Shulchan Arukh Yoreh De'ah · Siman 114

Shulchan Arukh Yoreh De'ah 114 — English translation

Translation: Wikisource Shulchan Aruch - English. Section numbers match the Hebrew text above.

1. 1Any alcoholic beverage of Gentiles, whether it be of dates or figs or of barley or of grain, or of honey, are forbidden because of intermarriage. And it is not forbidden except in the place of its sale, but if he brings the alcoholic beverage to his home, and drinks them there, it is allowed, since the essence of the decree is that perhaps he will dine with the Gentile. And the sages only forbid it when he has a set place for drinking as people are wont to do, but if he enters the house of a gentile and drinks there in a temporary manner, it is allowed. And so too one who stays overnight in the house of a gentile, it is thought of as his house, and one is allowed to send into the city to buy alcoholic beverages from the idol worshipers. Rama: And there are those who permit the alcoholic beverages of honey and grains, and it is the custom to be lenient in our countries.
2. 2A place in which Jews are accustomed to be lenient regarding the wine of non-Jews, even the beer is forbidden.
3. 3Apple wine, pomegranate wine, and anything like them, are allowed to be drunk in any location, because uncommon items were not included in the decree.
4. 4All such drinks and so too the vinegar from them are forbidden to be purchased from them if their appearance is more desirable than wine, because we are concerned that perhaps they will mix some wine (until there is greater than 1/60th wine present which will not be nullified). What are we talking about? When one buys in a shop; but if he sees the shopkeeper bring it from the barrel, it is permitted, and we are not concerned that perhaps wine was mixed in, because if wine would be mixed inside the barrel, it would ruin the product. Rema: And even though that it is normal is to rub the inside of vats with lard, there is no concern as this gives off a ruined flavor, which is also nullified in 60, and also there is no concern that they would put wine in the drink. And see chapter 134 in a place that they are accustomed to put blood or other forbidden things into the salt, or ink, if it is permitted or forbidden.
5. 5Pomegranate wine that is purchased for its healing properties, is permitted to be bought from the merchant, even if it is not from the barrel, even though it's more expensive than the wine, because since that people are careful about medicine, they will not want to risk their own careers over this. (and so too all things that are bought from craftsmen that they do not want to tarnish their careers)
6. 6One needs to be careful and to check alcohols and drinks made from honey that the non-Jew has just made them, if he placed in them wine yeast. Rema: And if it is normal to put yeast in, then it is forbidden to buy from them if the drink does not have at least 60 times the amount of yeast. And that is only if it does not contribute to the taste, for if it is for the taste it would not be nullified, even with 1000 times the amount of yeast.
7. 7Oil and honey of non-Jews are permitted, and they are not forbidden on account of the prohibition of non-Jewish cooking, and not because the non-Jews have altered it, and it is the same rule for their hot water.
8. 8Caper buds, Leeks and Locusts that they cook, soaked they are permitted, and one that sees them remove it from storage, but they are buying them in the store, are forbidden as perhaps they have adulterated them with wine. And so olives that are soaked in brine are permitted, even if they are very soft as they are disgusting in their natural state, and we do not suspect that perhaps they have adulterated them with wine, and this is only if they do not cut them with their knives. Rema: Because after they have been soaked they are spicy and shall absorb flavors from the knife. But if they are soaked in non-Jewish containers, they are permitted because after they put water in them to nullify the spice. And so too with anything similar, and see above in chapter 96.
9. 9Grapes of non-Jews, even if they are very wet and have cracked, they are permitted. And so all soaked things that it is not their way to put wine or vinegar in them. And so too with kosher fish. And so too fish brine that has fish in it. And so too asafoetida is permitted.
10. 10It is forbidden to buy asafoetida from non-Jews if it is cut with their knives which have come into contact with non-kosher food, and so too with mixtures of fish, because small unkosher fish gets into the mixers and it is impossible to separate them, and they sometimes place wine to soak in the mixture. And this is forbidden to eat, but to benefit from it is permitted. And if it is known that they put wine in all of these, then they are forbidden even to benefit from. Rema: And you can sell them all, except if it has non-Jewish wine in it. And if it is known that a non-Jew will later be in a city where they do not mix wine, even though that other non-Jews are accustomed to do so, this is permitted to buy from them, as long as you don't know for certainty that they have mixed wine in, because we rely on this lenience that perhaps they have not mixed anything in. And so too for anything like this that is forbidden rabbinically. And if it is known with certainty that some non Jews mix wine in, and some do not mix wine in, then we go according to the majority, as it is unusually for a person to deviate from the norm. But it is forbidden to buy from them when they are at home, because one half is just like the other half in this regard.
11. 11Fish oil, in a place where it is common to add wine, is forbidden. And if wine is worth more than the fish, it is permitted. and in a place that it is not common to mix the two, it is permitted to purchase it, and to do this often, and to send to others by a non-Jew.
12. 12The Rashba was very careful regarding Saffron, because in every land there are counterfeiters who adulterate it with much wine and also mix in bits of dried meat.

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