Episode
In the latest of my podcast appearances [on other peoples’ podcasts], I’m excited to share the newest such appearance. Rabbi Moshe Kurtz had me on his Shu”T First, Ask Questions Later podcast recently, speaking about Rabbi Moshe Isserles‘ rabbinic responsum #124. Cleverly named “Uncorking The Rema’s Censored Wine Responsum” (by Rabbi Kurtz), this episode is available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, as well as viewable on YouTube, which concerns gentile wine.
Previously Published Podcast Episode
While I had previously welcomed Dr. Marc Shapiro to speak about this text on the 84th episode of The Jewish Drinking Show, that discussion focussed more on the censorship aspects. I was excited to unpack or, as Rabbi Kurtz cleverly called it, uncork, this text, getting more into the mechanics of Rabbi Isserles’ arguments.
Clarification/Correction
I do have to offer a quick clarification/correction to my remarks: later on in the episode, while I started to point out that there are two legal mechanics Rabbi Isserles deploys, I think I only ended up speaking about one of them. To clarify, Rabbi Isserles uses אין לשנות (not to change [a custom]) and also uses leniency במקום הפסד (in situations of financial loss); while he uses אין לשנות throughout the four sections of his glosses on the שלחן ערוך (Set Table), he uses leniency in situations of financial loss a lot throughout יורה דעה, but relatively seldom in the other three sections. It seems I may not have clearly articulated the deployment of these two terms properly in the episode.