12
votes
Accepted
What kind of tree or bush was the "burning bush" of Moses?
Most commentaries render this as some sort of thorny bush (see Rashi, Ibn Ezra).
In terms of identifying which exact species it may have been, a great resource is Rabbi Kaplan's Living Torah ...
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7
votes
Why did Chava give Adam the fruit to eat?
In a comment to the OP's question Fred cites the well-known Rashi (see above). The Bartenura on the Torah expands on this Rashi (text borrowed from Sefaria.org, produced here in full):
ותתן גם ...
- 1,338
7
votes
Accepted
No Flood in Israel?
It is a dispute in Bereishis Rabbah 33:6 whether Eretz Yisrael was flooded. According to R’ Beivai, who holds that it was flooded, the inhabitants obviously died. According to R’ Abba bar Kahana and R’...
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6
votes
Why doesn't Shulchan Aruch include the laws of destroying fruit trees?
R. Jacob Reischer addresses this in a responsum:
Shu"t Shevut Yaakov 1:159
גם על הטור אין תימא כל כך דאף דלאו בפירוש אתמר מכללא אתמר כיון דאיסור לקצוץ אילנות הוא לאו דוקא אלא ה"ה כל המאבד ...
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6
votes
"Good trees" grammar in the blessing on trees
Rabbi Eliezer Melamed brings in his Pninei Halacha Hilchot Brachot ch.15 the following:
וכך הוא נוסח הברכה: "ברוך אתה ה' אלוקינו מלך העולם, שלא חיסר בעולמו כלום, וברא בו בריות טובות ואילנות טובים ...
- 23.7k
6
votes
Accepted
Is it a mitzvah to plant a tree in Israel?
R Eliezer Melamed (Rosh Yeshiva in Har Bracha) writes that it is
We have already learned that the mitzvah of settling the Land of
Israel does not involve only conquering it, but also requires the
...
- 44.8k
5
votes
Maple syrup bracha
Tosefos to Berachos 36b, s.v. ברטיבא, writes that sap gets a העץ based on a verse, יערי עם דבשי (Shir Hashirim ch. 5).
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4
votes
Why is there such fervor to say the blessing on blossoming fruit trees?
Assuming your observations are correct and there is indeed some special fervor associated with this blessing, perhaps it is due to the following statement of R. Yecheiel Michel Morapchik:
Seder ...
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4
votes
Which sources tell how Eve got to know they could not eat of the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil?
The Kli Yakar on 3:1 writes (courtesy of sefaria):
There is a big question in this matter: If the woman added the command of "do not touch" by herself; behold, she knew the truth that God did not ...
- 37.4k
4
votes
No Flood in Israel?
TL;DR It is a matter of dispute in Zevahim whether or not Israel was inundated by the flood. According to the opinion that it was not, there is some indication that some animals and / or people ...
- 35.3k
4
votes
Accepted
Does one say birkat ha-ilanot on Shabbat?
Qiẓur Shulḥan 'Arukh - Yalqut Yosef (Oraḥ Ḥayim 226:13) states (my translation):
מותר לברך ברכת האילנות בשבת ויום טוב, ואין לחוש ולגזור פן ישכח ויתלוש מפרחי האילנות בשבת. אלא שלכתחילה מהיות טוב יש ...
- 7,393
4
votes
Reference for a quote from the Maharal about how man is an upside-down tree
It is in Netzach Yisroel 7:26
כי באמת האדם נקרא "עץ השדה", דכתיב (דברים כ, יט) "כי האדם עץ השדה", רק שהוא אילן הפוך, כי העץ שורשו למטה תקוע בארץ, ואילו האדם שרשו למעלה, כי הנשמה ...
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3
votes
Why specifically branches as firewood on the Altar?
The unknown commentary1 to this Mishnah in the Talmud says that branches burn easily and do not produce [too much] smoke. He also states several other advantages for using younger branches than older ...
- 391
3
votes
Accepted
Etz Hadas - Alcoholic?
This is one view presented in Sanhedrin 70a:
אמר רבי זכאי: אמר לו הקדוש ברוך הוא לנח: נח, לא היה לך ללמוד מאדם הראשון, שלא גרם לו אלא יין. כמאן דאמר אותו אילן שאכל ממנו אדם הראשון גפן היה. דתניא, ...
- 35.3k
3
votes
What is the אדר plant, according to Rashi?
