Avodah Zarah Daf 58 עבודה זרח דַף 58

Abaye quoted a Baraisa to disprove Rava’s opinion on the previous Daf: דאגרדמים עובד כוכבים שקדח במינקת והעלה – regarding an official who examines wine, who is an idolator, who punctured a barrel with a straw and sucked up wine, or tasted wine from a cup and returned the remaining wine to the barrel, such an incident occurred, and the Rabbis prohibited all the wine in the barrel. Presumably, this means it is prohibited even in הנאה, proving that even touching wine without intent for libation fully prohibits it!? The Gemara suggests that perhaps the Baraisa only means to prohibit it for drinking, but it is permitted in benefit. However, it objects that if so, the Baraisa would have said "ימכר" – it should be sold (instead of saying it is “prohibited”), like it does in the latter case, where a compulsive עכו"ם touched wine, thinking it was oil, where they ruled ימכר – it should be sold. Since he thought it was oil, there is no concern of actual ניסוך, whereas in the first case of the straw, ניסוך is possible, so the Baraisa states it is “prohibited,” i.e., even in benefit. The Gemara concludes that Rava is indeed refuted from this Baraisa.

Rebbe Yochanan ben Arza and Rebbe Yose ben Nehorai were sitting and drinking wine, and told someone, "תא אשקיין" – “Come pour us a drink.” After he poured the wine into the cup, it emerged that he was an עכו"ם. One of them prohibited the wine even for הנאה, and the other permitted it even for drinking. Rebbe Yehoshua ben Levi explained that the first opinion held that the עכו"ם said to himself, “Is it possible that such distinguished Rabbis would drink beer?” Therefore, he knew it was wine, and there is a concern of actual ניסוך, and it is prohibited in הנאה. The other opinion held that the עכו"ם reasoned, “Is it possible that such Rabbis would be drinking wine, and say to me (an עכו"ם), ‘Come pour us a drink’?!” Therefore, he (mistakenly) concluded that it was beer, and there is no concern for ניסוך. The Gemara objects that he must have touched the wine in the barrel with the ladle, and although he thought it was beer, it should still be prohibited for drinking!? It answers דקא מוריק אורוקי – that he poured it directly into the cup, which is כחו שלא בכוונה – his force moving wine without intent for ניסוך, וכל כחו שלא בכוונה לא גזרו ביה רבנן – and wherever he uses his force to move wine without libation intent, the Rabbis did not decree to prohibit it at all.

Rebbe Assi asked Rebbe Yochanan: יין שמסכו עובד כוכבים מהו – what is the halachah regarding an idolator who dilutes wine with water? Although Rebbe Assi explained he was using the passuk’s language, Rebbe Yochanan told him he still should have used "מזגו", the word used in the לשון חכמים – the Sages’ terminology, which is distinct from the Torah’s terminology. Rebbe Yochanan ruled on the question: אסור – it is forbidden to drink, משום לך לך אמרין נזירא – because of the principle we tell the nazir: “Go away! Go away! סחור סחור לכרמא לא תקרב – Go around! Go around! Do not approach the vineyard!” Although it is permitted for a nazir to enter a vineyard, we warn him to stay away from one, to avoid the temptation to consume its produce. Similarly, although wine diluted by an עכו"ם is fundamentally permitted, since he did not touch it at all (but merely “moved” it by pouring water into it), the Rabbis decreed not to drink it.