Avodah Zarah Daf 66 עבודה זרח דַף 66

Abaye and Rava disagree how to classify food items when determining if the forbidden element in a mixture is מין במינו – a kind in its own kind, which prohibits במשהו – even with a minimal forbidden amount, or מין בשאינו מינו – a kind with another kind, which only prohibits בנותן טעם – where it gives discernible flavor to the mixture. All agree that aged יין נסך mixed into grapes only prohibits בנותן טעם, because they are different in taste and name. However, regarding חמרא חדתא בענבי – new wine mixed in grapes, Abaye holds בתר טעמא אזלינן – we follow the flavor when classifying elements; since new wine and grapes taste the same, they are considered מין במינו, so even a משהו of wine prohibits the grapes. Rava holds בתר שמא אזלינן – we follow the name of the items, and since they have different names (“wine” and “grapes”), they are considered מין בשאינו מינו, and only prohibit בנותן טעם. This machlokes also applies in the reverse situation: if wine vinegar and beer vinegar mixed, or wheat leaven and barley leaven mixed (and one was prohibited), Abaye considers them מין בשאינו מינו since they have different flavors, and Rava considers them מין במינו, because both are called “vinegar” and “leaven,” respectively.

The Gemara discusses: חלא לגו חמרא – if (forbidden) vinegar fell into wine, Abaye and Rava agree that the vinegar prohibits the wine בנותן טעם, because the vinegar is different from the wine in flavor, smell, and name (the wine retains its smell, since it greater in volume, and the vinegar had a different smell when it fell into the wine). However, חמרא לגו חלא – if (forbidden) wine fell into vinegar, the wine’s smell changes to that of vinegar when it entered the vinegar’s airspace, before mixing into the wine. In this case, Abaye says the vinegar is prohibited with a משהו of wine, because he holds: ריחיה חלא וטעמא חמרא חלא – wine whose smell is vinegar and flavor is wine is considered vinegar, so it is considered מין במינו with the actual vinegar. Rava says the vinegar is prohibited בנותן טעם, because he holds ריחיה חלא וטעמא חמרא חמרא – wine whose smell is vinegar and flavor is wine is considered wine, so it is considered מין בשאינו מינו with the vinegar.

The Gemara discusses smelling wine through "בת תיהא", a hole in a barrel cover, to check its quality. Abaye says it is prohibited for a Jew to sniff an עכו"ם’s wine, because he holds ריחא מילתא היא – aroma is a matter of substance, so smelling it is like consuming it. Rava says it is permitted to sniff an עכו"ם’s wine, because he holds ריחא לאו מילתא היא. Rav Mari suggests this question is a machlokes Tannaim. A Mishnah states: הרודה פת חמה – if one removes hot bread from an oven, ונתנה ע"פ חבית של יין של תרומה – and put it onto a barrel of terumah wine, Rebbe Meir prohibits the bread to be consumed by a non-Kohen, because the bread absorbed the aroma of terumah, and Rebbe Yehudah permits it. Rebbe Yose permits it if the bread was made from wheat, but not barley bread, מפני שהשעורים שואבות – because barley draws the wine into itself. Thus, Rebbe Meir clearly holds ריחא מילתא היא, like Abaye, and Rebbe Yehudah appears to hold ריחא לאו מילתא היא, like Rava. However, Abaye quotes Reish Lakish, that regarding hot bread and an open barrel, all Tannaim agree the bread is forbidden to a non-Kohen because it absorbs the aroma. They argue about hot bread on a closed barrel, or cold bread on an open barrel, whether the bread absorbs the aroma.