Q&A: Desecrating the Sabbath Based on an Error
Desecrating the Sabbath Based on an Error.
Question
Hello Rabbi Michi, may he live long and well.
If a person desecrates the Sabbath because he is mistaken about a point of Jewish law and claims that what he did was not a Sabbath desecration, does his wine become prohibited as libation wine?
Answer
You mean ordinary non-Jewish wine. Actual libation wine is that of idol worshippers. It would seem that yes, because the prohibition of ordinary non-Jewish wine is not a punishment but a way of ensuring separation. True, on the face of it this applies only to a non-Jew who might lead one to idol worship, but it is commonly said that this reason applies to a Jew who desecrates the Sabbath as well. Even so, nowadays there is room to be lenient in my humble opinion, because the prohibition is not clear. For a brief, non-exhaustive summary, see here:
http://www.daat.ac.il/encyclopedia/value.asp?id1=708