Special Features ASK THE REBBE from the virtual desk of the OU Vebbe Rebbe Question: I received a bottle of non-kosher wine worth about $140 as a gift from a non-Jewish co-worker. Our liquor store will exchange it for kosher wine of similar value if they can sell mine. May we make the exchange? There is a potential for a Torah-based prohibition to benefit by wine – when wine is involved in idol worship. Because these two prohibitions could be confused one with the other, Chazal added a Rabbinic prohibition on benefit from standard, improperly handled wine (Avoda Zara 29b; see Beit Yosef, Yoreh Deah, beginning of siman 123). Regarding the Rabbinic prohibition on benefit, the classic sources indicate significant room for leniency. Shulchan Aruch (YD 124:6) states that non-Jews who are not involved in idol worship do not create a prohibition of benefit, just drinking. Rambam (Ma’achalot Asurot 11:7) applies the rule to Moslems. Regarding religions with less perfect forms of monotheism, the situation is less clear. The Rama (YD 123:1) provides the bottom line for Ashkenazi Jews: “Nowadays, that libations of wine by non-Jews are not common, some say that a non-Jew’s touching of our wine doesn’t prohibit benefit and, so too, their unsupervised wine is permitted for benefit and one could take wine from a non-Jew as payment to prevent losing a debt, and to prevent other losses (i.e. he already bought or sold). However, he shouldn’t initiate such sales in order to gain. There are those who are lenient even in such cases [to initiate], but it is proper to be strict.” Nishmat Adam (75:14) concurs. If your situation is that the present was received as a bonus from an employer, or you are expected to reciprocate with a present of your own, etc., one could consider the sale of the wine a way to prevent loss. Additionally, in times and places when there is little true idol worship, one can be more lenient regarding what kind of contact creates a full prohibition (see Rama, YD 124:24). “Ask the Rabbi” Q&A is part of Hemdat Yamim, the weekly parsha sheet published by Eretz Hemdah. You can read this section or the entire Hemdat Yamim at
www.ou.org or www.eretzhemdah.org. If you would like to receive Hemdat Yamim by email, on a weekly basis, please send an email to lists@eretzhemdah.org with the message: Join Hemdatya - Please leave the subject blank. The clock is the king of modesty and humility. Indeed, it declares: Another hour has gone by and what have I fixed in this world? REASON This chapter contains praise for one's wife who exerted herself and prepared Shabbat delicacies. REASON: Eishet Chayil is an allusion to the Torah (CHAYIL=48, ways to acquire Torah). The Torah was given on Shabbat. Nevertheless, just as the double tekiah blast used to galvanize the people to gather at the Mishkan, and the shofar’s sounds on Rosh Hashanah have encouraged us to search our ways, so the trumpet call today could and should have a similar effect of stirring our collective conscience. The Bible tells us that the blowing of the hatzotzrot was, “for you an eternal decree for your generations.” So how appropriate it would be for us now if we could hear a single tekiah blast from but one of the silver trumpets. For that would be the signal for our leaders to assemble. Then the trumpet sound might just induce them, as the “heads of Israel’s thousands,” to realize finally their responsibilities to Am Yisrael. Sincerely yours, Menachem Persoff, Director, Israel Center [The B'ha'a'lo't'cha Homepage]
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