וְנִסְכּוֹ֙ רְבִיעִ֣ת הַהִ֔ין לַכֶּ֖בֶשׂ הָאֶחָ֑ד בַּקֹּ֗דֶשׁ הַסֵּ֛ךְ נֶ֥סֶךְ שֵׁכָ֖ר לַיהוָֽה׃
און זײַן גיסאָפּפֿער: אַ פֿערטל הין צו דעם אײן שעפּס; אין הײליקטום זאָלסטו גיסן דאָס גיסאָפּפֿער פֿון שטאַרקן געטראַנק צו גאָט.
Bamidbar Rabbah
“From wine and intoxicating drink he shall abstain: vinegar of wine and vinegar of intoxicating drink he shall not drink; he shall not drink anything in which grapes were soaked, and grapes, fresh or dried, he shall not eat” (Numbers 6:3).
“From wine and intoxicating drink…” – that is what is written: “Woe, the valiant to drink wine…who vindicate the wicked following a bribe…” (Isaiah 5:22–23). There it is written: “Happy are you, land, that your king is a free man” (Ecclesiastes 10:17). When is the land characterized as happy? It is when its king engages in Torah, as it is stated: “The tablets were the work of God [and the writing was the writing of God, engraved [ḥarut] on the tablets]” (Exodus 32:16) – do not read it as ḥarut, but rather, as ḥerut, freedom, as one is a free man [ben ḥorin] only when one engages in Torah study. “And your princes dine at the proper time” (Ecclesiastes 10:17), as they set fixed times for Torah and they eat thereafter, to realize what is stated: “Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a good heart, as God has already accepted your actions” (Ecclesiastes 9:7). That is what is written thereafter: “In valor and not in drunkenness” (Ecclesiastes 10:17), with the valor of Torah, not with the drunkenness of wine. That is why Isaiah said: The valor of Torah is characterized with “happy” (Ecclesiastes 10:17), but the valor of wine is with “woe,” – “woe, the valiant to drink wine” (Isaiah 5:22). Likewise it says: “To whom, woe? To whom, alas…. To those who linger over wine” (Proverbs 23:29–30). “And capable men [anshei ḥayil] to mix intoxicating drink” (Isaiah 5:22). There it is written: “You shall identify from among the people [capable men [anshei ḥayil]]…They shall judge the people…” (Exodus 18:21–22). But these are capable men only to mix intoxicating drink, just as it says: “To those who come to assess the mixture” (Proverbs 23:30). What is “to mix intoxicating drink”? They would mix strong wine with weak wine in order to become inebriated with it. There was an incident involving a group of dissolute men, who would eat and drink until midnight but would not become inebriated. Wine was brought to them; they said mix wine with wine. They did so until the wine entered them. They arose and struck one another in a drunken state. Their cry circulated throughout the city. The constable came, apprehended them, transferred them to the custody of the kingdom, and they were all eliminated. What caused this to befall them? It was the wine that they were drinking. In their regard it is stated: “To those who come to assess the mixture” – the mixture is nothing other than wine mixed with wine. That is, “and capable men to mix intoxicating drink.” On account of this they forget the Torah and corrupt the law, as it is written thereafter: “Who vindicate the wicked following a bribe” (Isaiah 5:23), and it says: “Lest he drink, and forget what was legislated” (Proverbs 31:5) – he will forget the Torah that was given by means of the lawgiver, this is Moses, as it is stated: “As there the lawgiver’s plot is hidden” (Deuteronomy 33:21). What is written? “And subvert justice for all the children of the poor” (Proverbs 31:5).
Wine and knowledge are likened to the Pleiades and Scorpio. Whenever the Pleiades are visible in the sky, Scorpio is not visible in the sky, and when Scorpio is visible, the Pleiades are not visible. So, wine is likened to Scorpio, and knowledge is likened to the Pleiades. Just as the scorpion strikes with its tail, so, wine, strikes in its aftermath, as it is stated: “At its end, it bites like a serpent” (Proverbs 23:32). Just as the Pleiades ripens fruits and provides them with flavor, so, knowledge provides flavor and fragrance to a person’s words. Wine enters, knowledge exits. Any place there is wine, there is no knowledge. Wine enters, a secret emerges; the numerical value of wine [yayin] is seventy84Yod – 10, yod – 10, nun – 50 = 70. and the numerical value of secret [sod] is seventy.85Samekh – 60, vav – 6, dalet – 4 = 70.
Knowledge is divided into four portions; two in the two kidneys, one portion in the mouth, and one portion in the heart. From where is it derived that two portions of wisdom are in the two kidneys? It is as it is stated: “Who set wisdom in obscurity [batuḥot]?” (Job 38:36). These are the kidneys, that are obscured [tuḥot] in the body. And one portion in the heart, as it is stated: “Inform me of wisdom in the closed place” (Psalms 51:8). And one portion in the mouth, as it is stated: “My mouth will speak wisdom” (Psalms 49:4). Wisdom was placed in these four receptacles and, corresponding to them, the Sages established the measure of inebriation in four receptacles, each containing a quarter log of undiluted wine, which constitute four cups.86Of wine diluted in the customary manner. If a person drank one cup, which is a quarter log, one-quarter of his knowledge has departed. If he drank two cups, two portions of his knowledge have departed. If he drank three cups, three portions of his knowledge have departed, and his heart is confused. Immediately, he begins speaking inappropriately. If he drank the fourth cup, all of his knowledge has departed. Both his kidneys have gone mad, his heart is confused, and the tongue ceases. He seeks to speak but cannot. Instead, his tongue is despondent.
This is why they said that a priest who drank a quarter log of wine was disqualified from Temple service, and an Israelite who drank a quarter log of wine was disqualified from serving as a judge. This is to teach you that no good emerges from wine. That is what is written: “From wine and intoxicating drink he shall abstain: vinegar…” – due to inebriation. Why did the Torah prohibit “anything in which grapes were soaked,” that he would not become inebriated from them? Eating anything that emerges from the grapevine is also prohibited; things from which he would not become inebriated. Why? From here one learns that a person is obligated to distance himself from impropriety, and from anything resembling impropriety, and from anything that resembles anything that resembles it. From here one learns that the Torah established a fence surrounding its matters. There we learned: Be measured in judgment, establish many students, and establish a fence around the Torah (Mishna Avot 1:1).
How does a person establish a fence around his matters, like the Torah did around its matters? It says: “To a woman in her menstrual impurity you shall not approach” (Leviticus 18:19). May one, perhaps, hug her, kiss her, or speak idle matters with her? The verse states: “You shall not approach.” May she, perhaps, sleep with him on the bed clothed? The verse states: “You shall not approach.” May she, perhaps, wash her face and line her eyes, and may he take a cup from her? The verse states: “And one who is afflicted with her menstruation [benidata]…” (Leviticus 15:33), as long as she is afflicted, she shall be ostracized [benidui].87From her husband. From here they said: Any woman who makes herself repulsive during the days of her menstruation, the Sages are pleased with her. But any woman who adorns herself during the days of her menstruation, the Sages are not pleased with her.
It says: “Any man shall not approach his kin [to uncover nakedness]” (Leviticus 18:6). From here they said: A man may not enter into seclusion with any women at an inn, even with his sister, even with his daughter, and even with his mother-in-law, due to the [potential] allegations of the people [there]. One may not converse with a woman in the marketplace, even with one’s wife, and it goes without saying with another woman, due to the allegations of the people. Here, it is stated regarding his kin: “You shall not approach [tikrevu], and elsewhere it says: “You shall not approach [tikrav]” (Leviticus 18:19) – to a matter that brings one to a matter of transgression, you shall not approach; distance yourself from impropriety and from anything that resembles impropriety. For, so said the Sages: Distance yourself from a minor sin, lest it bring you to a major one; run to fulfill a minor mitzva, as it will bring you to a major one.
“At its end, it bites like a serpent” – just as the serpent, because it incited Eve to drink wine, the earth was cursed because of it, as it is stated: “Cursed is the earth because of you” (Genesis 3:17), likewise, due to wine, one-third of the world was cursed, as it is stated: “Noah awoke from his wine…. He said: Cursed is Canaan” (Genesis 9:24–25). This is Ḥam, who was his third son, and he is called “the father of Canaan” (Genesis 9:18).
Just as this adder sets aside between life and death, so wine sets man aside from the paths of life to the paths of death, as wine causes one to engage in idol worship. That is what is written: “Your eyes will see strange things [zarot]” (Proverbs 23:33), just as it says: “There shall be no strange [zar] god among you” (Psalms 81:10).
