An Introductory Overview to Drinking in the Jewish Tradition

An introduction overview of a sampling of Biblical and Rabbinic Literature on drinking in the Jewish tradition.

Early Biblical Drinking Stories in Genesis

(כא) וַיֵּ֥שְׁתְּ מִן־הַיַּ֖יִן וַיִּשְׁכָּ֑ר וַיִּתְגַּ֖ל בְּת֥וֹךְ אׇהֳלֹֽה׃ (כב) וַיַּ֗רְא חָ֚ם אֲבִ֣י כְנַ֔עַן אֵ֖ת עֶרְוַ֣ת אָבִ֑יו וַיַּגֵּ֥ד לִשְׁנֵֽי־אֶחָ֖יו בַּחֽוּץ׃ (כג) וַיִּקַּח֩ שֵׁ֨ם וָיֶ֜פֶת אֶת־הַשִּׂמְלָ֗ה וַיָּשִׂ֙ימוּ֙ עַל־שְׁכֶ֣ם שְׁנֵיהֶ֔ם וַיֵּֽלְכוּ֙ אֲחֹ֣רַנִּ֔ית וַיְכַסּ֕וּ אֵ֖ת עֶרְוַ֣ת אֲבִיהֶ֑ם וּפְנֵיהֶם֙ אֲחֹ֣רַנִּ֔ית וְעֶרְוַ֥ת אֲבִיהֶ֖ם לֹ֥א רָאֽוּ׃

Genesis 9:21-23

(21) He drank of the wine and became drunk, and he uncovered himself within his tent. (22) Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father’s nakedness and told his two brothers outside. (23) But Shem and Japheth took a cloth, placed it against both their backs and, walking backward, they covered their father’s nakedness; their faces were turned the other way, so that they did not see their father’s nakedness.

בראשית י״ט:ל׳-ל״ו

(ל) וַיַּ֩עַל֩ ל֨וֹט מִצּ֜וֹעַר וַיֵּ֣שֶׁב בָּהָ֗ר וּשְׁתֵּ֤י בְנֹתָיו֙ עִמּ֔וֹ כִּ֥י יָרֵ֖א לָשֶׁ֣בֶת בְּצ֑וֹעַר וַיֵּ֙שֶׁב֙ בַּמְּעָרָ֔ה ה֖וּא וּשְׁתֵּ֥י בְנֹתָֽיו׃ (לא) וַתֹּ֧אמֶר הַבְּכִירָ֛ה אֶל־הַצְּעִירָ֖ה אָבִ֣ינוּ זָקֵ֑ן וְאִ֨ישׁ אֵ֤ין בָּאָ֙רֶץ֙ לָב֣וֹא עָלֵ֔ינוּ כְּדֶ֖רֶךְ כׇּל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃ (לב) לְכָ֨ה נַשְׁקֶ֧ה אֶת־אָבִ֛ינוּ יַ֖יִן וְנִשְׁכְּבָ֣ה עִמּ֑וֹ וּנְחַיֶּ֥ה מֵאָבִ֖ינוּ זָֽרַע׃ (לג) וַתַּשְׁקֶ֧יןָ אֶת־אֲבִיהֶ֛ן יַ֖יִן בַּלַּ֣יְלָה ה֑וּא וַתָּבֹ֤א הַבְּכִירָה֙ וַתִּשְׁכַּ֣ב אֶת־אָבִ֔יהָ וְלֹֽא־יָדַ֥ע בְּשִׁכְבָ֖הּ וּבְקוּׄמָֽהּ׃ (לד) וַֽיְהִי֙ מִֽמׇּחֳרָ֔ת וַתֹּ֤אמֶר הַבְּכִירָה֙ אֶל־הַצְּעִירָ֔ה הֵן־שָׁכַ֥בְתִּי אֶ֖מֶשׁ אֶת־אָבִ֑י נַשְׁקֶ֨נּוּ יַ֜יִן גַּם־הַלַּ֗יְלָה וּבֹ֙אִי֙ שִׁכְבִ֣י עִמּ֔וֹ וּנְחַיֶּ֥ה מֵאָבִ֖ינוּ זָֽרַע׃ (לה) וַתַּשְׁקֶ֜יןָ גַּ֣ם בַּלַּ֧יְלָה הַה֛וּא אֶת־אֲבִיהֶ֖ן יָ֑יִן וַתָּ֤קׇם הַצְּעִירָה֙ וַתִּשְׁכַּ֣ב עִמּ֔וֹ וְלֹֽא־יָדַ֥ע בְּשִׁכְבָ֖הּ וּבְקֻמָֽהּ׃ (לו) וַֽתַּהֲרֶ֛יןָ שְׁתֵּ֥י בְנֽוֹת־ל֖וֹט מֵאֲבִיהֶֽן׃

