Pt1 Uncovered Liquids and Ritual Boundaries: Gentile Wine and the Risk of Snake Venom (Avodah Zarah 30a-31b)

This is the first part of a three-part series. The outline for the series is below.

Outline

1. Intro

2. Technical

3. The Danger of Uncovered Liquids and Fruits: Concerns of Snake Venom Contamination (Mishnah Terumot 8:4-7)

   1. Uncovered Liquids

   2. Minimum Quantity for Prohibition

   3. Uncovered Fruits & Snake Bites; Covering Wine

4. Comparing the Talmud on Snake Venom with modern scientific understanding

   1. Snake Venom in Exposed Liquids

   2. Wine and Snake Behavior

   3. Three types of snake venom based on the snake's age

   4. Water’s Repellent Effect on Snakes

   5. Bitter and Sweet Wines Not Subject to Exposure

5. The Passage

6. Cooked and Non-Jewish Wine

   1. Cooked Wine and Wine Produced by a Non-Jew

   2. Wine-Based Drinks and Their Permissibility on Shabbat: Anumlin vs. Aluntit

7. The Danger of Exposed Wine and Water

   1. Drinking Exposed Cooked or Diluted Wine

   2. Drinking Exposed Cooked Wine: A Ruling Affirmed by R’ Yannai bar Yishmael

   3. Story: Shmuel Assures Non-Jewish Scholar Friend “Ablat”: Cooked Wine Not Subject to Prohibition After His Touch

8. Encounters with Snakes and Their Implications

   1. Two Stories: Sages Exempting Cooked and Diluted Wine from Rule of Exposure

   2. Story: Rabba Bar Rav Huna’s Attendant Drives Away Snake by Throwing Water

   3. Story: R’ Yannai or Bar-Hadaya and the Snake’s Wine: A Strange Encounter in Ukbara

   4. Story: Rav Ḥilkiya bar Tovi's advises that Snakes Fear Sleeping Person, Nearby Water Safe to Drink

9. Rabbinic Views on Drinking Practices

   1. Differing Practices of Rav and Shmuel Re Drinking Water of Non-Jewish People and Jewish Widows

   2. Wine-Based Drinks: R’ Yehoshua ben Levi and Rav Ḥama on Sharp, Bitter/Sour, and Sweet Flavored Wines

10. Snakes, Venom, and Dangerous Creatures

    1. Three types of snake venom based on the snake's age

    2. Three creatures grow stronger with age: fish, snakes, and pigs

    3. Tales of the Tenth: Nine Consume Without Harm, Yet the Tenth Meets a Fatal End

    4. Five Prohibited Uses of Exposed Water: Disposal in Public, Sprinkling Indoors, Mixing with Clay, Giving to Animals, and Washing

    5. R' Yoḥanan's Encounter in Parod: Bar-Kappara’s Legacy and a Ruling on Gentile Wine (Ecclesiastes 11:3)

    6. Ownership and Security of Stored Wine in a Non-Jew’s Courtyard: Halakhic Dispute and Ruling

    7. Complex Chains of Transmission: Rav Ḥisda’s Attribution of the Halakha to R' Eliezer

    8. Rabbinic Concerns Over Non-Rabbinic Contamination: The Changing Status of Wine from Samaritan and Other Villages

    9. The practices of Rav Pappa, Rav Aḥai, Rav Shmuel bar Bisna, Rav, and Ḥiyya bar Rav re beer and wine of non-Jews

11. Final Reflections on Danger and Prohibition

    1. All “creeping animals” (sheratzim) have venom, but only the venom of a snake is lethal

    2. Explanation for why non-Jews don't die after drinking uncovered water: non-kosher diet

    3. Hadrianic Earthenware: The Legendary Wine Jugs and Shards of Emperor Hadrian, Virgin Soil

Intro

This sugya weaves together two distinct but related concerns: The non-Jewish production and handling of wine, and the purported risk of snake venom contaminating uncovered liquids. These concerns, spanning halakhic, medical, and practical domains, reflect the intersection of ritual purity laws, social boundaries, and scientific assumptions about the natural world.

