Wine and intoxication

he is to abstain from wine and strong drink. He must not drink vinegar made from wine or strong drink, and he must not drink any grape juice or eat fresh grapes or raisins.

Also present half a hin of wine as a drink offering. It is an offering made by fire, a pleasing aroma to the LORD.

and a third of a hin of wine as a drink offering, a pleasing aroma to the LORD.

Those who linger over wine, who go to taste mixed drinks.

These also stagger from wine and stumble from strong drink: Priests and prophets reel from strong drink and are befuddled by wine. They stumble because of strong drink, muddled in their visions and stumbling in their judgments.

Woe to those who are heroes in drinking wine and champions in mixing strong drink,

Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to reckless indiscretion. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.

For those who sleep, sleep at night; and those who get drunk, get drunk at night.

Stop drinking only water and use a little wine instead, because of your stomach and your frequent ailments.

If so, why must the verse state “wine,” when the term “intoxicating drink” would have sufficed? It is to tell you that although one is not liable to receive death at the hand of Heaven for it, it is prohibited to drink any amount of it, even less than a quarter-log, and then enter the Temple; and similarly, it is prohibited to drink it from its press and then enter the Temple, and one who does so is liable to be flogged, as is the case with any other prohibition by Torah law. Rabbi Yehuda says: From the word “wine” I have derived only that wine is forbidden; from where is it derived that other intoxicating beverages are forbidden as well? The verse states: “Nor intoxicating drink.” If so, why must the verse state “wine”? This comes to teach that for entering the Temple after drinking wine one is liable to receive the punishment of death at the hand of Heaven, but for entering after drinking other intoxicating drinks, one violates only a regular prohibition. Rabbi Elazar says that the verse is interpreted to mean: Wine you shall not drink, and intoxicating drink, meaning that you shall not drink it in the manner of its being intoxicating. But if one interrupted his drinking, or placed any amount of water into it and drank it, he is exempt. The Gemara explains: With regard to what do they disagree? The first tanna holds: We learn by verbal analogy that the term “intoxicating drink” is referring to wine, from the term “intoxicating drink” mentioned with regard to a nazirite in the verse: “He shall abstain from wine and intoxicating drink” (Numbers 6:3). There it is referring only to wine (see Nazir 4a). But Rabbi Yehuda does not derive that the term “intoxicating drink” refers only to wine by the verbal analogy from the term “intoxicating drink” stated with regard to a nazirite. Consequently, he interprets the word as referring to an intoxicating drink that is not wine. And Rabbi Elazar holds: What is the meaning of the phrase: “Wine and intoxicating drink”? It is not referring to two separate items, but rather to wine in the manner that it intoxicates.

On the topic of drinking wine, Rabba bar Rav Huna said: One who has drunk wine must not pray, but if he nonetheless prayed, his prayer is a prayer, i.e., he has fulfilled his obligation. On the other hand, one who is intoxicated with wine must not pray, and if he prayed, his prayer is an abomination. The Gemara poses a question: What are the circumstances in which a person is considered one who has drunk wine; and what are the circumstances in which a person is considered one who is intoxicated with wine? The Gemara answers that one can learn this from the following event: As Rabbi Abba bar Shumni and Rav Menashya bar Yirmeya from Gifti were taking leave of each other at the ford of the Yofti River, they said: Let each one of us say something that his fellow scholar has not yet heard, for Mari bar Rav Huna said: A person must take leave of his fellow only in the midst of a discussion of a matter of halakha, as due to this he will remember him. One of them opened the discussion and said: What are the circumstances where a person is considered one who has drunk wine, and what are the circumstances where a person is considered one who is intoxicated with wine? One who has drunk wine refers to anyone who has drunk wine but whose mind remains clear enough that he is able to talk in the presence of a king. One who is intoxicated refers to anyone who is so disoriented by the wine he has drunk that he is not able to talk in the presence of a king.

Therefore, the verse states: “Nor intoxicating drink,” indicating that only the consumption of a quantity of wine sufficient to intoxicate is prohibited. And how much wine is sufficient to intoxicate? It is a minimum of a quarter-log of wine that is forty days old, which has already fermented.

