On the newest release amongst Jewish Drinking.com’s podcast/video episodes, Alieza Salzberg Yizhar joins me on the show to discuss a particular incident in the Talmud where Yalta destroys 400 jugs of wine (see below for text from the Babylonian Talmud on this incident). She teaches Talmud at the Conservative Yeshiva and courses in Jewish History and Literature at Rothberg International School at Hebrew University. She completed her Masters of Art in Midrash and Aggada from Hebrew University last year, with her thesis on “Testing the Virgin: Between Legal Narrative and Virginity Law (Talmud Bavli Ketubbot 10a-b)”, which includes a chapter on “Wine, Water, and Ritual”.
Podcast & Video Episode:
Central Text Under Discussion (Berakhot 51b):
עולא אקלע לבי רב נחמן כריך ריפתא בריך ברכת מזונא יהב ליה כסא דברכתא לרב נחמן
אמר ליה רב נחמן לישדר מר כסא דברכתא לילתא
אמר ליה הכי אמר רבי יוחנן אין פרי בטנה של אשה מתברך אלא מפרי בטנו של איש שנאמר (דברים ז) וברך פרי בטנך פרי בטנה לא נאמר אלא פרי בטנך
אדהכי שמעה ילתא קמה בזיהרא ועלתה לבי חמרא ותברא ד’ מאה דני דחמרא
אמר ליה רב נחמן נשדר לה מר כסא אחרינא
שלח לה כל האי נבגא דברכתא היא
שלחה ליה ממהדורי מילי ומסמרטוטי כלמיUlla was visiting the house of Rav Naḥman, they ate bread, recited Grace after Meals, and gave the cup of blessing to Rav Naḥman. Rav Naḥman said to him: “Master, please send the cup of blessing to Yalta.”
He responded to him: “There is no need, as Rabbi Yoḥanan said, ‘The fruit of a woman’s body is blessed only from the fruit of a man’s body, as it is stated: “And He will love you, and bless you, and make you numerous, and He will bless the fruit of your body” (Deuteronomy 7:13) – “the fruit of her body” was not stated, rather, “He will bless the fruit of your [masculine singular] body”.'”
At this, Yalta heard and arose in a rage, entered the winehouse and broke 400 jars of wine.
Rav Naḥman said to Ulla: “Let the Master send her another cup.”
He sent her, “All this pitcher is a blessing.”
She sent him, “Words from an itinerant, words, and lice from rags.”
Excerpts:
Not interested in checking-out the entire episode? Here are a couple of excerpts from the episode:
How Much Wine Did Yalta Destroy?
Is Yalta Married to Rav Naḥman?