Likewise, it says: “He shall not drink anything in which grapes were soaked…from anything that may be derived from the grapevine…” (Number 6:3–4). The Torah established a fence surrounding its matters, that one may not eat and may not drink from anything that is made from the grapevine, so that he will not come to drink. The parable says: ‘Go, go,’ one says to the nazirite, ‘around, around; do not approach the vineyard.’ “From wine and intoxicating drink he shall abstain,” even if he said only: ‘Behold, I am a nazirite from wine,’ he is a full-fledged nazirite, as we found three matters are prohibited for a nazirite: Drinking wine, shaving hair, and becoming impure due to a dead person. Is one, perhaps, not a nazirite until he abstains from all of them? The verse states: “From wine and intoxicating drink he shall abstain” – even from one of the three, he is a nazirite. They said: One who says: ‘Behold I am a nazirite from the [grape] seeds, from the [grape] skins, from shaving, from impurity’ is a nazirite, and all the minutiae of the nazirite are incumbent upon him.
Rabbi Yosei HaGelili says: “From wine and intoxicating drink he shall abstain” – why did the verse repeat “wine and intoxicating drink”? Is wine not intoxicating drink, and is intoxicating drink not wine? Why did it do so? It is because it says: “You shall eat before the Lord your God, in the place that He will choose…the tithe of your grain, [your wine…]” (Deuteronomy 14:23), is it perhaps that even the nazirite is included? How then do I realize: “From wine and intoxicating drink he shall abstain”? It is with all other types of wine, with the exception of the wine of mitzva. Or, is it even with the wine of mitzva? How, then, do I realize the verse: “You shall eat before the Lord your God, in the place that He will choose…the tithe [of your grain, your wine…]”? It is regarding all other people, with the exception of the nazirite. The verse states: “From wine and intoxicating drink he shall abstain,” to render the wine of mitzva as wine that is optional.
Rabbi Elazar HaKapar says: “Wine,” this is diluted, “and intoxicating drink,” this is undiluted. Or, perhaps, it is that “wine,” this is undiluted; “and intoxicating drink,” this is diluted? The verse states: “Its libation is wine, one fourth of a hin…” (Leviticus 23:13), “Pour a libation of intoxicating drink […to the Lord]” (Numbers 28:7). You pour libations of undiluted wine, but you do not pour libations with diluted wine. Consequently, you must not say like the second formulation, but rather like the first formulation: “Wine,” this is diluted; “and intoxicating drink,” this is undiluted.
“He shall abstain [yazir]” – nezirut everywhere is nothing other than separation. Likewise, it says: “They shall abstain [veyinazeru] from the sacred items of the children of Israel” (Leviticus 22:2). And it says: “[You shall not…gather] the grapes that you left untended [nezirekha]” (Leviticus 25:5). And it says: “They separated themselves [vayinazeru] from me and turned to the shameful” (Hosea 9:10). And it says: “Shall I weep during the fifth month, abstaining [hinazer]?” (Zechariah 7:3). Consequently, nezirut everywhere is nothing other than separation. “He shall abstain” – do I hear, from his commerce and from his healing? The verse states: “He shall not drink” – drinking is forbidden to him, but his medical needs and his commerce are permitted.88He is allowed to sell wine, and place wine on a wound if necessary.
“Vinegar of wine and vinegar of intoxicating drink he shall not drink,” this tells that it rendered vinegar like wine in this regard, and the vinegar of a mitzva like the wine of a mitzva.89If he took a vow to drink vinegar and then vowed to become a nazirite, he cannot drink the vinegar.
“Anything in which…were soaked” – it tells that if one soaked grapes in water, its status is determined by the flavor.90If the water tastes like wine, it is prohibited for him. From here you expound to all Torah prohibitions: If what is derived from the vine, the prohibition of which is not an eternal prohibition,91The prohibitions of the nazirite are limited in time. At the time of the vow the person determines the amount of time that he will be a nazirite (with a thirty day minimum). and the prohibition of which is not a prohibition against benefit,92A nazirite may not drink wine, but he may benefit from wine. For example, he can sell wine. and there is dissolution of the prohibition,93A nazirite can have his vow abrogated if he has a sufficient reason. it rendered flavor the same as substance; the rest of the Torah prohibitions, prohibitions that are eternal, prohibitions that are prohibitive of benefit, and there is no dissolution of the prohibitions, is it not logical that we would render flavor the same as substance?
