THE JEWS: KOSHER WINE IN HEBREW TRADITION

Instead, wine among the Jews was different than any other wine. It was cultivated and produced according to the specific rules of Kasherut (the principles which still regulate Hebrew alimentation), and it could not be mixed with wines from other peoples, which was destined to pagan gods.

This requirement led to the development of specific techniques aimed at the production of an exclusive viticulture. Born under these circumstances, Hebrew wine entered religious liturgy as an essential element, and still today is part of sacred feasts and moments of celebration.

In Canaan, vine was considered sacred, and among Jews it was regarded as a Messianic plant. Someone even assumes that the famous Eden Tree was a vine. In the Old Testament, Israel was the vine of the Lord: "Yes, I will make it a ruin: it shall not be pruned or hoed, but overgrown with thorns and briers; I will command the clouds not to send rain upon it. The vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are his cherished plant; He looked for judgment, but see, bloodshed! for justice, but hark, the outcry!" (Isaiah, 5).

In Old and New Testament there are hundreds of quotations on vine and wine. The word "yayin" -meaning "fermented grape juyce"- appears 140 times in the Old Testament. Besides, wine was the main character in many biblical facts: from Noah (Gn 9:20-25), who planted a vine and, as a consequence, suffered from one of the most famous intoxications in history, to Lot who, after getting drunk, was led to commit incest with his own daughters from which Noab and Ben-Ammi were born, the progenitors of Moabite and Ammonite tribes (Gn 19:1-11); from the huge bunch of grapes, symbol of soil fertility in valley of Escol (Numbers 13:23), to Christ who compares himself to vine and men to its branches (Gv 15:5), and during Cana miracle turns water into wine. Finally, during Last Supper, Christ commits to bread and wine the return of his body and blood among men, through the mystery of transubstantiation.

In Hebrew religion, libations were performed with pure grape wine which was poured on the altar base, and with the offer of a lamb (it had to be one-year-old and free from physical imperfections), or with superfine flour soaked with virgin oil.

Still today, the beginning and the end of "Shabbat" (the sacred day to the Jews, it begins on Friday at sunset and ends on Saturday, 24 hours later) is celebrated with the blessing of bread and of a cup of wine, on which they recite the "beracha" (meaning "blessing" in Hebrew): "You are blessed, our Lord, King of the universe who created the fruit of grapes". During wedding rites, important feasts, and above all at Eastern, wine is present as a sacred element leading to joy. Christianity inherited this culture from Hebrew tradition, even if it gave to wine a brand new meaning indissolubly tied to the blood Christ shed on the Cross, and considered it a tangible sign of His presence in the Church, through Holy Communion.

Still today, Hebrew rules regulating wine-making are very strict: it cannot contain forbidden ingredients, such as fats, vitamins, preservatives obtained from not permitted animals (at most, clarification through beaten albumen is allowed), any kind of leavening element must be avoided, and only Jews can work on it.

Torah prohibits wine consecrated to alien gods, which is called "yayin nèsekh" (libation wine). As a matter of fact, it's not permitted to enjoy any kind of element used in foreign cults, or in contrast with Torah, that is the Hebrew Law.

Rabbinical tradition prohibits consumption and trade of any other wine -called "stam yenam" *- even if not consecrated to cults other than Judaism, or which was touched by gentiles or, according to the most intransigent attitude, by those Jews who do not observe Shabbat. All this is necessary in order to prevent the loss of moral and social control, which is the main consequence of the state of drunkenness.

It may seem strange the fact that Judaism gave such a sacred role to a potentially dangerous aliment. For this reason, the traditional Jewish attitude was that of a choice from two opposite positions: absolute prohibitionism and total permissiveness. On the one hand, moderate sacred use and, on the other hand, limitation of consumption.

If wine produced under rabbinical control stays under control, if it's subject to cooking (at a temperature of 75,5° C, according to the most moderate opinions), or to the adding of substances which are going to change its taste (honey, spices etc.), it remains Kosher and then can be carried or poured by anyone.

(*All wines, alcohol, vinegar, alcoholic drinks coming from wine -such as vermouth, grappa, brandy and also grape juice- not yet fermented, not marked and sealed under Kosher trademark, are considered "stam yenam". This derives from the origins of the prohibition: a wine which, through cooking, changes its taste is not any more suitable for libations.)

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