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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8
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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8
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 ...
- 1,368
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 ...
- 28.4k
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 ...
- 50.3k
6
votes
Accepted
Does Orlah apply to blueberries
The Institute for Torah and the Land of Israel studies this sort of issues, they have an interesting writeup and conclude orlah applies to blueberries (but read the full writeup which is quite ...
- 54k
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 ...
- 50.3k
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 ...
- 38.7k
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 ...
- 36k
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
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 ...
- 6,164
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 ...
- 730
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 ...
- 54k
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, ...
- 36k
3
votes
Accepted
Making buildings out of Orlah tree wood
Mishnah, Orlah 1:9:
נוֹטְעִין יִחוּר שֶׁל עָרְלָה
One may plant a branch of an orlah tree
and Bartenura there:
שהעץ מותר בהנאה
because the wood is permissible for benefit
This is codified in ...
- 10.4k
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 ...
- 1,213
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 ...
- 50.3k
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 ...
- 1,365
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 ...
- 46.6k
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 ...
- 34.5k
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
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 ...
- 5,113
2
votes
Making buildings out of Orlah tree wood
The basic approach to this is in the opening Mishnah of Masechta Orla which implies it boils down to intent:
הַנּוֹטֵעַ לִסְיָג וּלְקוֹרוֹת, פָּטוּר מִן הָעָרְלָה. רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אוֹמֵר, אֲפִלּוּ ...
- 34.5k
2
votes
Accepted
Should Jews make Birkat Ha’ilonot on hydroponic fruit trees
According to Machon Hatorah VeHaAretz the חיי אדם considered hydroponic growth as not being "earth based" and said the Bracha on their produce is Shehakol.
Some later Poskim do consider them ...
- 44.7k
1
vote
Nothing missing in the world?
I think that שלא חיסר Is that no concepts are missing, meaning everything was included in the creation (even the beis hamikdash, and even tragedies ר"ל.)
My humble opinion
- 95
1
vote
What is the "heart" of a tree?
This is more a question related to Dendrology, the study of Trees and their taxonomy.
But learning these details from the natural sciences, חכמת הטבע, is also beneficial in relation to understanding ...
- 16.7k
1
vote
Could animals in Eden eat the forbidden fruit of knowledge and what would happen to them?
The Chizkuni (Bireishis 3:1)says that the snake ate from the tree because it wasn't commanded in not eating from it, and gained the evil inclination. That's why the snake knew it was naked.
The ...
- 4,148
1
vote
Could animals in Eden eat the forbidden fruit of knowledge and what would happen to them?
Ha-Nachash הַנָּחָשׁ֙ ate from עֵ֗ץ הַדַּ֨עַת֙ ט֣וֹב וָרָ֔ע Ets HaDaat Tov Va-Ra.
If Ha-Nachash did not eat from עֵ֗ץ הַדַּ֨עַת֙ ט֣וֹב וָרָ֔ע, then the serpent would not know how to lie with his ...
- 1,428
1
vote
Accepted
Based on Mishlei 11:30 - Was the עֵ֤ץ הַֽחַיִּים֙ Ets HaChayim in Bereishit 2:9 a Tsadiq?
Per Prov. 11:30 Etz haChayim is the Torah, which is the fruit of the Tzadiq.
ל פְּרִי-צַדִּיק, עֵץ חַיִּים; וְלֹקֵחַ נְפָשׁוֹת חָכָם.
30 The tree of life is the fruit of the Tzadik; and the ...
- 2,080
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 ...
- 34.7k
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