“And grapes,” in their plain sense; “fresh” to include the unripe; “or dried, he shall not eat,” to incur liability for this by itself, and for that by itself. From here you expound to all nazirite prohibitions. If, here, where it is one species with two names, one incurs liability for this by itself and for that by itself, so, too, in all cases where there is one species with two names, one incurs liability for this by itself and for that by itself.94If he was warned not to eat grapes and nevertheless ate fresh grapes and dried grapes, he gets punished twice, once for eating fresh grapes and once for eating dried grapes. This comes to include new wine and grapes, that he incurs liability for two.
“From wine and intoxicating drink…” – that is what is written: “Woe, the valiant to drink wine…who vindicate the wicked following a bribe…” (Isaiah 5:22–23). There it is written: “Happy are you, land, that your king is a free man” (Ecclesiastes 10:17). When is the land characterized as happy? It is when its king engages in Torah, as it is stated: “The tablets were the work of God [and the writing was the writing of God, engraved [ḥarut] on the tablets]” (Exodus 32:16) – do not read it as ḥarut, but rather, as ḥerut, freedom, as one is a free man [ben ḥorin] only when one engages in Torah study. “And your princes dine at the proper time” (Ecclesiastes 10:17), as they set fixed times for Torah and they eat thereafter, to realize what is stated: “Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a good heart, as God has already accepted your actions” (Ecclesiastes 9:7). That is what is written thereafter: “In valor and not in drunkenness” (Ecclesiastes 10:17), with the valor of Torah, not with the drunkenness of wine. That is why Isaiah said: The valor of Torah is characterized with “happy” (Ecclesiastes 10:17), but the valor of wine is with “woe,” – “woe, the valiant to drink wine” (Isaiah 5:22). Likewise it says: “To whom, woe? To whom, alas…. To those who linger over wine” (Proverbs 23:29–30). “And capable men [anshei ḥayil] to mix intoxicating drink” (Isaiah 5:22). There it is written: “You shall identify from among the people [capable men [anshei ḥayil]]…They shall judge the people…” (Exodus 18:21–22). But these are capable men only to mix intoxicating drink, just as it says: “To those who come to assess the mixture” (Proverbs 23:30). What is “to mix intoxicating drink”? They would mix strong wine with weak wine in order to become inebriated with it. There was an incident involving a group of dissolute men, who would eat and drink until midnight but would not become inebriated. Wine was brought to them; they said mix wine with wine. They did so until the wine entered them. They arose and struck one another in a drunken state. Their cry circulated throughout the city. The constable came, apprehended them, transferred them to the custody of the kingdom, and they were all eliminated. What caused this to befall them? It was the wine that they were drinking. In their regard it is stated: “To those who come to assess the mixture” – the mixture is nothing other than wine mixed with wine. That is, “and capable men to mix intoxicating drink.” On account of this they forget the Torah and corrupt the law, as it is written thereafter: “Who vindicate the wicked following a bribe” (Isaiah 5:23), and it says: “Lest he drink, and forget what was legislated” (Proverbs 31:5) – he will forget the Torah that was given by means of the lawgiver, this is Moses, as it is stated: “As there the lawgiver’s plot is hidden” (Deuteronomy 33:21). What is written? “And subvert justice for all the children of the poor” (Proverbs 31:5).
Wine and knowledge are likened to the Pleiades and Scorpio. Whenever the Pleiades are visible in the sky, Scorpio is not visible in the sky, and when Scorpio is visible, the Pleiades are not visible. So, wine is likened to Scorpio, and knowledge is likened to the Pleiades. Just as the scorpion strikes with its tail, so, wine, strikes in its aftermath, as it is stated: “At its end, it bites like a serpent” (Proverbs 23:32). Just as the Pleiades ripens fruits and provides them with flavor, so, knowledge provides flavor and fragrance to a person’s words. Wine enters, knowledge exits. Any place there is wine, there is no knowledge. Wine enters, a secret emerges; the numerical value of wine [yayin] is seventy84Yod – 10, yod – 10, nun – 50 = 70. and the numerical value of secret [sod] is seventy.85Samekh – 60, vav – 6, dalet – 4 = 70.
