Thursday, February 12, 2026

Talmud, Pesachim 40b and Nazirites Not Even Walking Through a Vineyard (cf. Judges 14:6)

  

עוּלָּא אָמַר: אֶחָד זֶה וְאֶחָד זֶה — אָסוּר, מִשּׁוּם: ״לֵךְ לֵךְ אָמְרִינַן נְזִירָא, סְחוֹר סְחוֹר, לְכַרְמָא לָא תִּקְרַב״.

 

Ulla said: In both of these cases, whether the vinegar is added first or afterward, its use is prohibited, as one must avoid scenarios that might lead to a prohibition, as per the well-known adage: Go around, go around, and do not approach the vineyard, they say to the nazirite. Since a nazirite is prohibited from drinking wine and eating grapes, it is preferable for him to avoid a vineyard entirely. A similar principle applies to other prohibitions. (Talmud, Pesachim 40b)

 

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