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I work at a company with many non-Jews and often we will go out to celebrate milestones we hit.

What are the issues with going out to drink with them if I order a bottle of unopened beer ?

CodyBugstein
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  • I believe the issur of drinking alcohol with non-Jews was to prevent intermarriage. But I do not know for sure. – ezra Oct 31 '17 at 20:47
  • https://judaism.stackexchange.com/q/84315/8775 is a similar question. This is possibly a dupe. – mevaqesh Oct 31 '17 at 20:51
  • Agree that it may be a dupe of the above link. Regardless, IMO, most Gentiles respect people that are religiously "consistent". It doesn't take much to explain why you can't join them at a non-kosher place. All you need to say is that you cannot enter a non-kosher restaurant. There may be problems of marit ayin when you do this. But, you don't need to give your co-workers any explanation other than religious practice prohibits you from attending. BTW, it is not a given that all beer is automatically kosher. – DanF Oct 31 '17 at 21:31
  • https://judaism.stackexchange.com/questions/2254/can-you-drink-a-beer-such-as-miller-or-budweiser-at-a-bar/2263#2263 – Menachem Oct 31 '17 at 21:32
  • @ezra so if you are already married it's OK? – CodyBugstein Oct 31 '17 at 21:34
  • @CodyBugstein - For one thing, I mentioned that I didn't know the exact reason. Also, being married doesn't help - being drunk around non-Jewish women (or men) could result in other terrible aveiros. – ezra Oct 31 '17 at 21:42
  • @CodyBugstein Being married already would certainly decrease the chances, but when dealing with rabbininc enactments Hazal frequently made broad rules. If individuals can choose when a particular rabbinic (or any other law) applies, then it ceases to be a law. Significantly, in the time of Hazal there were no intermarriage restrictions, so having a wife didn't preclude marrying another. – mevaqesh Oct 31 '17 at 23:18
  • @DanF Not a dupe of that (I think), since this question does not specify bars. Bars may have their own issues. – mevaqesh Oct 31 '17 at 23:19
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    @mevaqesh This question isn’t limited to the Rambam. Not a dupe. – DonielF Nov 01 '17 at 03:13
  • @DanF Not a dupe because there could be a distinction between drinking with non-Jews (even at a Jewish bar) and drinking at a non-Jewish bar (even with Jews or alone). Unless the OP makes clear that there is no distinction between the cases, shouldn’t we have to assume they’re different? – DonielF Nov 01 '17 at 03:15
  • CodyBugstein, did you ask this question on dinonline? – ezra Nov 01 '17 at 03:41
  • @ezra no I didn't. That is a bizarre coincidence – CodyBugstein Nov 01 '17 at 05:23
  • @DonielF I marked it as a dupe, b/c OP specifically mentions beer. If he had mentioned joining co-workers for a meal or snack, which is what I THINK he means, then, I may be more geared to reverse my vote. – DanF Nov 01 '17 at 14:25
  • @ezra Dinonline has both good and weak points. Some questions are thoroughly answered. Others, such as the one you linked, are terse. They do provide reasons in this answer, which sound satisfactory. But, I'd like to see a source or two for their reasons. This answer looks like either someone was in a hurry or, for some reason, didn't want to share their knowledge. Perhaps, if OP wishes, he can request a follow-up to that answer on dinonline, requesting some details. – DanF Nov 01 '17 at 14:30
  • @DanF - I agree. This particular answer wasn't very sourced. But it's at least something. But then again, I could have told the OP that it's bad to hang out with goyim at a bar because it leads to aveiros! I guess it's just credible because it comes from a rabbi... And I'm not one. – ezra Nov 01 '17 at 15:02
  • @ezra "I'm not one" I have much respect for (most) rabbis. But, if you're considering it as a career, consider it a few times before you decide. It can brutal! – DanF Nov 01 '17 at 15:05
  • @DanF - איך בין מסכּים :) – ezra Nov 01 '17 at 15:09

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