Stomping on our enemies

The days between Tu B’Av and Sukkot have always been considered the wine pressing season in the Land of Israel. The farmers would be out in the vineyards harvesting the grapes which would then be brought to the winepress to begin the wine production. The Mishna (Chagiga 3:4) calls the month of Elul the period of the winepress and the olive press.

When the grapes arrived at the winepress (gat) which was usually in close proximity to the vineyard, the workers would step on them or dance on them, being careful not to break the seeds. The juice would flow through a curved channel into huge fermentation vats (yekev). The juice would be stored in large ceramic jars for about a week and then it would be moved to smaller clay jugs and kept in underground wine cellars until it fermented into wine.

In the seventh and final Haftara of comfort (Yishayahu 63:2-6), Yishayahu describes the wine press as a symbol for God’s judgment of the nations:

Why the red stain on your raiment? And your garments- as one who treads in the wine vat. “A winepress have I trod by Myself and for the nations not a man was with Me. I trod on them in My anger, and trampled them in My wrath, their lifeblood spurted out on My garments and I soiled My raiment…I trampled peoples in My anger, and stupefied them with My wrath and threw their lifeblood to the ground.”

God’s “clothing” is described as being red, as if from the blood of the enemies. As the grapes are being trampled, some of the wine can spurt onto your clothing.

Chapter 4 in the Book of Yoel describes how the enemies of Israel will attack Jerusalem in the End of Days and how they will be annihilated.

In Yoel 4:13-14, we see another example of the parable of trampling the grapes as a way of crushing our enemies: “Hoist the sickle; the harvest is ripe. Come, trample; the winepress is full. The vats of wine overflow. So great is the evil that they have done…”

According to Abarbanel, the time of the harvesting of ripe grain and the collection of pressed wine, symbolizes the ripeness of our enemies for punishment due to the magnitude of their crimes.

Rashi explains that the amount of evil that the nations have used towards Israel is at its limit, full like a winepress of grapes ready to be trodden. Due to the extent of evil that the nations have perpetrated against the Jewish nation, their blood is ready to be spilled like wine that overflows in a vat.

It would be great if everybody got along and we wouldn’t need such violent imagery. But the message here is that any nation that attacks or tries to destroy Israel will be severely punished. Although it is taking time, every Hamas operative that was involved in taking hostages or keeping hostages on October 7 is being annihilated. Nobody will attack Israel and get away with it.

Let’s hope for peaceful times ahead where we can enjoy the grapes and wine that Israel has to offer is it says in Michah 4:4: “every person will sit beneath their grapevine, and under their fig tree and none shall make them afraid.”