This is an excellent question! I don't think that I can answer it definitively, but the following information might be of use to you. If you have a look at Avraham Grossman's Rashi (trans. Joel ...
- 18.7k
3
votes
How can the Gemara argue here, isn't it all facts?
Rashi explains the Gemara as being a questions if the roots alone give the Halacha of (not) being in Eretz Yisroel. Everyone seems to agree there is some mixture in the above ground level in the the ...
- 4,359
3
votes
Accepted
Can one prune a fruit tree?
As you are well aware, cutting down a fruit tree is subject to many prohibitions. You ask about pruning down which is more easily permissible.
ShulchanAruchHarav brings details here
Some Poskim rule ...
- 44.8k
2
votes
Maple syrup bracha
The Gemara in Avodah Zara 35b says that one of the reasons why Gevinas Akum is assur is because they use "שרף של ערלה", or the sap of a tree that is assur because of orlah, as a rennet. This is ...
- 1,183
2
votes
Timing of Birchas Illonos
A lot more sources posted at Dose of Halacha
According to some poskim (Halachos Ketanos 2:28; Kaf Hachaim OC 226:1) the beracha should only be recited in the month of Nissan, though most poskim (...
- 6,115
2
votes
How does the tree of life work?
This is addressed by R. Isaiah of Trani (the Elder) in his commentary to Genesis 3:22.
ותימה וכי עד עתה לא אכל מעץ החיים והלא הרשה אותו מכל עץ הגן אכול תאכל יש לומר עץ החיים היא רפואה לעץ הדעת ...
- 48.7k
2
votes
How could Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai eat from the carob tree?
Reminds me of this (Sanhedrin 59b -- summarized and text below):
Rabbi Shimeon ben Chalafta was walking on the road when lions met him and roared at him. Thereupon he quoted from Psalms: “The young ...
- 1,325
2
votes
Accepted
How is scraping a leaf erasure? (שבת נ ע״ב)
R. Ya’akov Emden seems to have been bothered by this question. In his marginalia (printed at the back of many editions of the Talmud) he wrote:
נ״ל צ״ל ממחק דהיינו מחליק
It seems to me that ...
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2
votes
Bereshit 2:9 all trees or one tree?
In Biblical Hebrew, it is common to use a singular form to refer to the entire group or plural. By comparison, see e.g. Breishit 8:1. Note, that similar to your example, the use of singular nouns such ...
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2
votes
Talking trees in Torah
The Midrash Rabbah Bereishis 13:2, on the Pasuk וכל שיח השדה, brings the following Drush:
וְכֹל שִׂיחַ הַשָּׂדֶה, כָּל הָאִילָנוֹת כְּאִלּוּ מְשִׂיחִין אֵלּוּ עִם אֵלּוּ. כָּל הָאִילָנוֹת כְּאִלּוּ ...
- 4,303
2
votes
Accepted
Was the Tree of Knowledge less than or equal to 3 years of growth?
B"H
Well after all it did cause the entire concept of fatality throughout the entire world, so I guess it wasn't so healthy...
But in reality Adam wasn't commanded regarding the laws of arleh, ...
2
votes
Can one prune a fruit tree?
OU Kosher here writes as follows:
There is a Biblical prohibition to cut down a fruit tree based on verses in Devarim (20:19-20). From the Talmud and poskim it emerges that there are several ...
- 25.5k
2
votes
Please help me understand part of Gemoro Makkos 12b
The Gemara seems to be describing a scenario where the only way to reach the branches are through the trunk. However, if the BR can circumvent the route of having to go through the trunk then the ...
- 4,934
1
vote
Can one smell orla tree blossoms?
According to this answer, it would seem that this is permitted.
The Radbaz (Shu"t
1:44)
discusses this topic and rules that, if the tree was not planted for
its fruits or if only the ...
- 33.8k
1
vote
Accepted
Why were the Jews commanded to destroy fruit trees when attacking Moav?
Rashi and Radak give similar answers which amount to - this nation was not included in that prohibition because they are so awful.
רש"י, מלכים ב' ג:י"ט:
וכל עץ טוב תפילו. אף על פי שנאמר (...
- 1,317
1
vote
How to tell if a tree branch overhangs a Sukkah site
Here are some simple methods to determine if it's hanging over the sukkah, and how much space it's taking.
Method one
This method is assuming that the sukkah is already built, and you're just trying ...
- 3,839
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