en to do business with those who go to worship the
Penates; but with those who return from them it is allowed. "The
skin-bottles of the idolaters and their jugs into which Jewish wine is
poured, are forbidden, and every use of them is strictly forbidden." The
words of R. Meier. But the Sages say, "every use of them is not
forbidden." "Grape-stones and grape-skins of the idolaters are forbidden,
and every use of them is strictly forbidden." The words of R. Meier. But
the Sages say, "when moist, they are forbidden; but when dry, they are
allowed." "Fish-brine and the cheese from Bethuniki,(448) a village of the
idolaters, are forbidden, and every use of them strictly forbidden." The
words of R. Meier. But the Sages say, "every use of them is not
forbidden." R. Judah related, that R. Ishmael asked R. Joshua, as they
were journeying along the road--he said to him, "why do they forbid the
cheese of idolaters?" He replied to him, "because they cause it to ferment
with the stomach of a carcass." R. Ishmael said to him, "and is not the
stomach of a burnt-offering of more importance than the stomach of a
carcass," and it was said, "the priest who was so minded supped the milk
that was in it," but the Sages did not agree with him, and they said, "the
priests do not use it, and they are not guilty." He changed the
conversation, and said to him, "because they ferment it with the stomach
of a calf (devoted) to idolatry." He said to him, "if so, why do they not
forbid it for every use?" He turned to another subject, and said to him,
"brother Ishmael, how do you read, 'For thy love is better than
wine,'(449) or 'For thy love is good'?" He replied to him, "For thy love
is good." He said to him, "it is not so, since the next verse explains it,
'Because of the savor of thy good ointments.' "

5. These things of the idolaters are forbidden, but every use of them is
not strictly forbidden; milk which a heathen milked, and an Israelite did
not see it. "Their bread and oil?" "Rabbi and his colleagues allowed oil."
But the cookery, and the gravy into which they are wont to put wine and
vinegar, and shred thunny fish, and the sauce in which the fish chalbith
is not swimming, and the herring, and the essence of assafoetida, and
spiced salt, are forbidden; but every use of them is not strictly
forbidden.

6. These things are allowed for eating--milk which an idolater milked, and
an Israelite saw, and honey and honeycomb, even if they are droppin