Knowledge is divided into four portions; two in the two kidneys, one portion in the mouth, and one portion in the heart. From where is it derived that two portions of wisdom are in the two kidneys? It is as it is stated: “Who set wisdom in obscurity [batuḥot]?” (Job 38:36). These are the kidneys, that are obscured [tuḥot] in the body. And one portion in the heart, as it is stated: “Inform me of wisdom in the closed place” (Psalms 51:8). And one portion in the mouth, as it is stated: “My mouth will speak wisdom” (Psalms 49:4). Wisdom was placed in these four receptacles and, corresponding to them, the Sages established the measure of inebriation in four receptacles, each containing a quarter log of undiluted wine, which constitute four cups.86Of wine diluted in the customary manner. If a person drank one cup, which is a quarter log, one-quarter of his knowledge has departed. If he drank two cups, two portions of his knowledge have departed. If he drank three cups, three portions of his knowledge have departed, and his heart is confused. Immediately, he begins speaking inappropriately. If he drank the fourth cup, all of his knowledge has departed. Both his kidneys have gone mad, his heart is confused, and the tongue ceases. He seeks to speak but cannot. Instead, his tongue is despondent.
This is why they said that a priest who drank a quarter log of wine was disqualified from Temple service, and an Israelite who drank a quarter log of wine was disqualified from serving as a judge. This is to teach you that no good emerges from wine. That is what is written: “From wine and intoxicating drink he shall abstain: vinegar…” – due to inebriation. Why did the Torah prohibit “anything in which grapes were soaked,” that he would not become inebriated from them? Eating anything that emerges from the grapevine is also prohibited; things from which he would not become inebriated. Why? From here one learns that a person is obligated to distance himself from impropriety, and from anything resembling impropriety, and from anything that resembles anything that resembles it. From here one learns that the Torah established a fence surrounding its matters. There we learned: Be measured in judgment, establish many students, and establish a fence around the Torah (Mishna Avot 1:1).
How does a person establish a fence around his matters, like the Torah did around its matters? It says: “To a woman in her menstrual impurity you shall not approach” (Leviticus 18:19). May one, perhaps, hug her, kiss her, or speak idle matters with her? The verse states: “You shall not approach.” May she, perhaps, sleep with him on the bed clothed? The verse states: “You shall not approach.” May she, perhaps, wash her face and line her eyes, and may he take a cup from her? The verse states: “And one who is afflicted with her menstruation [benidata]…” (Leviticus 15:33), as long as she is afflicted, she shall be ostracized [benidui].87From her husband. From here they said: Any woman who makes herself repulsive during the days of her menstruation, the Sages are pleased with her. But any woman who adorns herself during the days of her menstruation, the Sages are not pleased with her.
It says: “Any man shall not approach his kin [to uncover nakedness]” (Leviticus 18:6). From here they said: A man may not enter into seclusion with any women at an inn, even with his sister, even with his daughter, and even with his mother-in-law, due to the [potential] allegations of the people [there]. One may not converse with a woman in the marketplace, even with one’s wife, and it goes without saying with another woman, due to the allegations of the people. Here, it is stated regarding his kin: “You shall not approach [tikrevu], and elsewhere it says: “You shall not approach [tikrav]” (Leviticus 18:19) – to a matter that brings one to a matter of transgression, you shall not approach; distance yourself from impropriety and from anything that resembles impropriety. For, so said the Sages: Distance yourself from a minor sin, lest it bring you to a major one; run to fulfill a minor mitzva, as it will bring you to a major one.
“At its end, it bites like a serpent” – just as the serpent, because it incited Eve to drink wine, the earth was cursed because of it, as it is stated: “Cursed is the earth because of you” (Genesis 3:17), likewise, due to wine, one-third of the world was cursed, as it is stated: “Noah awoke from his wine…. He said: Cursed is Canaan” (Genesis 9:24–25). This is Ḥam, who was his third son, and he is called “the father of Canaan” (Genesis 9:18).
Just as this adder sets aside between life and death, so wine sets man aside from the paths of life to the paths of death, as wine causes one to engage in idol worship. That is what is written: “Your eyes will see strange things [zarot]” (Proverbs 23:33), just as it says: “There shall be no strange [zar] god among you” (Psalms 81:10).
Likewise, it says: “He shall not drink anything in which grapes were soaked…from anything that may be derived from the grapevine…” (Number 6:3–4). The Torah established a fence surrounding its matters, that one may not eat and may not drink from anything that is made from the grapevine, so that he will not come to drink. The parable says: ‘Go, go,’ one says to the nazirite, ‘around, around; do not approach the vineyard.’ “From wine and intoxicating drink he shall abstain,” even if he said only: ‘Behold, I am a nazirite from wine,’ he is a full-fledged nazirite, as we found three matters are prohibited for a nazirite: Drinking wine, shaving hair, and becoming impure due to a dead person. Is one, perhaps, not a nazirite until he abstains from all of them? The verse states: “From wine and intoxicating drink he shall abstain” – even from one of the three, he is a nazirite. They said: One who says: ‘Behold I am a nazirite from the [grape] seeds, from the [grape] skins, from shaving, from impurity’ is a nazirite, and all the minutiae of the nazirite are incumbent upon him.
