Category: Shulhan Arukh

The Purim Katan Episode [The Jewish Drinking Show, ep. 151]

With the 14th of the first Adar coming up in just a few days, how is this day to be celebrated? After all, it is still kind of like Purim. Indeed, it has become known as Purim Katan – the little Purim. The newest episode of The Jewish Drinking Show focusses on exactly this topic. […]

Beer and Whiskey in Wine Containers That Previously Contained Gentile Wine

For the 53rd episode of The Jewish Drinking Show, Joshua Schwartz joins the show in discussing beer, whiskey, and other beverages in containers that previously contained gentile wine. The co-creator of the world’s first art bentscher, Seder Oneg Shabbas, and editor of the first-ever Talmudic graphic novel, The Illustrated Pirkei Avot, Joshua Schwartz serves as […]

Non-Wine Beverages During the Nine Days

Now that the nine days have begun, I have begun to see questions popping up in online spaces asking about various alcoholic beverages to be consumed from Rosh Hodesh Av through the 8th day of the month of Av (The Nine Days). One thing that is clear is what Rabbi Yosef Karo (1488-1575) wrote in his […]

Some Considerations of Storing Non-Wine Liquids in Containers That Had Previously Contained Gentile Wine [YD 137:4]

Rabbi Yosef Karo, in his Set Table, writes straightforwardly (שלחן ערוך יורה דעה קלז:ד): כלים האסורים מחמת יין של עובד כוכבים מותר ליתן לתוכם בין מים בין שכר בין שאר משקים ובלבד שידיח בתחלה לחלוחי היין שעל פני הכלים וכן מותר למלוח בהם It is permissible to place wine, beer, or other beverages in vessels that […]

The Beginnings of the Post-Shulhan Arukh Debate Over the Ratio of Nullifying Libated Wine [YD 134:5]

A fascinating wine-related dispute breaks out over Rabbi Yosef Karo’s (1488-1575) statement (שו”ע יו”ד קל”ד:ה): מה יהא במים ויהא בהם כדי לבטל טעם היין ששה חלקים כנגדו וכל שיש במים כשיעור הזה מותר אפילו בשתייה How much of a ratio is there with water to cancel out the taste of [libated] wine? Six parts [of […]

Considering the Nullification of Wine: An Experiment [YD 134:5]

I recently came across a rather curious text in the Shulhan Arukh (YD 134:5): מה יהא במים ויהא בהם כדי לבטל טעם היין ששה חלקים כנגדו וכל שיש במים כשיעור הזה מותר אפילו בשתייה How much of a ratio of water cancels out the taste of wine? Six parts [of water] to one [part of wine]. […]

Bentsching Over A Cup

If one were to open the Shulhan Arukh on the topic of saying the ברכת המזון (grace after meals) with a cup (for instance, see Berakhos 51a), one would find that Rabbi Yosef Karo wrote the following (OH 182.1): יש שאומרים שברכת המזון טעונה כוס אפילו ביחיד, וצריך לחזור עליו, ולא יאכל אם אין לו כוס לברך עליו אם הוא מצפה […]

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