Socializing with Non-Jews: Difference between revisions

# Many poskim write how coffee shops are included in the gezerah, so one would not be allowed to drink coffee or hot chocolate purchased in a coffee shop. Rather, he should walk outside to drink it.<ref>Erech Lechem Yoreh Deah 114:1 writes how in Egypt coffee should not be drunk where it is sold due to this concern of intermarriage, and because sitting in the coffee shop is a violation of Moshav Letzim. Yad Ephraim ad loc quotes the Yaavetz as saying the same, and the Sama in his Hagahot ad loc notes how the Vaad Arba Aratzot also prohibited it. On the other hand, the Pri Chadash Yoreh Deah 114:6 writes how if one is lenient on defining sheichar, then coffee in a coffee shop would not be an issue. This is echoed by the Maharit in his Be'er Heitev, but the Pitchei Teshuvah Yoreh Deah 114:1 quotes his grandfather the Panim Meirot as being strict (because Goyim invite each other over coffee). He also cites the aforementioned Yaavetz who argues to be lenient. In Pitchei Teshuva 122:4 he quotes a Noda BeYehudah who raises concerns of the constant use of the coffee utensils in the shop as a lack of opportunity to apply "Stam Kelim Bnei Yoman," thereby leaving the taste absorbed in the utensils prohibited always. Those who are lenient are worthy of rebuke. The Chochmat Adam 66:14 admits that coffee in a coffeehouse really is ok, but in our disastrous situation, people drink coffee with Chalav Akum, which is a real prohibition, and it also leads them to promiscuity with non-Jews, so those who are associated even slightly with Torah should stay away. See the Star-K’s article [https://www.star-k.org/articles/kashrus-kurrents/6017/when-you-can-drink-and-drive-the-halachic-implications-of-drinking-coffee-on-the-road/ WHEN YOU CAN DRINK AND DRIVE: THE HALACHIC IMPLICATIONS OF DRINKING COFFEE ON THE ROAD] for more on this topic.

Darkei Teshuvah 114:2 and Kaf HaChaim Yoreh Deah 114:12 cite the aforementioned sources. Zivchei Tzedek 114:9 testifies that we assume like the Pri Chadash that it's not included and that the custom in Baghdad is to be lenient. The Pri Toar's point about parties is well taken, and it must be that the custom in Baghad is rooted in Darkei Shalom and preventing Eivah, as the coffeehouse is a venue of honoring one another. (Kaf HaChaim Yoreh Deah 114:14) Rav Hershel Schachter accepts the stringency of the Chochmat Adam but admits that if it is uncommon to socialize with strangers in coffee shops, there is room to be lenient.</ref> Yet, the majority of poskim are lenient and the minhag is to be lenient.<ref>According to the Rama 114:1 obviously it is permitted since it isn’t date beer. Furthermore, even according to Shulchan Aruch, the Pri Chadash 114:6 writes that coffee isn’t a beer at all and is obviously permitted. Furthermore, the coffee is nullified in the water like it is in hilchot brachot. Maharit cited by Pitchei Teshuva 114:1 agrees. Chelkat Binyamin 114:22 cites the Gra and Pri Chadash as holding coffee isn’t included in sechar akum unlike the stringency of the Chaye Adam who advises against it.</ref>

# It should be noted that in a location where people are lax in their observance of the prohibition of Stam Yeynam, even sheichar is prohibited.<ref>The Gemara (Avodah Zarah 31b) tells how Rav Shmuel bar Bisna went to a place called Margoan and didn't drink their wine or their sheichar because of "shimtza" and "shimtza deshimtza." Rashi ad loc interprets Margoan as a place where Jews weren't so careful with Stem Yaynam and Shimtza as wine mixed in. The Ritva ad loc argues that it was a Non-Jewish place, and that they sent him a present. The Rif and Rosh omit this din altogether. Meanwhile, the Rashba writes like Rashi in Torat HaBayit HaAroch 5:1 and that it's a stringency that a Baal Nefesh should accept upon himself; however, in Torat HaBayit HaKatzar he writes that it's prohibited unequivocally. The Tur Yoreh Deah 114:2 only brings the Rashba's opinion from the Katzar (he didn't have the Aroch), and the Beit Yosef ad loc fills in the Aroch. See Perishah Yoreh Deah 114:2 and Bach Kuntres Acharon ad loc for a discussion regarding why the Tur chose to include a Halacha about Stam Yeynam here next to Sheichar Akum, since it's seemingly unrelated. Shach Yoreh Deah 114:4 cites both. In Shulchan Aruch Yoreh Deah 114:2 he copies the unequivocally prohibited articulation.</ref>

# Some remain lenient by Sheichar where the injunction of Stam Yeyanm is derelict, if the majority of the population consists of non-Jews, as long as one is purchasing from a Non-Jewish vendor.<ref>The Maharshal is quoted as saying that the whole issue is irrelevant nowadays because it's so commonplace to be lax,  so it should be permitted to drink the beverage outside the Goy's home. The Bach, however, argues that the Maharshal's reasoning does not obviate the concern for wine mixed in. Instead he interprets the Gezerah as enacted only in a place with a majority of Jews in the population, but, if the majority are non-Jews, one may purchase from the non-Jews but not the Jews who are suspect. On the other hand, Taz Yoreh Deah 114:3 contends Maharshal means that where it's widespread, not drinking sheichar won't mean anything for people because they won't know what to be distanced from. Shach Yoreh Deah 114:4, Pri Chadash Yoreh Deah 114:7, Zivchei Tzedek 114:13, and Kaf HaChaim 114:16 side with the Bach on this.</ref>