Contemporary Kashrut: Wine ©Rabbi M.

Fine

HANDLING WINE
Permitted – To Drink
Forbidden - To Drink

Idolater Christian
Closed Bottle1 Permitted Permitted
Touching Wine Forbidden Forbidden
Touching Open Bottle Permitted Permitted
Lifting Open Bottle2
(no shaking)
Permitted Permitted
Lifting Open Bottle
(shaking)
Forbidden Forbidden
Shaking Open Bottle3 Permitted Permitted
(no lifting) (in a case of loss) (in a case of loss)

Moving Open Bottle4 Forbidden Permitted

(for Ashkenazi4)
Pouring Wine Forbidden Forbidden
Remainder of Wine in Forbidden Forbidden
Bottle (Permitted (Permitted
in a case of loss) in a case of loss)5

1
Shulchan Aruch (YD 125:9) and Shach rule that when bottle is sealed there is no issue with a non-Jew touching,
lifting or moving the wine. This applies also if the wine is corked or capped. This is because it is not the way to
worship wine when it is sealed.
2
Shulchan Aruch 125:18
3
Shulchan Aruch (124:17) rules wine is forbidden. Rema says in a place of financial loss, one may be lenient. Shach
(20) says the wine must be moved “only a bit” for the wine to be permitted. Taz (6) rules that no matter how much
it is moved, it is permited.
Gemara implies “shaking” wine was a form of idol worship. Therefore, deliberate shaking forbids the wine
in any case.
4
Shulchan Aruch (124:24) discusses “moving wine by means of another instrument” and forbids it. Rema says such
moving will not forbid wine if the “mover” is someone who doesn’t worship idols.
If wine is moved in its open bottle or cup, one can be lenient if the “mover” is not an idolater.
5
Shulchan Aruch 126:2.