Commentary for Avodah Zarah 76:14
בעו מיניה מרבי אסי הני אהיני שליקי דארמאי מאי חוליי לא תיבעי לך דודאי שרו מרירי לא תיבעי לך דודאי אסירי כי תיבעי לך מציעאי מאי אמר להו מאי תיבעי להו דרבי אסר ומנו לוי
They asked R. Assi: What of dates cooked by a Gentile? As regards the sweet species the question does not arise since they are certainly permitted; as regards the bitter species the question also does not arise since they are certainly prohibited; but there is a question about the moderate species? What is the rule? He replied: Why do you ask me this question seeing that my teacher has declared them prohibited! And who is he? Levi.
Daf Shevui to Avodah Zarah
This baraita teaches that if the cooking process was begun by the Jew, the non-Jew would be allowed to continue the cooking. The food is prohibited only if the non-Jew begins the cooking process.
Again we can see how lenient the rabbis were with regard to this prohibition. My impression is that amoraic rabbis inherited a series of prohibitions that were created during a period in which there was a real fear of assimilation. Many of these prohibitions seem likely to have been created as early as the Second Temple period, when Hellenism was at its height. By amoraic times Jewish identity had more fully coalesced and those Jews who remained within the fold were not threatened by eating food cooked by non-Jews. Thus they could be lenient with regard to these rules.
Again we can see how lenient the rabbis were with regard to this prohibition. My impression is that amoraic rabbis inherited a series of prohibitions that were created during a period in which there was a real fear of assimilation. Many of these prohibitions seem likely to have been created as early as the Second Temple period, when Hellenism was at its height. By amoraic times Jewish identity had more fully coalesced and those Jews who remained within the fold were not threatened by eating food cooked by non-Jews. Thus they could be lenient with regard to these rules.
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Daf Shevui to Avodah Zarah
Sweet dates can be eaten raw. Therefore they are permitted even when cooked by a non-Jew. Bitter dates cannot be eaten raw and therefore they are certainly prohibited. The question was asked about dates that are moderately bitter and then improve in taste when cooked. The answer is that they are prohibited.
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