Difference between revisions of "Purpose of Orlah/1/en"
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<q xml:lang="he" dir="rtl">(כג) וְכִי תָבֹאוּ אֶל הָאָרֶץ וּנְטַעְתֶּם כׇּל עֵץ מַאֲכָל וַעֲרַלְתֶּם עׇרְלָתוֹ אֶת פִּרְיוֹ שָׁלֹשׁ שָׁנִים יִהְיֶה לָכֶם עֲרֵלִים לֹא יֵאָכֵל. (כד) וּבַשָּׁנָה הָרְבִיעִת יִהְיֶה כׇּל פִּרְיוֹ קֹדֶשׁ הִלּוּלִים לַי"י. (כה) וּבַשָּׁנָה הַחֲמִישִׁת תֹּאכְלוּ אֶת פִּרְיוֹ לְהוֹסִיף לָכֶם תְּבוּאָתוֹ אֲנִי י"י אֱלֹהֵיכֶם.</q> | <q xml:lang="he" dir="rtl">(כג) וְכִי תָבֹאוּ אֶל הָאָרֶץ וּנְטַעְתֶּם כׇּל עֵץ מַאֲכָל וַעֲרַלְתֶּם עׇרְלָתוֹ אֶת פִּרְיוֹ שָׁלֹשׁ שָׁנִים יִהְיֶה לָכֶם עֲרֵלִים לֹא יֵאָכֵל. (כד) וּבַשָּׁנָה הָרְבִיעִת יִהְיֶה כׇּל פִּרְיוֹ קֹדֶשׁ הִלּוּלִים לַי"י. (כה) וּבַשָּׁנָה הַחֲמִישִׁת תֹּאכְלוּ אֶת פִּרְיוֹ לְהוֹסִיף לָכֶם תְּבוּאָתוֹ אֲנִי י"י אֱלֹהֵיכֶם.</q> | ||
<q xml:lang="en">(23) “‘When you come into the land, and have planted all kinds of trees for food, then you shall count their fruit as forbidden. Three years shall they be forbidden to you. It shall not be eaten. (24) But in the fourth year all its fruit shall be holy, for giving praise to Hashem. (25) In the fifth year you shall eat its fruit, that it may yield its increase to you. I am Hashem your God.</q> | <q xml:lang="en">(23) “‘When you come into the land, and have planted all kinds of trees for food, then you shall count their fruit as forbidden. Three years shall they be forbidden to you. It shall not be eaten. (24) But in the fourth year all its fruit shall be holy, for giving praise to Hashem. (25) In the fifth year you shall eat its fruit, that it may yield its increase to you. I am Hashem your God.</q> | ||
| − | </multilang>These verses prohibit eating from the fruit born by a tree in its first three years (<i>orlah</i>) and obligate one to sanctify the fruit of the fourth year's crop to Hashem (<i>neta revai</i>).<fn> | + | </multilang>These verses prohibit eating from the fruit born by a tree in its first three years (<i>orlah</i>) and obligate one to sanctify the fruit of the fourth year's crop to Hashem (<i>neta revai</i>).<fn>According to <a href="MishnaMaaserSheni5-1-4" data-aht="source">Mishna Maaser Sheni 5:1-4</a> one must bring the fruit to Jerusalem and eat of it there.  If one lives at a distance from Jerusalem one is allowed to redeem the fruits for money, and use that money to buy food in Jerusalem. The law, thus, is similar to Maaser Sheni (the second tithe) which is also eaten by its owners in Jerusalem.  None of this is explicit in the text, however, leading Ibn Ezra to suggest, instead, that the fruit is to be dedicated to the priests. </fn>  The concept of consecrating the first of one's produce, animals, and the like is fairly intuitive and not unique to here, but how are we to understand the mitzvah of <i>orlah</i>? Why is the fruit forbidden in the first three years? Is the reasoning for the laws of <i>orlah</i> connected to that of <i>neta revai </i>or are they totally distinct? |
<h2>Additional Questions</h2> | <h2>Additional Questions</h2> | ||
Version as of 02:34, 1 May 2019
Purpose of Orlah
Introduction
Why Wait?
Vayikra 19:23-25 mandates two commandments related to fruit trees, the laws of orlah (ערלה) and neta revai (נטע רבעי):
(כג) וְכִי תָבֹאוּ אֶל הָאָרֶץ וּנְטַעְתֶּם כׇּל עֵץ מַאֲכָל וַעֲרַלְתֶּם עׇרְלָתוֹ אֶת פִּרְיוֹ שָׁלֹשׁ שָׁנִים יִהְיֶה לָכֶם עֲרֵלִים לֹא יֵאָכֵל. (כד) וּבַשָּׁנָה הָרְבִיעִת יִהְיֶה כׇּל פִּרְיוֹ קֹדֶשׁ הִלּוּלִים לַי"י. (כה) וּבַשָּׁנָה הַחֲמִישִׁת תֹּאכְלוּ אֶת פִּרְיוֹ לְהוֹסִיף לָכֶם תְּבוּאָתוֹ אֲנִי י"י אֱלֹהֵיכֶם.
(23) “‘When you come into the land, and have planted all kinds of trees for food, then you shall count their fruit as forbidden. Three years shall they be forbidden to you. It shall not be eaten. (24) But in the fourth year all its fruit shall be holy, for giving praise to Hashem. (25) In the fifth year you shall eat its fruit, that it may yield its increase to you. I am Hashem your God.
These verses prohibit eating from the fruit born by a tree in its first three years (orlah) and obligate one to sanctify the fruit of the fourth year's crop to Hashem (neta revai).1 The concept of consecrating the first of one's produce, animals, and the like is fairly intuitive and not unique to here, but how are we to understand the mitzvah of orlah? Why is the fruit forbidden in the first three years? Is the reasoning for the laws of orlah connected to that of neta revai or are they totally distinct?
Additional Questions
This short passage raises several additional questions:
- "וַעֲרַלְתֶּם עׇרְלָתוֹ... יִהְיֶה לָכֶם עֲרֵלִים" – Why are the forbidden fruit referred to as orlah specifically? Elsewhere, the noun refers to a foreskin or to something which is uncircumcised.2 What is the import of the association?
- Larger context: "קְדֹשִׁים תִּהְיוּ" – Chapter 19 begins with an injunction that the nation "be holy" suggesting that the laws which follow somehow promote sanctification. How is this true of the laws of orlah? In what way do they help one become "holy"?
- Immediate context – The commandment of orlah follows a prohibition against having relations with a pledged maidservant (שפחה חרופה) and precedes the laws of divination and "eating on blood". How does it relate to its context? Is there any significance to the juxtaposition to these laws specifically?
- "לְהוֹסִיף לָכֶם תְּבוּאָתוֹ" – The Torah does not normally promise blessings with regards to the fulfillment of individual commandments.3 Yet, here, Hashem promises the people that observance of the law will result in an increased yield. Why is this commandment unique in this regard?