The Talmud discusses whether cooked wine is subject to the restrictions placed on ordinary wine touched by non-Jews, a ruling that has both economic and social implications. Simultaneously, the sugya grapples with the concern over uncovered liquids, rooted in the possibility of snake venom contamination, an issue already addressed in the Mishnah (Terumot 8:4-7). This anxiety manifests in practical rulings about minimum thresholds for prohibition, the safety of diluted wine, and even the impacts of water on repelling snakes.

Beyond halakhic rulings, the Talmud recounts stories of sages navigating these concerns in real-world encounters: Shmuel reassuring his non-Jewish scholar friend Ablat that cooked wine is not subject to prohibition, R' Yannai and Bar-Hadaya’s strange interaction with a snake in Ukbara, and Rabba bar Rav Huna’s attendant using water to drive away a snake. These anecdotes provide a glimpse into the lived experience of Talmudic figures, where scholarly debates intersect with personal danger and pragmatic solutions.

The sugya also expands into broader themes: from debates over wine quality and Hadrian’s legendary wine jugs to an analysis of why non-Jews don’t suffer from drinking uncovered water.

What emerges is a sugya that is both rooted in rabbinic halakhic logic and engaged with real-world concerns—a discussion where the dangers of contamination, ritual status, and even the nature of aging snakes shape a complex and multi-layered Talmudic sugya.

Technical

The sugya discusses the laws regarding wine, particularly focusing on cooked wine ("יין מבושל"), drinks made by non-Jews, and dangerous exposure to snake venom.

The overarching concern is balancing the permissibility of drinks, especially those handled by non-Jews or exposed to snakes, while ensuring safety from contamination from snake venom.

On the issue of handling by non-Jews, see my intro to my piece “Pt1 Permissibility of Jewish Wine in the Hands of Non-Jews: Ten Talmudic Cases Explored (Avodah Zarah 69b-70b)”:

Kashrut laws include a prohibition on Yayin Nesekh (יין נסך – "poured wine"), wine that has been poured to an idol, and on drinking Stam Yeynam (סתם יֵינָם), wine that has been touched by a non-Jew.

On the concern about contamination from snake venom, see Hebrew Wikipedia, “משקים שנתגלו”, my translation:

"Uncovered liquids" (משקים שנתגלו) or "uncovered water" (מים שנתגלו) is a halakhic concept stating that water, milk, or wine that has remained uncovered and unsupervised by a person is prohibited for use.

The Talmud states that the reason for this prohibition is the concern that a snake may have drunk from the liquid and left venom in it. Therefore, beverages are only forbidden if they remained uncovered for at least the amount of time it would take a snake to drink from them.¹

It's indicated in our sugya that local non-Jews didn't believe that uncovered water was dangerous due to snake venom, and that this was a particularly Jewish belief. In addition, there's an indication that Jewish men took this concern more seriously than their wives. The Talmud goes so far as to try to explain why non-Jews, who weren't concerned about snake venom in water, weren't harmed: because they eat non-kosher food, they have immunity to consumed snake venom.

The Danger of Uncovered Liquids and Fruits: Concerns of Snake Venom Contamination (Mishnah Terumot 8:4-7)

The Mishnah in tractate Terumot (Mishnah_Terumot.8.4-7) discusses the prohibition of consuming liquids and fruits that may have been contaminated by a snake due to the danger of venom.

Uncovered Liquids

Three liquids are forbidden if left uncovered: water, wine, and milk, while other drinks remain permitted.

The time frame for prohibition is the time it takes a snake² to emerge from a nearby place and drink.

שלשה משקין אסורים משום גלוי:

1. המים

2. והיין

3. והחלב.

ושאר כל המשקין --

מתרים.

כמה ישהו ויהיו אסורין?

כדי שיצא הרחש ממקום קרוב וישתה

Three kinds of liquids are forbidden if they were left uncovered:

1. water,

2. wine

3. and milk,

but all other drinks

are permitted.

How long do they remain uncovered for them to become prohibited?

The time it takes the snake to creep out from a place near by and drink.

Minimum Quantity for Prohibition

For water, the amount uncovered must be sufficient to dissolve the venom.³

שעור המים המגלין --

כדי שתאבד בהם המרה.

[...]

The amount of water that is uncovered:

enough to negate the poison.

[...]

Uncovered Fruits & Snake Bites; Covering Wine

Certain fruits--figs, grapes, cucumbers, pumpkins, melons, watermelons--with bite marks (נקורי) are forbidden if they contain moisture (לחה), whether large or small, pressed into a cake,⁴ or still attached to the plant.

An animal bitten by a snake (נשוכת הנחש) is prohibited due to the danger to life (סכנת נפשות).

A wine filter (משמרת) does not prevent the wine from being considered uncovered.

נקורי

1. תאנים

2. וענבים

3. וקשואין

4. והדלועין

5. והאבטיחים

6. והמלפפונות,

אפלו הם ככר,

אחד גדול ואחד קטן,

אחד תלוש ואחד מחבר,

כל שיש בו לחה,

אסור.

ונשוכת הנחש --

אסורה,

מפני סכנת נפשות

המשמרת של יין --

אסורה משום גלוי.

1. Figs,

2. grapes,

3. cucumbers,

4. pumpkins,

5. melons

6. or watermelons

that have bite marks,

even if they are in a jar,

both large or small,

both plucked or still attached to the soil,

they are forbidden

as long as there is juice in them.

[An animal] bitten by a snake

is forbidden

on account of the danger to life.

A wine-filter [used as a cover]

does not prevent [the wine from becoming] forbidden by being uncovered.

Comparing the Talmud on Snake Venom with modern scientific understanding

The Talmudic sugya contains several scientific assumptions regarding wine, exposure, and snake venom. Modern biology and herpetology provide more accurate information about snakes, their behavior, and the actual risks of venom. The Talmudic discussion is not consistent with current scientific knowledge. Following is a breakdown and fact check based on modern scientific understanding.⁵

Snake Venom in Exposed Liquids

Talmudic Claim: The Talmud understands that leaving wine or water exposed might lead to contamination by snake venom, which could be lethal. There is a belief that venom could "sink" to the bottom of the container (for younger snakes) or float (for older snakes), and therefore, exposed liquids could be dangerous to consume.

Modern Science: Snakes are not generally attracted to wine or water for the purpose of leaving venom. Snakes primarily bite in defense or to subdue prey, and venom is injected directly through fangs during a bite, not secreted or left in standing liquids.

Additionally, snake venom breaks down in the digestive system and is not harmful if swallowed, unless it enters the bloodstream through a wound or ulcer. Thus, the Talmudic concerns about venom being left in exposed liquids and its lethality upon consumption are not supported by modern science.

While leaving liquids exposed can lead to contamination from various environmental sources (e.g., dust, bacteria, insects), snakes are not a source of contamination for open containers of water or wine. In most environments, exposure would more likely lead to bacterial or fungal growth than to contamination by snake venom.

Wine and Snake Behavior

Talmudic Claim: The Talmud implies that snakes may or may not be attracted to wine depending on whether it is diluted, partially diluted, or cooked. Some discussions even suggest that snakes drink wine under certain conditions, but the specifics depend on how diluted the wine is or who diluted it.

Modern Science: Snakes, as cold-blooded reptiles, do not typically seek out alcoholic beverages like wine. Their diet consists primarily of animals (rodents, insects, etc.), and there is no evidence that snakes have an attraction to wine or other fermented substances. Furthermore, the idea that the dilution of wine would affect a snake's interest in drinking it is not scientifically supported. Snakes drink water, but they do not show preference for or against specific beverages based on their dilution.

Three types of snake venom based on the snake's age

Talmudic Claim: The Talmudic sages differentiate between the venom of young, middle-aged, and old snakes, stating that younger snakes' venom sinks to the bottom of a container, middle-aged venom floats in the middle, and older snakes' venom floats at the top.

Modern Science: Venom from snakes is chemically similar across different ages of the same species. While venom potency can vary depending on the age and size of the snake, the idea that venom would behave differently in a liquid (i.e., sinking or floating based on age) is not scientifically accurate. Snake venom consists of proteins and enzymes, and its behavior in liquids doesn't depend on the snake's age, but on factors like the liquid's composition and temperature.

Water’s Repellent Effect on Snakes

Talmudic Claim: The Talmud implies that water repels snakes, and food or liquids containing water are not susceptible to contamination by snake venom.

Modern Science: There is no evidence that water repels snakes or prevents them from interacting with food or drink.

Bitter and Sweet Wines Not Subject to Exposure

Talmudic Claim: The Talmud mentions that certain types of wine, such as sharp, bitter, or sweet wines, are not subject to exposure to snake venom.

Modern Science: There is no scientific reason why the flavor profile of a wine would make it less susceptible to contamination by snake venom (or any other substance). Whether wine is bitter or sweet would not affect its interaction with environmental factors or animals.

The Passage

Avodah_Zarah.30a.2-32a.2

Cooked and Non-Jewish Wine

Cooked Wine and Wine Produced by a Non-Jew

Cooked wine made by a Jew is permitted, even if it later enters a non-Jew’s possession.

However, wine mixed by non-Jews, including certain drink mixtures like "aluntit"⁶ is prohibited.

תנו רבנן:

יין מבושל, ואלונתית של גוים —

אסורין,

אלונתית כברייתה —

מותרת.

The Gemara discusses the halakha with regard to various types of wine.

The Sages taught:

Cooked wine and aluntit of gentiles

are prohibited;

but already prepared aluntit that was made by a Jew before it entered the gentile’s possession

is permitted.

Wine-Based Drinks and Their Permissibility on Shabbat: Anumlin vs. Aluntit

The Talmud discusses the preparation of certain wine-based drinks on Shabbat:

The mishna permits making anumlin,⁷ while a baraita clarifies that one may not prepare aluntit.

The baraita proceeds to explain what each one consists of :

Anumlin consists of wine, honey, and black pepper (פלפלין), whereas aluntit is a mixture of aged (ישן) wine, clear (צלולין) water, and balsam (אפרסמון), which was used after bathing⁸ to cool down.⁹

ואיזו היא אלונתית?

כדתנן גבי שבת:

עושין אנומלין,

ואין עושין אלונתית

ואיזו היא אנומלין,

ואיזו היא אלונתית?

אנומלין --

1. יין

2. ודבש

3. ופלפלין

אלונתית --

1. יין ישן

2. ומים צלולין

3. ואפרסמון

דעבדי לבי מסותא

We also learned in the mishna:

One may prepare anumlin on Shabbat.

The Sages taught in a baraita:

One may prepare anumlin on Shabbat.

However, one may not prepare aluntit.

The baraita explains:

And what is anumlin

and what is aluntit?

Anumlin is a drink, which is a mixture of

1. wine,

2. honey,

3. and pepper.

Aluntit is a mixture of

1. aged wine

2. and clear water

3. and balsam,

which they prepare for use after bathing in a bathhouse to cool down from the heat of the bathhouse. It is prohibited to prepare it on Shabbat because it is a form of remedy.

1. For another talmudic mention of this danger, along with a remedy for it, see my piece “Pt2 The Talmudic Sugya of Remedies (Gittin 69a-b)”, section “Uncovered Water”.

2. רחש - a highly unusual word.

3. מרה - literally: “bitterness”, the word is more often used to refer to bile. See later sections where the more common Hebrew word for venom -- ארס -- is used.

4. ככר - compare Hebrew דבלה - ויקימילון and Greek paláthē, see also Fig cake (fruit) - Wikipedia.

5. For another Talmudic passage relating to the biology of the snake, this time on its gestation period, see my previous piece, on the talmud in tractate Bekhorot.

6. אלונתית - a word stemming from Greek oinánthĭnos: “made with the blossom of the grapevine”.

7. אנומלין - anomlin -Jastrow explains that this word originates from the Greek word οἰνόμελι (oinomeli), which literally means "wine-honey": οἶνος (oinos) = "wine"; μέλι (meli) = "honey") is prohibited.

These mixtures were used after bathhouse visits to cool down and involved combinations of wine with honey, black pepper (פלפלין), balsam (אפרסמון - i.e., aromatic sap), or water.

See also Shabbat.140a.10, where this passage is quoted, and subsequently Rav Yosef recounts an experience when bathing with Mar Ukva, after leaving the bathhouse, Mar Ukva gave him a cup of this wine (presumably, either anumlin or aluntit, discussed in the previous section); drinking it caused an intense sensation throughout his body (“I felt [it] from the hairs (בינתא) on my head down to the toenails (טופרא) on my feet (כרעי)” - compare the English idiom “head to toe”, meaning “over one's full body”). Rav Yosef feared (מסתפינא) that drinking another cup might deplete his merit in the World-to-Come (עלמא דאתי - as it would have required divine intervention for him to survive it). The full passage:

אמר רב יוסף:

זימנא חדא

עלית בתר מר עוקבא לבי באני.

כי נפקי,

אתאי אשקיין חמרא חד כסא,

וחשי מבינתא דראשי ועד טופרא דכרעי.

ואי אשקיין כסא אחרינא —

הואי מסתפינא דלמא מנכו לי מזכותא דעלמא דאתי.

Rav Yosef said:

On one occasion,

I followed Mar Ukva into a bathhouse.

When I exited,

he came and gave me one cup of this wine to drink,

and I felt its chill from the hairs on my head down to the toenails on my feet.

And if he had given me another cup to drink, and if I would have survived it,

I would have feared a reduction of my merit in the World-to-Come.

The Roman world had several wine-based drinks that closely parallel the anumlin (אנומלין) and aluntit (אלונטית) mentioned in the Talmud. Here are the closest equivalents:

1. Anumlin (Wine, Honey, and Black Pepper) → Conditum or Piperatum

The closest Roman parallel to anumlin is Conditum or Conditum Paradoxum, a spiced and sweetened wine.

Conditum was made with wine, honey, and spices, including black pepper (just like anumlin).

See Wikipedia, “Conditum”:

Conditum, piperatum, or konditon (κόνδιτον) is a family of spiced wines in ancient Roman and Byzantine cuisine.

The Latin name translates roughly as "spiced". Recipes for conditum viatorium (traveler's spiced wine) and conditum paradoxum (surprise spiced wine) are found in De re coquinaria. This conditum paradoxum includes wine, honey, pepper, mastic, laurel, saffron, date seeds and dates soaked in wine.

In the Levant of the 4th-century CE, the main ingredients of conditum were wine, honey and pepper corns. Conditum was considered to be a piquant wine.

The term piperatum specifically refers to wine flavored with black pepper, which matches the Talmudic description of anumlin.

2. Aluntit (Aged Wine, Water, and Balsam) → Mulsum

The closest Roman parallel to aluntit is mulsum, a mixture of aged wine and water with added flavorings, including aromatic resins like balsam (balsamum in Latin).

See Wikipedia, “Mulsum (drink)”:

Mulsum was the ancient beverage used by Romans, with the two main ingredients being wine and honey [...]

A similar preparation is mentioned in the Greek Geoponica as oenomeli (E.B. i.e. wine-honey, the etymological source for the talmudic anumlin, see earlier my note on Jastrow).

Besides being used as a beverage, mulsum was also used as a medicine, for example consumed against stomach pains [...]

Mulsum is an alcoholic drink, with a sweet taste, very similar to mead (which is made by the fermentation of water and honey).

8. בי מסותא - “the bathhouse”.

9. למיקר - and is prohibited to drink on Shabbat, as it’s a form of remedy.