Genesis 19:30-36

(30) Lot went up from Zoar and settled in the hill country with his two daughters, for he was afraid to dwell in Zoar; and he and his two daughters lived in a cave. (31) And the older one said to the younger, “Our father is old, and there is not a man on earth to consort with us in the way of all the world. (32) Come, let us make our father drink wine, and let us lie with him, that we may maintain life through our father.” (33) That night they made their father drink wine, and the older one went in and lay with her father; he did not know when she lay down or when she rose. (34) The next day the older one said to the younger, “See, I lay with Father last night; let us make him drink wine tonight also, and you go and lie with him, that we may maintain life through our father.” (35) That night also they made their father drink wine, and the younger one went and lay with him; he did not know when she lay down or when she rose. (36) Thus the two daughters of Lot became pregnant by their father.

While there is a lot going on in these two early Biblical drinking stories, these are provided to get a sampling of them, but they require further discussion for another occasion.

Here are some samplings concerning drinking in wisdom literature in the Bible:

קהלת ז׳:ב׳

ט֞וֹב לָלֶ֣כֶת אֶל־בֵּֽית־אֵ֗בֶל מִלֶּ֙כֶת֙ אֶל־בֵּ֣ית מִשְׁתֶּ֔ה בַּאֲשֶׁ֕ר ה֖וּא ס֣וֹף כָּל־הָאָדָ֑ם וְהַחַ֖י יִתֵּ֥ן אֶל־לִבּֽוֹ׃

Ecclesiastes 7:2

It is better to go to a mourning-house, than to go to a drinking-house; for that is the end of all people, and the living will lay it to his heart.

קהלת י׳:י״ט

לִשְׂחוֹק֙ עֹשִׂ֣ים לֶ֔חֶם וְיַ֖יִן יְשַׂמַּ֣ח חַיִּ֑ים וְהַכֶּ֖סֶף יַעֲנֶ֥ה אֶת־הַכֹּֽל׃

Ecclesiastes 10:19

Bread is made for laughter, and wine gladdens life; and money answers everything.

תהילים ק״ד:ט״ו

וְיַ֤יִן ׀ יְשַׂמַּ֬ח לְֽבַב־אֱנ֗וֹשׁ לְהַצְהִ֣יל פָּנִ֣ים מִשָּׁ֑מֶן וְ֝לֶ֗חֶם לְֽבַב־אֱנ֥וֹשׁ יִסְעָֽד׃

Psalms 104:15

And wine makes human hearts glad, making the face brighter than oil, and bread satiates the human heart.

משלי ל״א:ו׳

תְּנוּ־שֵׁכָ֣ר לְאוֹבֵ֑ד וְ֝יַיִן לְמָ֣רֵי נָֽפֶשׁ׃

Proverbs 31:6

Give beer to the hapless,

and wine to those in bitter distress.

Finally, here is a brief sampling of some early rabbinic texts on drinking:

משנה סנהדרין ח׳:ה׳

יַיִן וְשֵׁנָה

לָרְשָׁעִים, הֲנָאָה לָהֶן וַהֲנָאָה לָעוֹלָם,

וְלַצַּדִּיקִים, רַע לָהֶן וְרַע לָעוֹלָם.

Mishnah Sanhedrin 8:5

Wine and sleep:

for the wicked, they are a benefit to them and a benefit for the world;

and for the righteous, they are bad for them and bad for the world.

פסחים ק״ו א:ה׳

תנו רבנן זכור את יום השבת לקדשו זוכרהו על היין

אין לי אלא ביום בלילה מנין

תלמוד לומר זכור את יום השבת לקדשו

Pesachim 106a:5

The Sages taught: “Remember the day of Shabbat to sanctify it” (Exodus 20:7): Make mention of it over wine.

