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The pomegranate as a symbol in adorning the robe of the high priest, engraved on the pillars of the temple and brought by the spies to show the fruits of the land of Israel. Is there an explanation of the symbolic meaning of the pomegranate in Judaism? I am aware that the seeds are eaten on Rosh Hashana with a symbolic relationship to the Jewish people having many merits. I'm looking for any other meanings assigned.

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  • Surmisal - in listing the 7 species, "Rimon" is 5th on the list, and it is the last of the "solids". The remaining 2 - olive oil and honey - are liquids. There may be something to this. Hev to explore the idea further.
    – DanF
    Mar 4, 2015 at 17:32
  • col.org.il/… Mar 4, 2015 at 18:51
  • According to the Ramban (Sh'mos 28:31), bells were actually inserted into objects shaped like a pomegranates with partially closed sepals. This pomegranate shape allows the bells to be held and seen inside the "pomegranates." Other opinions disagree with the Ramban, however, and maintain that the "pomegranates" were completely empty and were only part of an alternating arrangement (e.g. Rashi and Rashbam on 28:33), so an alternative explanation for the Kohein's garb would be required according to them.
    – Fred
    Mar 4, 2015 at 23:59

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In a discussion on the meaning of seeing the fruit in a dream, the gemara in Berachot4 explains that “seeing small ones portends business being as fruitful as a pomegranate, while seeing large ones means that business will multiply like pomegranates. If, in the dream, the pomegranates are split open, if the dreamer is a scholar he may hope to learn more Torah … while if he is unlearned, he can hope to perform mitzvot ….” Drawing upon a verse in Shir HaShirim (4:3; 6:7), the gemara concludes by stating that even “the empty ones among the Jews are full of mitzvot like a pomegranate [is full of seeds].”5 Many misread this gemara to mean that there are precisely 613 seeds in a pomegranate, as there are 613 mitzvot. It should be clear, however, that the gemara uses pomegranates to imply an abundance. In fact, the very name “pomegranate” is derived from Latin’s “pomum” (apple) and “granatus” (seeded), alluding to the fruit’s many seeds. from: https://www.ou.org/jewish_action/09/2008/whats_the_truth_about_pomegranate_seeds/

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