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Ok so I already know the difference betweem yayin stam (wine touched by gentiles; forbidden rabbinically out of a concern for being yayin nesech) and nesech (wine used for idol worship; forbidden Biblically).

However, could you say that the rabbis never feared yayin nesech regarding monotheistic gentiles such as Muslims, in which case even if they made actual libations using the wine as part of a religious ritual, it would still be permitted because they are halachically monotheistic -- and therefore they never would have made a decree of stam yeinam for monotheistic gentiles?

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There were two reasons to prohibit -- the possibility of the wine being used for pagan practices, and to avoid intermarriage. The former would prohibit you from selling the wine too, the latter would only prohibit you from drinking it.

The Gemara says if a non-Jewish baby touches the wine, that doesn't prohibit it from being sold, as that wasn't used for pagan purposes; however you still can't drink it.

The Ramah in Shulchan Aruch says the same would apply to a non-idolatrous non-Jew: you can't drink the wine (because of intermarriage), but you can sell it. The Mechaber does not accept this distinction.

Therefore, wine handled by a monotheistic non-Jew is not kosher. If you had a kosher wine shop and by mistake you received a few cases of such wine, the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch allows you to sell them to non-Jews. Sephardim might not allow that, though.

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  • well cholov stam has two reasons as well. One is fear of milk from a non kosher animal. The other is intermarriage. Reb Moshe Feinstien gave a heter in america because the USDA inspects the dairy farms insuring only cows milk is being used. However what about the issue of intermarriage!???
    – David Feigen
    Dec 10, 2014 at 2:37
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    @DavidFeigen the enactment, according to Rav Moshe Feinstein, was "don't trust a non-Jew with mystery milk." It's not mystery milk, therefore it wasn't included in the enactment. (Same as if a Jew observed it.) Whereas for wine, they said "even if you watched the whole time, if a non-Jew touches it, don't drink it." Wine is riskier!
    – Shalom
    Dec 10, 2014 at 12:09
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The shulchan aruch in Yoreh Deah siman 124 siff 7 says 'A nonjew who does not worship idols who touches wine without intention, the wine is muttar to drink'. The Shach there #12 actually brings an example of Yishmaelim from the Rambam and says the Mechaber left it because this is not limited to yishmaelim only, but anyone who doesn't worship idols is the same. See also later in that siman Ramma on siff 24 and Shach #71. See also the Ramma in siman 123 siff 1 on this subject.

But it comes out that when they do an act of premeditated touching, we are stringent not to drink it. But it is not assur bihanaah.

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  • N.p. (15 characters)
    – user6591
    Dec 10, 2014 at 3:07
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    @DavidFeigen If the answer worked for you, will you accept it?
    – Scimonster
    Feb 4, 2015 at 8:31
  • What's that supposed to mean?
    – David Feigen
    Feb 6, 2015 at 4:21

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