Traduction française en préparation — version anglaise (Steinsaltz) : the flour-like white scum that floats on the surface, nor from the wine at bottom of the cask due to the sediment that collects there. Rather, one brings from the wine in its middle third.
הַקְּמָחִין, וְלֹא מִשּׁוּלֶיהָ – מִפְּנֵי הַשְּׁמָרִים, אֶלָּא מֵבִיא מִשְּׁלִישָׁהּ מֵאֶמְצָעָהּ.
Traduction française en préparation — version anglaise (Steinsaltz) : How does the Temple treasurer inspect the wine to determine that it is from the middle of the cask? The treasurer sits alongside the cask and has the measuring reed in his hand. The spigot is opened and the wine begins to flow. When he sees that the wine emerging draws with it chalk-like scum [hagir], he immediately knocks with the reed to indicate that the spigot should be closed.
כֵּיצַד הוּא בּוֹדֵק? הַגִּזְבָּר יוֹשֵׁב, וְהַקָּנֶה בְּיָדוֹ, זָרַק הַגִּיר, הִקִּישׁ בַּקָּנֶה.
Traduction française en préparation — version anglaise (Steinsaltz) : Rabbi Yosei, son of Rabbi Yehuda, says: Wine in which there is flour-like white scum is unfit for libations, as it is stated with regard to animal offerings: “Unblemished they shall be for you…and their meal offering shall be fine flour mixed with oil…unblemished they shall be for you, and their libations” (Numbers 28:19–20, 31). This indicates that animal offerings, meal offerings, and libations must all be brought from flawless products. Therefore, the presence of flour-like white scum in wine renders it unfit.
רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בְּרַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר: שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ קְמָחִין – פָּסוּל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״תְּמִימִים יִהְיוּ לָכֶם״, ״וּמִנְחָתָם״, ״תְּמִימִים יִהְיוּ לָכֶם וְנִסְכֵּיהֶם״.
Guémara
Traduction française en préparation — version anglaise (Steinsaltz) : GEMARA: The mishna teaches: One may not bring libations from sweet wine, nor from boiled wine, nor from wine produced from smoked grapes, and if one did bring a libation from such wine, it is not valid. The Gemara asks: But doesn’t the first clause teach: One may not bring libations from sweet wine made from sun-dried grapes, but if one did bring a libation from such wine it is valid? How can one clause teach that a libation of one type of sweet wine is valid, and the other clause teach that a libation of another type of sweet wine is not valid?
גְּמָ׳ אֵין מְבִיאִין לֹא מָתוֹק וְלֹא מְבוּשָּׁל וְלֹא מְעוּשָּׁן, וְאִם הֵבִיא – פָּסוּל. וְהָא קָתָנֵי רֵישָׁא: אֵין מְבִיאִין אֶת הֶלִיסְטְיוֹן, וְאִם הֵבִיא – כָּשֵׁר?
Traduction française en préparation — version anglaise (Steinsaltz) : Ravina said: The text of the mishna is corrupt. To correct it, combine the two clauses into one and teach with regard to all the wines mentioned that they are unfit to be used for libations. Rav Ashi said: The text of the mishna is correct. The reason for the difference between the two wines is that the sweetness of grapes sweetened by the sun is not objectionable, so libations of wine made from such grapes are valid, while sweetness that results from the sugars of the fruit itself is objectionable, so libations of wine made from such grapes are not valid.
אָמַר רָבִינָא: כְּרוֹךְ וְתָנֵי. רַב אָשֵׁי אָמַר: חוּלְיָא דְּשִׁימְשָׁא – לָא מְאִיס, חוּלְיָא דְּפֵירָא – מְאִיס.
Traduction française en préparation — version anglaise (Steinsaltz) : § The mishna teaches: One may not bring wine aged for one year; this is the statement of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi, but the Rabbis deem it valid. The Gemara provides the source for Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi’s ruling. Rabbi Ḥizkiyya said: What is the reasoning of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi? The verse states with regard to the libations that accompany the New Moon offering: “And their libations: Half a hin for a bull, a third of a hin for a ram, and a quarter of a hin for a lamb, of wine” (Numbers 28:14). The juxtaposition of the terms lamb and wine teaches that just as a lamb is fit to be used as an offering only if brought in its first year, so too wine is fit to be used as a libation only if it is in its first year.
אֵין מְבִיאִין יָשָׁן, דִּבְרֵי רַבִּי, וַחֲכָמִים מַכְשִׁירִין. אָמַר חִזְקִיָּה: מַאי טַעְמָא דְּרַבִּי? אָמַר קְרָא ״לַכֶּבֶשׂ יָיִן״, מָה כֶּבֶשׂ בֶּן שְׁנָתוֹ, אַף יַיִן בֶּן שְׁנָתוֹ.
Traduction française en préparation — version anglaise (Steinsaltz) : The Gemara ask: If so, take the analogy further and conclude that just as if one offers a lamb in its second year, it is not valid, so too a libation of wine in its second year is not valid. And if you would say that this is indeed the halakha, that is difficult: But isn’t it taught in a baraita that wine in its second year may not be brought ab initio, but if one did bring it as a libation, it is valid? That baraita certainly expresses the opinion of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi, as whom did you hear who said that aged wine may not be brought? Only Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi, who explicitly states this opinion in the mishna. And yet he says in the baraita: If one did bring a libation of aged wine, it is valid. According to Rabbi Ḥizkiyya’s explanation of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi’s opinion, such an opinion is illogical.
אִי מָה כֶּבֶשׂ בֶּן שְׁתֵּי שָׁנִים – פָּסוּל, אַף יַיִן בֶּן שְׁתֵּי שָׁנִים – פָּסוּל! וְכִי תֵּימָא הָכִי נָמֵי, וְהָתַנְיָא: יַיִן בֶּן שְׁתֵּי שָׁנִים לֹא יָבִיא, וְאִם הֵבִיא – כָּשֵׁר! מַאן שָׁמְעַתְּ לֵיהּ דְּאָמַר ״לֹא יָבִיא״? רַבִּי, וְקָאָמַר: אִם הֵבִיא – כָּשֵׁר.
Traduction française en préparation — version anglaise (Steinsaltz) : Rather, Rava said: This is the reasoning of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi: As it is written in the verse exhorting a person not to be enticed by fine wines: “Look not upon the wine when it is red” (Proverbs 23:31). Evidently, the redness of wine is indicative of its quality. After a year, wine begins to lose its redness and so it should not be used, ab initio. Nevertheless, it is still of a sufficient quality to be acceptable, after the fact.
אֶלָּא אָמַר רָבָא: הַיְינוּ טַעְמָא דְּרַבִּי, דִּכְתִיב ״אַל תֵּרֶא יַיִן כִּי יִתְאַדָּם״.
Traduction française en préparation — version anglaise (Steinsaltz) : § The mishna teaches: One may not bring wine produced from grapes suspended on stakes or trees; rather, one brings wine produced from grapes at foot height and from vineyards that are cultivated. The definition of vineyards that are cultivated is clarified in a baraita that taught: Vineyards that are cultivated twice a year. This is done by hoeing the earth underneath the vines.
אֵין מְבִיאִין לֹא מִן הַדָּלִיּוֹת כּוּ׳. תָּנָא: כְּרָמִים הָעֲבוּדִים פַּעֲמַיִם בַּשָּׁנָה.
Traduction française en préparation — version anglaise (Steinsaltz) : The Gemara relates the efficacy of cultivating the land twice a year: Rav Yosef had a tract of land that was used as an orchard [depardeisa] to which he used to give an extra hoeing, and consequently it produced wine of such superior quality that when preparing the wine for drinking it required a dilution using twice the amount of water than that which is usually used to dilute wine.
רַב יוֹסֵף הֲוָה לֵיהּ קַרְנָא דְּפַרְדֵּיסָא, דְּרָפֵיק בֵּיהּ טְפֵי רִיפְקָא, וְעָבֵד חַמְרָא דְּדָרֵי מַיָּא עַל חַד תְּרֵין.
Traduction française en préparation — version anglaise (Steinsaltz) : § The mishna teaches: When people produced wine for libations they would not collect the wine into large barrels, as it causes the wine to spoil; rather, it would be placed in small casks. The Sages taught in a baraita: The casks referred to by the mishna are flasks that are made in Lod and that are medium-sized.
לֹא הָיוּ כּוֹנְסִין אוֹתָן בַּחֲצָבִין גְּדוֹלִים, תָּנָא: חָבִיּוֹת כַּדִּיּוֹת לוּדִיּוֹת וּבֵינוֹנִיּוֹת.
Traduction française en préparation — version anglaise (Steinsaltz) : The Gemara adds another halakha: When storing casks containing wine for libations, they should not be placed in twos, i.e., one atop the other, but rather singly, i.e., each one should be placed separately.
אֵין מַנִּיחִין אוֹתָן שְׁתַּיִם שְׁתַּיִם, אֶלָּא אַחַת אַחַת.