Avodah Zarah

R. Assi asked R. Johanan: How is it when wine is mixed  by a heathen? — He said to him: Use the verb mazag!  [R. Assi] replied: I used the Scriptural word as in, She hath killed her beasts, she hath mingled [masekah] her wine.  He said to him: The language of the Torah is distinct and so is the language of the Sages.  How is it, then, [if a heathen mixes it with water]? — [R. Johanan] answered: It is prohibited  on the principle, 'Keep off, we say to a Nazirite; go round the vineyard and come not near it!' R. Jeremiah once visited Sakhutha  and there saw heathens mixing the wine and Israelites drinking it. He prohibited it to them on the principle, 'Keep off, we say to a Nazirite; go round the vineyard and come not near it!' It has likewise been stated: R. Johanan said — another version is, R. Assi said in the name of R. Johanan: Wine mixed by a heathen is prohibited on the principle, 'Keep off, we say to a Nazirite; go round the vineyard and come not near it.' R. Simeon b. Lakish once came to Bozrah  and there saw the Israelites eating untithed fruits and he prohibited them. He saw water which had been worshipped by idolaters being drunk by Israelites and he prohibited it. He came before R. Johanan [and related to him what he had done]; and the latter said to him, 'While your cloak is still upon you, return;  Bezer  is not Bozrah; and water belonging to the public cannot become prohibited!'  R. Johanan here followed his own opinion;