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What's the source (either from the gemara or rishonim) for allowing stam wine to be batel in 1/6 mixture?

Does this apply if you can still taste the wine?

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    S.A. Yoreh Deah 134:5.
    – Yishai
    Apr 30, 2014 at 22:42
  • Thank you. Can a not become batel with other ingredients aswell, or just water?
    – Yishaq
    May 1, 2014 at 15:21
  • that is a Machlokes Achronim. But I believe all agree that for some ingredients it will require sixty (such as kosher wine).
    – Yishai
    May 1, 2014 at 15:37
  • @Yishai Sorry for my slowness but is your point here that stam wine is batel in 1/6 if mixed into food, but only in 1/60 if mixed into kosher wine?
    – SAH
    Sep 27, 2017 at 23:35
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    @SAH, some hold that stam wine is battul 1/6 in food, but not wine. You can't nullify an issur on purpose. Vinegar may not be able to be battul anyway if it is made for taste.
    – Yishai
    Sep 28, 2017 at 1:02

2 Answers 2

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The earliest source is the gemarah. Gemarah Shabbat 77a says that the standard ratio for dilution of wine with water (diluting wine was common in those times) was 3:1. The gemarah in Avoda Zara 73b says that if you have two cups of wine, one of which is forbidden and one isn't, and mix the two together, the resulting mixture is permitted.

The Raavad and the Ri do the simple math that if the two cups contained 1 part of wine each, there would be a total volume of 6 times the forbidden volume, and therefore the ratio for dilution must be 6:1. The Raavad's rationale is that water adds a detrimental flavor to the wine, and is therefore notain tam l'pgam.

The Rashba and the Ran disagree with the Raavad's reasoning, and hold that the reason wine is nullified in 6:1 is because when mixed with that much water it stops being wine, and becomes acid.

Tis opinion is mentioned in Tur YD 134 and attributed to the Raavad and the Ri. (The Tur also mentions other opinions, that nullification of wine will require a 60:1 ratio like other isurim). The Shulchan Aruch YD 134:5 states it as halacha, and the Rema agrees in YD 123:8.

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שו"ת מהרי"ל סי' קמב. אגור סי' רסט

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    If you aren't prepared to develop this into an answer, it should just be a comment.
    – Yishai
    Jun 15, 2014 at 11:29

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