes forbids only by נותן טעם. With new wine, אביי says any amount forbids, because we classify by taste and new wine tastes like grapes (מין במינו). רבא says only נותן טעם, because we classify by name and 'wine' and 'grapes' are different names. The גמרא tests this against the משנה, and אביי answers that the משנה is about old wine. The same dispute comes out reversed with mixed vinegars and mixed leavens: there אביי is lenient and רבא is strict. אביי tries to prove his taste rule from a ברייתא about different spices combining, and רבא answers that the ברייתא follows רבי מאיר, who holds that all prohibitions combine. Finally, the גמרא brings a case of vinegar and wine falling into each other, and the explanation of אביי's view continues on the next עמוד.

Opening lines

The steps (13)

1. StatementOld wine vs. new wine falling on grapes
2. Statementאביי's reason: we follow taste
3. Statementרבא's reason: we follow the name
4. ChallengeChallenge from the משנה about wine falling on grapes
5. ResolutionNo: the משנה means any amount
6. ChallengeThe end of the משנה seems to require imparting flavor
7. Resolutionאביי: the משנה is about old wine on grapes
8. StatementMixed vinegars and leavens: אביי says imparting flavor
9. StatementMixed vinegars and leavens: רבא says any amount
10. Proofאביי proves from mixed spices that we follow taste
11. Rejectionרבא answers that the spice ברייתא follows רבי מאיר
12. StatementVinegar into wine and wine into vinegar
13. StatementRestating אביי's view to explain it