This indicates that it's only during the day, where is it that it should be done at night?

The verse states: “Remember the day of Shabbat to sanctify it.”

פסחים ק״ט א:ג׳-ד׳

תנו רבנן:
חייב אדם לשמח בניו ובני ביתו ברגל שנאמר ושמחת בחגך

במה משמחם?

ביין

רבי יהודה אומר אנשים בראוי להם ונשים בראוי להן

Pesachim 109a:3-4

The Sages taught:

A man is obligated to gladden his children and the members of his household on a Festival, as it is stated: “And you shall rejoice on your Festival, you, and your son, and your daughter, and your manservant, and your maidservant, and the Levite, and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow that are within your gates” (Deuteronomy 16:14).

With what should one make them rejoice?

With wine.

Rabbi Yehudah says: "Men with what is fit for them and women with what is fit for them."

פסחים ק״ט א:ה׳

תניא:

רבי יהודה בן בתירא אומר

בזמן שבית המקדש קיים אין שמחה אלא בבשר שנאמר וזבחת שלמים ואכלת שם ושמחת לפני ה׳ אלהיך

ועכשיו שאין בית המקדש קיים אין שמחה אלא ביין שנאמר ויין ישמח לבב אנוש

Pesachim 109a:5

It was taught:

Rabbi Yehudah, son of Beteira, says:

"When the Temple is standing, rejoicing is only through meat, as it is stated: 'And you shall sacrifice peace-offerings and you shall eat there and you shall rejoice before the Lord your God' (Deuteronomy 27:7).

And now that the Temple is not standing, there is no rejoicing, except with wine, as it is stated: 'And wine that gladdens the heart of man' (Psalms 104:15)."

Finally, here is a brief sampling of some later rabbinic texts on drinking:

עירובין ס״ה ב:ב׳

אמר רבי אילעאי: בשלשה דברים אדם ניכר - בכוסו ובכיסו ובכעסו

ואמרי ליה אף בשחקו

Eruvin 65b:2

Rabbi Ila’ai said: “With three things can a person be recognized: with his cup, with his pocket, and with his anger.”

And some say, “Even with his laughter.”

עירובין ס״ה א:כ׳

אָמַר רַבִּי חָנִין: לֹא נִבְרָא יַיִן אֶלָּא לְנַחֵם אֲבֵלִים וּלְשַׁלֵּם שָׂכָר לָרְשָׁעִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״תְּנוּ שֵׁכָר לְאוֹבֵד וְגוֹ׳״.

Eruvin 65a:20

Rabbi Ḥanin said: "Wine was created only in order to comfort mourners and to reward the wicked, as it is stated: 'Give strong drink to him that is ready to perish, and wine to the bitter of soul. Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more' (Proverbs 31:6)."

עירובין ס״ה א:י״ח

אָמַר רַבִּי חֲנִינָא: כׇּל הַמִּתְפַּתֶּה בְּיֵינוֹ — יֵשׁ בּוֹ מִדַּעַת קוֹנוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַיָּרַח ה׳ אֶת רֵיחַ הַנִּיחוֹחַ וְגוֹ׳״.

Eruvin 65a:18

Rabbi Ḥanina said: "Whoever is appeased by his wine has in him the mind-set of his Creator, as it is stated: 'And the Lord smelled the sweet savor, and the Lord said in His heart, "I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake"' (Gen. 8:21)."

עירובין ס״ה א:י״ט

אָמַר רַבִּי חִיָּיא: כׇּל הַמִּתְיַישֵּׁב בְּיֵינוֹ — יֵשׁ בּוֹ דַּעַת שִׁבְעִים זְקֵנִים. ״יַיִן״ נִיתַּן בְּשִׁבְעִים אוֹתִיּוֹת, וְ״סוֹד״ נִיתַּן בְּשִׁבְעִים אוֹתִיּוֹת. נִכְנַס יַיִן — יָצָא סוֹד.

Eruvin 65a:19

Rabbi Ḥiyya said: "Anyone who remains settled after wine has the mind-set of seventy Elders: Wine was given in seventy letters, secret was given in seventy letters; [when] wine enters, secrets emerge."