From the Rav’s Desk: Having a Gentile make a fruit shake with grapes

Question: [Wednesday, 2^nd Iyar 5781]

When I order a fruit shake from a juice stand which is run by a Gentile may I have him place grapes in the ingredients and have him blend it all into juice?

Answer:

One should not do so due to the prohibition of Yayin Nesech. Thus, when ordering a fruit shake from a Gentile make sure that there are no grapes added into the ingredients. Nonetheless, the blender remains kosher even though the Gentile has in the past used it to blend grapes, although one is to make sure that it is cleaned and washed prior to making your shake in order to verify that it is free of any juice from grapes.

Explanation: Gentiles may not be involved in any part of the process of squeezing juice from grapes especially if they end up then handling the juice afterwards as in the case of them making a fruit shake. Nonetheless, in truth there are various arguments that can be made to perhaps permit the blend at least Bedieved, such as a) the pressing of the machine is considered Kocho, of which we rule that if he is not an idol worshiper [i.e. a Muslim and not a Christian] than the juice is permitted. B) the juice of the grapes are considered mixed with the other fruits and therefore cannot become Yayin Nesech just as we rule regarding a mixture of wine and fig beer or other liquids. C) the juice never separates from the skin and is all blended together d) perhaps we can consider electricity as Koach Koach Kocho. Whatever the case, the blender remains kosher even though the Gentile has in the past used it to blend grapes being that the grape juice is cold, and even if he washed it with hot water while there was grape juice inside that he had blended, nonetheless, since the current fruit shake is cold.

Sources: See Michaber 123:7 regarding when the wine becomes forbidden in touch; 124:11 that even squeezing the grapes with one’s leg is forbidden; 124:18 that pouring it is forbidden; Igros Moshe Yoreh Deah 1:50; 2:52 regarding the prohibition was grape juice; 123:5 regarding mixtures of wine with other liquids that it is no longer subject to Yayin Nesech if wine is minority or its taste has altered; Simchas Kohen Y.D. 179 regarding Kocho by Muslim;  Sefer Bein Yisrael La’amim 18:21 regarding that if it is mixed with majority of other liquids or its taste has altered then there is no longer a prohibition of Yayin Nesech; 23:10 that we rule that a squeezing machine is considered Kocho