Rabbi Yosei HaGelili says: “From wine and intoxicating drink he shall abstain” – why did the verse repeat “wine and intoxicating drink”? Is wine not intoxicating drink, and is intoxicating drink not wine? Why did it do so? It is because it says: “You shall eat before the Lord your God, in the place that He will choose…the tithe of your grain, [your wine…]” (Deuteronomy 14:23), is it perhaps that even the nazirite is included? How then do I realize: “From wine and intoxicating drink he shall abstain”? It is with all other types of wine, with the exception of the wine of mitzva. Or, is it even with the wine of mitzva? How, then, do I realize the verse: “You shall eat before the Lord your God, in the place that He will choose…the tithe [of your grain, your wine…]”? It is regarding all other people, with the exception of the nazirite. The verse states: “From wine and intoxicating drink he shall abstain,” to render the wine of mitzva as wine that is optional.
Rabbi Elazar HaKapar says: “Wine,” this is diluted, “and intoxicating drink,” this is undiluted. Or, perhaps, it is that “wine,” this is undiluted; “and intoxicating drink,” this is diluted? The verse states: “Its libation is wine, one fourth of a hin…” (Leviticus 23:13), “Pour a libation of intoxicating drink […to the Lord]” (Numbers 28:7). You pour libations of undiluted wine, but you do not pour libations with diluted wine. Consequently, you must not say like the second formulation, but rather like the first formulation: “Wine,” this is diluted; “and intoxicating drink,” this is undiluted.
“He shall abstain [yazir]” – nezirut everywhere is nothing other than separation. Likewise, it says: “They shall abstain [veyinazeru] from the sacred items of the children of Israel” (Leviticus 22:2). And it says: “[You shall not…gather] the grapes that you left untended [nezirekha]” (Leviticus 25:5). And it says: “They separated themselves [vayinazeru] from me and turned to the shameful” (Hosea 9:10). And it says: “Shall I weep during the fifth month, abstaining [hinazer]?” (Zechariah 7:3). Consequently, nezirut everywhere is nothing other than separation. “He shall abstain” – do I hear, from his commerce and from his healing? The verse states: “He shall not drink” – drinking is forbidden to him, but his medical needs and his commerce are permitted.88He is allowed to sell wine, and place wine on a wound if necessary.
“Vinegar of wine and vinegar of intoxicating drink he shall not drink,” this tells that it rendered vinegar like wine in this regard, and the vinegar of a mitzva like the wine of a mitzva.89If he took a vow to drink vinegar and then vowed to become a nazirite, he cannot drink the vinegar.
“Anything in which…were soaked” – it tells that if one soaked grapes in water, its status is determined by the flavor.90If the water tastes like wine, it is prohibited for him. From here you expound to all Torah prohibitions: If what is derived from the vine, the prohibition of which is not an eternal prohibition,91The prohibitions of the nazirite are limited in time. At the time of the vow the person determines the amount of time that he will be a nazirite (with a thirty day minimum). and the prohibition of which is not a prohibition against benefit,92A nazirite may not drink wine, but he may benefit from wine. For example, he can sell wine. and there is dissolution of the prohibition,93A nazirite can have his vow abrogated if he has a sufficient reason. it rendered flavor the same as substance; the rest of the Torah prohibitions, prohibitions that are eternal, prohibitions that are prohibitive of benefit, and there is no dissolution of the prohibitions, is it not logical that we would render flavor the same as substance?
“And grapes,” in their plain sense; “fresh” to include the unripe; “or dried, he shall not eat,” to incur liability for this by itself, and for that by itself. From here you expound to all nazirite prohibitions. If, here, where it is one species with two names, one incurs liability for this by itself and for that by itself, so, too, in all cases where there is one species with two names, one incurs liability for this by itself and for that by itself.94If he was warned not to eat grapes and nevertheless ate fresh grapes and dried grapes, he gets punished twice, once for eating fresh grapes and once for eating dried grapes. This comes to include new wine and grapes, that he incurs liability for two.
