Q&A
Do we count orlah from the time of the graft?
Dear Rabbi,
In our garden we planted an avocado tree that we sprouted from a seed. The tree has been growing in our yard for ten years and has not given any fruit. We recently grafted a branch from a different avocado tree onto it and now it does produce fruit. Do we need to restart the orlah count from the time of the graft?
Ma'aser for Kislev papaya harvest
I picked a papaya on 1 Kislev this year (5786). Do I need to separate ma'aser ani or ma'aser sheni?
Ma'aserot for oranges - Winter 5786
Do the oranges on my tree now require ma'aser sheni?
Does the orlah count continue from the nursery if I keep my tree in a pot on the brick porch?
Hi, We bought a limequat tree grafted onto another type of citrus tree. It is in a pot with holes in the bottom, on a brick porch. Do we have to wait 3 years before we use the fruit? Thank you, B’sorot tovot,
I accidentally bought a pear tree grafted onto quince. What now?
Now I already planted almost all trees except for one plum tree and two pear trees.
To be sure I asked again via e-mail because I felt something is wrong. And she replied that apple is rooted on MM106, Cherry is rooted on Colt and I guess those two are ok, right?
But pear is rooted on quince (!!!)... and plum is said to be St. Juliens A which I searched for and it should also be from plum tree, but I could not find it on the list here on the website, can you verify this rootstock to be ok b"H? I did not plant the pear trees yet... can I somehow save them (cutting off the rootstocks?) or do I have to throw them away? Thank you!
Disposing vegetable scraps and seeds near a vegetable garden for fertilization
Is it permissible to throw vegetable scraps and seeds near a vegetable garden for the purpose of fertilizing the soil?
Composting terumah and using compost as fertilizer
Is it permissible to place terumah produce in a compost bin for the purpose of making compost, and once it has decomposed, may it be used to fertilize the soil?
Perutah for ma'aser sheni - how does it work?
I didn’t quite understand the issue of the coin used for terumot and ma‘aserot. What exactly is this coin? Is it just regular money? Also, does this mean I can’t eat fruit from a garden if I don’t have the coin with me at that moment—for example, if I’m at the school where I work and there are fruit trees there?
Cheshvan: Blessing for the first rainfall
Is there a special blessing we're supposed to say for the first rainfall?
Picking herbs in a public area and guiding rules determining the obligation for separating terumot & ma'aserot
My friend asked me about the obligation to separate terumot and ma'aserot from herbs growing on bushes in towns. I thought that herbs growing in public areas are exempt, but someone else said they weren't.
I was also wondering about those growing in pots in home gardens.
Could you tell me the guiding rules that determine when terumot and ma'aserot are obligated??