Q&A

In my backyard I grow parsely, corriander, mint, and celery and I wanted to ask if there is any way for me to make them edible from a halachic perspective? If not, is it possible to turn them into a paste by grinding them, and then the principle that a partial organism is nullified in a ratio of 1:60 would apply (I understand that with strawberries you can grind them and turn them into ice cream). Thank you.

Is it true that it’s enough to soak leafy vegetables in a fruit and vegetable cleanser (like Sterili) and check a sample (organic vegetables)? In any case, why can’t we just use salt water or vinegar like we used to in the past?

Recently, farmers have begun inserting shoots into aloe vera leafs for moisture and protection against fungus. Is this considered prohibited grafting?

Can one say birkat ha’ilanot on trees grafted in a forbidden fashion?

Is it permissible to plant a tree from a lemon tree scion grafted onto a hushhash (sour orange) rootstock? Is there a comprehensive list of all the permissible grafting combinations? Are there any nurseries that follow halacha?

I bought and planted an apricot tree in my garden, which later on I found out was an almond tree with an apricot branch grafted onto it. Does this constitute kila’im? If so, what should I do with the tree?

Is it permissible to plant a tree from a lemon tree scion grafted onto a hushhash (sour orange) rootstock? Is there a comprehensive list of all the permissible grafting combinations? Are there any nurseries that follow halacha?

If I bought sapling for my garden at home, when I bought them from a person who I don’t know (he looks like he is religious; he was wearing a kipa), is there a problem for me to plant them in my garden? Please note that there are five different trees: 1) lemon, 2) orange, 3) tangerine, 4) pomelo, 5) guava.

I am Ashkenazi and avoid eating kitniyot on Pesach. I would like to find out if the prohibition against eating legumes applies to canola oil. My understanding is that this oil is produced from rapeseed (liftit). Also: if canola oil is permitted, then would it also be permitted to eat chocolate when it says on the package "includes rapeseed" (מכיל לפתית)?

How is it possible to obtain amaranth and quinoa for Pesach, since they don't have kosher-for-Pesach certification? It is possible to buy them without a special Pesach certification, check them carefully, and eat them on Pesach?