And of the fruits of the date-palm, and grapes, whence ye derive strong drink and (also) good nourishment. Lo! therein is indeed a portent for people who have sense

Drinking even as the camel drinketh

They are given to drink of a pure wine, sealed

Narrated Ibn ʿUmar: I heard ʿUmar while he was on the pulpit of the Prophet (ﷺ) saying, "Now then O people! The revelation about the prohibition of alcoholic drinks was revealed; and alcoholic drinks are extracted from five things: Grapes, dates, honey, wheat and barley. And the alcoholic drink is that which confuses and stupefies the mind Narrated Anas: The alcoholic drink which was spilled was Al-Fadikh. I used to offer alcoholic drinks to the people at the residence of Abu Talha. Then the order of prohibiting Alcoholic drinks was revealed, and the Prophet ordered somebody to announce that: Abu Talha said to me, "Go out and see what this voice (this announcement ) is." I went out and (on coming back) said, "This is somebody announcing that alcoholic beverages have been prohibited." Abu Talha said to me, "Go and spill it (i.e. the wine)," Then it (alcoholic drinks) was seen flowing through the streets of Medina. At that time the wine was Al-Fadikh. The people said, "Some people (Muslims) were killed (during the battle of Uhud) while wine was in their stomachs." So Allah revealed: "On those who believe and do good deeds there is no blame for what they ate (in the past)

Narrated Anas: I was the butler of the people in the house of Abu Talha, and in those days drinks were prepared from dates. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) ordered somebody to announce that alcoholic drinks had been prohibited. Abu Talha ordered me to go out and spill the wine. I went out and spilled it, and it flowed in the streets of Medina. Some people said, "Some people were killed and wine was still in their stomachs." On that the Divine revelation came:-- "On those who believe And do good deeds There is no blame For what they ate (in the past)

Narrated 'Umar: "Alcoholic drinks are prepared from five things, i.e., raisins, dates. wheat, barley and honey

The food that people enjoy is also threefold, like the ways of sacrifice, austerity, and almsgiving. Listen to the distinction. The foods that prolong life, increase purity, vigour, health, cheerfulness, and happiness are those that are delicious, soothing, substantial, and agreeable; these are loved by the pure. Those in whom passion is dominant like foods that are bitter, sour, salty, overly hot, pungent, dry, and burning. These produce unhappiness, repentance, and disease.

The joys that spring from external associations bring pain; they have their beginnings and their endings. The wise person does not rejoice in them.

Which at first seems like poison but afterwards acts like nectar—that pleasure is pure, for it is born of wisdom. That which, at first, is like nectar, as the senses revel in their objects, but in the end acts like poison—that pleasure arises from Passion.

That by which one knows form, taste, smell, sound, touch and sense enjoyments, by That also one knows whatever remains (to be known). This verily is That (which thou hast asked to know).

Like fire a Brahmana guest enters into houses. That fire is quenched by an offering. (Therefore) O Vaivaswata, bring water. The foolish man in whose house a Brahmana guest remains without food, all his hopes and expectations, all the merit gained by his association with the holy, by his good words and deeds, all his sons and cattle, are destroyed. Yama said: O Brahmana! Revered guest! My salutations to thee. As thou hast remained three nights in my house without food, therefore choose three boons, O Brahmana.

The good and the pleasant approach man; the wise examines both and discriminates between them; the wise prefers the good to the pleasant, but the foolish man chooses the pleasant through love of bodily pleasure.

Having drunk the nectar of seclusion and the nectar of peace— free of stress, free of evil, drink the joyous nectar of truth.

and indulges in drinking beer and wine. Right here they dig up the root of their own self.

Even if it were raining money, you’d not be sated in sensual pleasures. An astute person understands that sensual pleasures offer little gratification and much suffering.