Midrash Tanchuma
(Numb. 28:1–2:) “Then the Lord spoke unto Moses, saying, ‘Command the Children of Israel, [and say unto them], “My offering, My bread for My fire offering….”’” Let our master instruct us: Regarding the meal offerings that were offered upon the altar, how were they offered? Thus have our masters taught (in Men. 5:1–2):33See above, Lev. 1:7. All meal offerings were offered unleavened except the leavened [cakes] in the thank offering and the two loaves (of Pentecost) which were offered leavened. R. Meir says, “The leaven is separated from its own [dough], and [it is from this that] they are leavened.” R. Judah says, “Even that is not the best [method]; one should bring the leaven, put it into the [measure], and fill the measure [with flour].” [The sages] said to him, “Even that [method] resulted in too little or too much.” All meal offerings were kneaded in lukewarm water and one watched them lest they become leavened; and if the remnants of it became leavened, one transgressed a negative commandment, as stated (in Lev. 2:11), “No meal offering which you offer to the Lord shall be made with leaven.” Thus one may become culpable in the kneading of [leaven], in rolling it, and in baking it. There is nothing more pleasing for you than the offerings. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, “Say to those Israelites, ‘I did not tell you to offer me sacrifices because I have a need for them, since the whole world is Mine, and I created the animal from which you offer a sacrifice in front of Me.’”34Numb. R. 21:16; see Men. 110a; PRK 6:1; PR 16:1; 48:3; Tanh., Exod. 8:14. Thus it is stated (in Ps. 50:12), “If I am hungry, I would not tell you, for the world and everything in it belong to Me.” R. Judah bar Simon said, “It is not that I require to eat anything which I commanded you to offer as My offering, My bread; as there is not eating or drinking in front of Me.” R. Simon said, “There are thirteen attributes of mercy that are written about the Holy One, blessed be He, as stated (in Exod. 34:6), ‘And the Lord passed over his face….’ Is there a merciful one that delivers his victuals to a cruel one?” Ergo (in Ps. 50:12), “If I am hungry, I would not tell you.” R. Judah bar Simon said, “The Holy One, blessed be He, said, ‘I have delivered ten [kinds of] clean animals to you (for food).35See also PR 16:1; Numb. R. 20:5; 21:16. Three are in your possession, and seven are not in your possession. Now these are those which are in your possession (according to Deut. 14:4), “the bull, the sheep, and the goat.” And these are those which are not in your possession (according to Deut. 14:5), “The deer, the gazelle, the roebuck, the wild goat, the ibex, the antelope, and the mountain sheep.” I did not burden you to have you seek them in the mountains and the hills, in order to bring Me a sacrifice from those [which are not in your possession]. Rather [your sacrifices come] from those which are in your possession, which grew up at your feeding trough.’” Ergo (in Ps. 50:12), “If I am hungry, I would not tell you.” R. Isaac said, “It is written (in Numb 28:2), ‘My offering, My Bread, for My burnt offering.’ Is there eating and drinking in front of Me? And if you say there is eating and drinking in front of Me, [you should] learn from the ministering angels, as stated (in Ps. 104:4), ‘His servants flaming fire.’” From what are they [then] sustained? R. Judan said in the name of R. Isaac, “They are nourished from the radiance of the Divine Presence, as stated (in Prov. 16:15), ‘The light of the king’s face is light.‘” R. Simeon ben Laqish said, [Regarding (Numb. 28:6),] “The regular burnt offering done at Mount Sinai,” “And did they do it at Mount Sinai? It is simply that if you will say that that there is eating and drinking in front of Him, learn from Moshe, our teacher. Observe what is written about him (in Exod. 34:28), ‘And he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights; he neither ate bread nor drank water.’ If there was eating and drinking in front of Me, he would have eaten and drank from what I eat and drink. And if Moses who [only] fulfilled the errand of God, ‘neither ate bread nor drank water,’ all the more so is it true of the Holy One, blessed be He.” Ergo (in Ps. 50:12), “If I am hungry, I would not tell you.” R. Hiyya bar Abba said, “So did the Holy One blessed be He say: ‘My [other] creatures do not need My creatures (people). In your days have you heard one saying, “Let this vine produce wine,” and it produces much wine, [or] “Let this olive tree produce oil,” and it produces much wine. My creatures do not need My creatures and I should need My creatures?’” R. Jannai said, “It is customary that when a man is walking by a river, it is impossible for him not to drink two or three log. Now all the water that is in the world would fill the hollow of My hand, as stated (in Is. 40:12), ‘Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand?’ But [yet] I have written about your log (in Numb. 28:7), ‘to be poured in the sacred precinct as an offering of fermented drink to the Lord,’ which is an expression of drinking, an expression of satiation, an expression of inebriation.” I have created one animal in My world, and you are not able to support its victuals. And which is it? That is (in Psalms 50:10), “the behemoths on a thousand mountains.” R. Johanan, R. Joshua ben Levi and the Sages [disagreed about this]. R. Johanan said, ‘It was one animal crouching on a thousand mountains and it would pasture on a thousand [different] mountains each day, as stated, (in Job 40:20), ‘The mountains yield him produce.’” R. Joshua ben Levi says, “It was one animal crouching on a thousand mountains and a thousand mountains would produce many types of food, for the righteous to eat in the future to come, as stated (in Is. 65:10), ‘Sharon shall become a pasture for flocks, And the Valley of Achor a place for cattle to lie down.’” And the Sages say, “It crouches upon the thousand mountains, and the thousand mountains produce animals every day and it eats [them].” What is the explanation? As it states (in Job 40:20, cont.), “and all the beasts of the field play there.” Is it possible for a grazing animal to eat a grazing animal? R. Tanchuma says, “Great is the work of our God and how great are His acts.” And from where does it drink? R. Joshua ben Levi and the Sages [disagreed about this]. R. Joshua ben Levi says, “It drinks up with one swallow all that the Jordan produces in six months, as stated (in Job 40:23), ‘He can restrain the river from its rushing; [he is confident the Jordan will gush at his command].’ [And the sages say, “Twelve months….”]36See Numb. R. 21:18. But it only has a moistening of the mouth [from it].” And [so] from where does it drink? R. Shimon ben Gamliel taught (form Gen. 2:10), “’A river issues from Eden to water the garden’ and its name is Yuval, as stated (in Jer. 17:8), ‘sending forth its roots by a stream (yuval),’ and it drinks from it.” R. Chiya taught in the name of R. Meir (from Job 12:7), “’But ask the beasts, and they will teach you; the birds of the sky, they will tell you’: ’But ask the beasts,’ this is the behemoth; ‘the birds of the sky,’ this is the ziz of the Omnipresent (a giant bird). (Job 12:8:) ‘Or speak to the earth, it will teach you; the fish of the sea, they will inform you’: ‘Or speak to the earth,’ this is the Garden of Eden; ‘The fish of the sea,’ that is the leviathan. (Job 12:9:) ‘Who among all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this?’” You have one king and his name was Solomon, as stated (about the lavishness of his meals in I Kings 5:2-3), “Solomon’s daily provisions consisted of thirty kor of semolina, and sixty kor of [ordinary] flour, ten fattened oxen….” R. Yehuda bar Zvidah said, “Solomon had a thousand wives and each and every one would make him like this every day, as she thought he would eat with her. [And] Nehemiah the governor did not [even] have the ability to reckon his meal, as stated (in Neh. 5:18), ‘And although what was prepared for each day came to one ox….’ The Holy One, blessed be He, said, ‘My children, it is not because there is eating and drinking in front of Me. Rather it is because of the smell, that you shall be pleased and give the pleasant smell in front of Me.’”
Bamidbar Rabbah
Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said: My creations do not require My creations. In all your days, have you heard that they say: Please water this vine with wine so that it will produce much wine? Water this olive tree with oil so that it will produce much oil? My creations do not require My creations, and I require My creations?
“And its libation is one-quarter of a hin for the one lamb; in the holy place, pour a libation of intoxicating drink to the Lord” (Numbers 28:7).
Rabbi Yannai said: The way of the world is that one who passes through a river, it is impossible for him not to drink two or three log of water. But I, all the seas and all the water fill My palm. It is written: “Who measured the water in His palm” (Isaiah 40:12). And I wrote regarding your log: “Pour a libation of intoxicating drink” – an expression of drinking, an expression of satiation, an expression of intoxication.24Clearly, no amount of wine could satiate or intoxicate Me.
“And its libation is one-quarter of a hin for the one lamb; in the holy place, pour a libation of intoxicating drink to the Lord” (Numbers 28:7).
Rabbi Yannai said: The way of the world is that one who passes through a river, it is impossible for him not to drink two or three log of water. But I, all the seas and all the water fill My palm. It is written: “Who measured the water in His palm” (Isaiah 40:12). And I wrote regarding your log: “Pour a libation of intoxicating drink” – an expression of drinking, an expression of satiation, an expression of intoxication.24Clearly, no amount of wine could satiate or intoxicate Me.