Wednesday, December 28, 2016

Mixing Drinks

לזכות ידיד נפשי ר' שמואל צבי בן ר' דוד עקיבא לברכה והצלחה בכל מעשי ידיו הוא אשתו וכל אשר לו!!
לזכות ידיד נפשי הרב יונתן שי בן הניה לברכה והצלחה בכל מעשי ידיו הוא אשתו וכל אשר לו!!

The gemara in Bava Kamma [4b] lists the various damagers including המנסך - one who pours wine as a libation for avoda zara which renders it forbidden. Simply this means that anytime one pours someone's wine for avoda zara, he is considered a damager [known in polish as a "Mazik"]. Also, if one mixes up his friend's wine with avoda zara wine he is also a damager. 

MAZIK!! Off with his ... money! [We will keep his head attached to his shoulders]. 

Like they told me when I was a teenager - DON'T MIX DRINKS!

But wait. Rashi precludes the second case I mentioned and says that if he mixes in his friend's wine with avoda zara wine he is NOT a Mazik since he can sell it to a Goy [excluding the value of the יין נסך]. Rashi writes:

"ליכא למימר שניסכו ביין נסך שזרק בו דלא קמחסריה ולא מידי דהא מזבין ליה בר מדמי יין נסך שבו".

What is Rashi talking about??? 

Once the יין נסך is mixed in, the wine is devalued because he can't sell it to anyone at the regular price and has to sell it to a Goy at a reduced rate?? So OF COURSE he is a Mazik???

As they say in the classics: וצריך עיון גדול.