"Wine Makes Life Merry"

(19) ...wine makes life merry, and money answers every need.

(15) wine cheers the hearts of men

(9) Drink no wine or other intoxicant, you or your sons, when you enter the Tent of Meeting, that you may not die. This is a law for all time throughout the ages, (10) for you must distinguish between the sacred and the profane, and between the unclean and the clean;

(4) Wine is not for kings, O Lemuel; Not for kings to drink, Nor any strong drink for princes, (5) Lest they drink and forget what has been ordained, And infringe on the rights of the poor. (6) Give strong drink to the hapless and wine to the embittered. (7) Let them drink and forget their poverty, And put their troubles out of mind.

(2) One is obligated to be intoxicated on Purim to the point where he does not know [the difference] between "accursed is Haman" and "blessed is Mordechai". Rama: Some say it is not necessary to become drunk so much, but rather to drink more than he is used to (Kol Bo), and to fall asleep, and while he sleeps he does not know [the difference] between "accursed is Haman" and "blessed is Mordechai" (Maharil). [There is no difference] between one who has more and one who has less, as long as his heart is directed to heaven.

If a woman is accustomed to drinking wine, she is given one cup, and if she is not accustomed to wine, she is given two cups.

Abaye said: This is what he is saying: If she is accustomed to wine, then in the presence of her husband she is given two cups, and if she is not in the presence of her husband she is given one cup. If she is not accustomed to drinking wine, then in the presence of her husband she is given only one cup, and if she is not in the presence of her husband she is not given wine at all. And if you wish, say instead: If she is accustomed to wine, she is given wine, but not for drinking, rather for meat pudding [tzikei], made with wine, flour, and leftover meat in a pot.

One cup of wine is good for a woman; two cups is a disgrace, as she will start to become drunk; after three cups, she will become lustful and demand sexual intercourse, after four cups of wine, she will even request intercourse from a donkey in the marketplace, as she is so drunk she is not particular about with whom she has relations.

Rava said: They taught that a woman should not drink much wine only if her husband is not with her. However, if her husband is with her, we have no problem with it. If she feels an urge for intercourse her husband is available.

Master said: One who drinks a quarter of wine should not issue halakhic rulings.

Rav Yehuda said that Shmuel said: If one drank a quarter of wine, he may not issue a halakhic ruling. Rav Naḥman said: This halakha is not excellent, as concerning myself, as long as I have not drunk a quarter of wine, my mind is not clear. It is only after drinking wine that I can issue appropriate rulings!

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.

When is it that one who has simply drunk wine, and when it is where one 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.

If one merits, wine makes him happy; if one does not merit, it makes him confounded.