Anyone who steals … commits sexual misconduct … lies … Anyone who consumes beer, wine, and liquor intoxicants brims with fear and enmity both in this life and in lives to come, and experiences mental pain and sadness. Anyone who refrains from beer, wine, and liquor intoxicants does not brim with fear and enmity either in this life or in lives to come, and doesn’t experience mental pain and sadness. So that fear and enmity is quelled for anyone who refrains from beer, wine, and liquor intoxicants. These are the five fears and enmities they have quelled.

Anyone who consumes beer, wine, and liquor intoxicants brims with fear and enmity both in this life and in lives to come, and experiences mental pain and sadness. That fear and enmity is quelled for anyone who refrains from beer, wine, and liquor intoxicants. These are the five fears and enmities they have quelled. What are the four factors of stream-entry that they possess? It’s when a noble disciple has experiential confidence in the Buddha: ‘That Blessed One is perfected, a fully awakened Buddha, accomplished in knowledge and conduct, holy, knower of the world, supreme guide for those fit for training, teacher of gods and humans, awakened, blessed.’

Anyone who steals … Anyone who commits sexual misconduct … Anyone who lies … Anyone who consumes beer, wine, and liquor intoxicants brims with fear and enmity both in this life and in lives to come, and experiences mental pain and sadness. Anyone who refrains from beer, wine, and liquor intoxicants does not brim with fear and enmity either in this life or in lives to come, and doesn’t experience mental pain and sadness. So that fear and enmity is quelled for anyone who refrains from beer, wine, and liquor intoxicants.

Gauree, Fifth Mehl: I am intoxicated, intoxicated with the Love of the Lord. ||1||Pause|| I drink it in - I am drunk with it. The Guru has given it to me in charity. My mind is drenched with it. ||1|| It is my furnace, it is the cooling plaster. It is my love, it is my longing. My mind knows it as peace. ||2||

Mardaanaa: The human body is the vat, self-conceit is the wine, and desire is the company of drinking buddies. The cup of the mind's longing is overflowing with falsehood, and the Messenger of Death is the cup-bearer. Drinking in this wine, O Nanak, one takes on countless sins and corruptions. So make spiritual wisdom your molasses, the Praise of God your bread, and the Fear of God the meat you eat. O Nanak, this is the true food; let the True Name be your only Support. ||2|| If the human body is the vat, and self-realization is the wine, then a stream of Ambrosial Nectar is produced. Meeting with the Society of the Saints, the cup of the Lord's Love is filled with this Ambrosial Nectar; drinking it in, one's corruptions and sins are wiped away. ||3||

Make spiritual wisdom the molasses, meditation the flowers, and the Fear of God the fire enshrined in your mind. The Shushmanaa, the central spinal channel, is intuitively balanced, and the drinker drinks in this wine. ||1|| O hermit Yogi, my mind is intoxicated. When that wine rises up, one tastes the sublime essence of this juice, and sees across the three worlds. ||1||Pause|| Joining the two channels of the breath, I have lit the furnace, and I drink in the supreme, sublime essence. I have burnt both sexual desire and anger, and I have been emancipated from the world. ||2||

To him who holds in his hands the Great Image (of the invisible Tao), the whole world repairs. Men resort to him, and receive no hurt, but (find) rest, peace, and the feeling of ease. Music and dainties will make the passing guest stop (for a time). But though the Tao as it comes from the mouth, seems insipid and has no flavour, though it seems not worth being looked at or listened to, the use of it is inexhaustible.

Colour’s five hues from th’ eyes their sight will take; / Music’s five notes the ears as deaf can make; / The flavours five deprive the mouth of taste; / The chariot course, and the wild hunting waste / Make mad the mind; and objects rare and strange, / Sought for, men’s conduct will to evil change. Therefore the sage seeks to satisfy (the craving of) the belly, and not the (insatiable longing of the) eyes. He puts from him the latter, and prefers to seek the former.

To know and yet (think) we do not know is the highest (attainment); not to know (and yet think) we do know is a disease. It is simply by being pained at (the thought of) having this disease that we are preserved from it. The sage has not the disease. He knows the pain that would be inseparable from it, and therefore he does not have it.