by the side of a wine vat, and if he
have any loan upon it?" "It is forbidden." "If he have no loan on it?" "It
is allowed." "Has he fallen into the vat and come out again, or measured
it with a cane; has he driven away a hornet with a cane; or has he given a
slap to the fermentation on the top of the barrel?" All these things once
happened, and the (Sages) decided, "Let it be sold." But R. Simon "allowed
it." He took the barrel and flung it in a rage into the vat. This once
happened, and the Sages allowed it.

10. "Has one made the wine of an idolater without legal defilement, and
left it in his possession in a house open to public concourse--in a city in
which there are idolaters and Israelites?" "It is allowed." "In a city in
which all are idolaters?" "It is forbidden till he leave a watchman, and
it is not needful that the watchman sit and watch. Even though he goes in
and out it is allowed." R. Simon, the son of Eleazar, said, "all
possession of wine by idolaters is alike." "Has one made the wine of a
heathen without legal defilement, and left it in his possession, and the
idolater afterward wrote to him, I have received from you the money for
the wine?" "It is allowed." "But if the Israelite wish to withdraw it, and
the idolater do not permit him, till he shall give him his money for it?"
This once happened in Bethshan, and the Sages "forbade it."

Chapter V

1. "Has an idolater hired an Israelite to make with him wine of idolatrous
libation?" "His wages are forbidden." "But if he hired him to do with him
another work, even though he say to him, 'carry for me a barrel of wine of
libation from place to place?' " "His wages are allowed." "Has one hired
an ass to bring on him wine of idolatrous libation?" "The hire is not
allowed." "Has one hired out the ass for riding, even though the idolater
put his wine flask upon him?" "The hire is allowed."

2. Wine of idolatrous libation which fell on grapes must be cleansed away,
and they are allowed. But if the grapes be crushed, they are forbidden.
"Has the idolatrous wine fallen on figs or on dates?" "If it convey to
them a taste, they are forbidden." It happened once with Baithus, son of
Zonan, that he brought dried figs in a boat, and a barrel of wine of
idolatrous libation was broken, and it fell upon them, and he consulted
the Sages and they allowed them. This is the rule: In every use where the
taste is conveyed, it is forbidden. But where in its use no taste