Q&A: Ordinary Gentile Wine
Ordinary Gentile Wine
Question
Hello Rabbi Michael,
1. Does the prohibition of “ordinary Gentile wine” still apply today according to the Meiri?
2. And what is your opinion on the matter?
3. How should a vegan Jew abroad conduct himself if he is in a vegan restaurant, all the products are kosher, but there is an issue of the prohibition of food cooked by non-Jews? Does that also still apply today, in your opinion and according to the Meiri?
Answer
I think so, yes, based on the reason of “their daughters” [i.e., concern leading to intermarriage]. There is no permission to marry a non-Jewish woman even according to the Meiri.
As for food cooked by non-Jews, Rashi and Tosafot disagreed about this in Avodah Zarah 38a. According to Rashi, it is because of the concern that he may feed us something impure; according to Tosafot, it is because of “their daughters.” According to Tosafot, the reason still applies. According to Rashi, less so; but there is still the issue that even if the reason has fallen away, the enactment itself has not been annulled.
However, even with regard to the Meiri this requires discussion, at least for rabbinic laws (such as ordinary Gentile wine). But there is room to be lenient even here, where it is no longer relevant at all. See my article here: