So the reason why we use mevushal (cooked) wine is that it's seen as a wine inferior and incapable of being offered to an idol (Shulchan Aruch, YD 123). I understand why one can drink mevushal wine in this sense, but why is it good enough for kiddush? Are the requirements for kiddush less stringent then that of idol worship? Furthermore, the mevushal wine we drink today isn't exactly poor-quality. I've heard that even Catholic churches buy Rashi wine for their communions. Isn't there a problem with mevushal wine, at least now?
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1The fact of wine being repulsive does not disqualify it from being used for kiddush. Those of us who don't drink have to use something even worse: kosher grape juice, which, if it weren't kosher for passover, perhaps wouldn't have to be, as it would not even be served to a dog. Kiddush isn't a sacrifice but a "cup of blessing"-- the only requirement is that you can make "boreh pri hagafen" over it. Presumably gentiles want to sacrifice something quality to their gods, so boiled wine would for sure be disqualified.– TatpurushaCommented Apr 30, 2014 at 20:09
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2Source for your first two sentences? (Hint: they are not universally accepted)– Double AA ♦Commented Apr 30, 2014 at 20:22
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Tatpurusha, I thought the requirement had to do with importance, and not the fact that you can say a bracha "boreh pri hagafen" on it. For example, I once did kiddush on coffee and plenty of poskim rule that I was yotzei in that situation because it was chamar medina.– rosenjcbCommented Apr 30, 2014 at 21:10
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So meshushal wine is OK for at least some idol worship, but we don't want to mess with our requirements because why should the idolator's practice set standards for us? Makes sense as a territorial issue, but is not consistent with the reasoning given in the Shulchan Aruch.– MikeCommented May 1, 2014 at 0:13
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1Ironic that Catholic churches choose wine we have deemed unfit for idol worship. Even more ironic is it combined with the fact that they deliberately choose a kosher, Jewish wine. To think about the implications of all this is mind-boggling– SAHCommented Mar 31, 2017 at 19:44
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1 Answer
The Rosh ,based on the two sevaras given in Avoda Zara for the issur, explains that the issur of yayin nesech is not solely an issue of avoda zara but additionally an issue of mingling with non-Jews (משום בנותיהן). If this is so, he asks, why would mevushal wine be any less likely to cause mingling between jews and non-jews?
He also asks even if one just focuses on the nesech issue (that mevushal wine is not good for avoda zara) one does not come out any better because mixed wine (יין מזוג) is also not good for avoda zara, yet there is still an issur if a goy touches it.
His answer (to both questions) is that mevushal wine is not common and the Rabbis did not make a gezera on uncommon things.
While this may not be the sevara given by the Shulchan Aruch it would answer your question...
Also look here for a full discussion of the heter behind yayin mevushal(Gemara, rishonim etc) and their applicability today:
