- Torah Portion and Tanach
- Naso
The Power of Wine
The wine – the most important liquid drink in Jewish tradition and life. Is it a drink of holiness and consecration or is it the drink that leads to debauchery and destruction, both physical and spiritual?
This week’s parsha deals with the positive and negative sides of wine – the most important liquid drink in Jewish tradition and life. Wine is one of the main libations mentioned in the Torah regarding the sacrificial offerings in the Temple service. Wine is the drink of Kiddush on Shabat, it is the four cups of the Pesach Seder, it is present at every circumcision ceremony, the redemption of the first born son and at wedding ceremonies. In short, wine is the most consecrated drink in Jewish law, tradition and life. On the other hand in this week’s parsha we find wine as a negative force. It plays a destructive role in the tragedy of the unfaithful wife in the sotah parsha. It is one of the things that a nazir must abstain from during his attempt to achieve greater sanctity and purity of body and soul. We find in the Torah that it was the contributing factor in the downfall of Noach and his family after the great flood. In Mishlei, King Solomon devotes many words to warn of the dangers and downside of drinking wine. It appears to be a villainous player in the scheme of Jewish life. So how are we to view this oldest of all human drinks, the fruit of the grape vine? Is it a drink of holiness and consecration or is it the drink that leads to debauchery and destruction, both physical and spiritual? This is essentially a general question that governs all of Jewish life in very many areas of human behavior. What is good for us and what is not good – that is the question.
I believe that the answer to the above questions and seemingly inconsistent positions lies in the necessity for implementing the Torah’s main rule in living life – a sense of balance and proportion. Wine, when joined to an act of consecration and holy mitzvah – Shabat Kiddush, a circumcision, a wedding, etc. – is a fitting and holy drink. When disassociated from such positive events, when it becomes purely "recreational" drinking, it becomes a potentially dangerous potion. In Judaism, all events in life, no matter how seemingly trivial they may first appear to be must have some positive purpose associated with them. Without that sense of positive purpose, these actions, no matter how innocuous they may appear to be at their onset, can lead to sin and moral failings. Thus the Torah presents to us this double edged sword of wine as an example of this rule of life and living. Circumstances, intent, the influence upon others of one’s behavior, are all factors that figure into the probity of one’s actions and behavior. Nothing in life occurs in a vacuum. Wine, like many other things in this world, is essentially a neutral item. What one does with it determines its status, whether it is a drink of holiness and consecration or one that can lead to debauchery and personal tragedy. This is an important lesson as to how to treat all matters and items that appear in our lives.

Whose Blessing?
Rabbi Daniel Mann | Sivan 8 5781
An Open-ended Celebration
Rabbi Berel Wein | Sivan 5 5781

Birkat Kohanim
Hirsch At Your Table
Rabbi Matityahu Clark

NASO
Various Rabbis | Sivan 5768
Rabbi Berel Wein
The rabbi of the "HANASI" congregation in Yerushalim, head of the Destiny foundation, former head of the OU, Rosh Yeshiva of 'sharai Tora" and rabbi of the "Beit Tora" congregation, Monsey, New York.
The Greek Connection
5771
Converts
5771
NITZAVIM – VAYELECH
5774
There Is Nothing That Equals Knowing
5769

Milk Spoon in a Meat Sink or Dishwasher
Kashrut in a Nutshell
Rabbi David Sperling

The Torah’s Instructions to Non-Jews—The Laws of Bnei Noach
Rabbi Yirmiyohu Kaganoff | 5771

Keeping Kosher - Eating Out
Rabbi David Sperling

How Many Eggs Should be Boiled Together?
Rabbi Daniel Mann
Daily Mishna - Shabbat 23-3-4
Rabbi Moshe Leib Halberstadt | Tevet 5783

Gluten-Free, Sake, and Vegan
Rabbi Yirmiyohu Kaganoff | Shvat 5783

Only Jews Who Acknowledge Israel Can Belong To It
Tevet 5 5783
