Q&A
Volunteering on farms during chol hamo'ed
Since this year, many farmers were hit hard during the war and especially since most of their foreign workers fled, will it be permissible this year to work in agriculture during chol hamo'ed?
Nissan: Birkat Ha'ilanot on trees that blossom twice annually
I have two questions about birkat ha'ilanot:
- Can we make the blessing on trees that blossom twice a year (lemon, mango, petango)? What about those that bloom twice but only produce fruit once a year (mango)?
- Why don't we make this blessing over olive trees?
Nissan: Birkat ha'ilanot vs. Shekacha lo ba'olamo
Whoever sees especially beautiful creations recites the blessing shekacha lo ba'olamo; "Who has such things in His world."
Whoever goes out to fields or gardens in the days of Nissan and sees trees blossoming and budding recites birkat ha'ilanot, the blessing for the trees: "Blessed … who has withheld nothing from His world, and has created in it beautiful creatures and trees for human beings to enjoy.'" What is the difference between both blessings?
Nissan: Birkat ha’ilanot on trees grafted in a forbidden manner
Can one say birkat ha’ilanot on trees grafted in a forbidden fashion?
Sukkut: Weaving Mats from Lulav Leaflets
Is it permissible to weave a mat from the lulav leaflets or, alternatively, to throw the lulav away in the garbage? Similarly, would it be permissible to build furniture from planks used to place sechach on?
Grafting a lime scion onto a lemon rootstock to produce two fruits from the same tree
I have a lemon tree in my garden. I want to graft limes onto it in addition to lemons, so that I will have two different types of fruit from the same tree, and also so that I don't have to wait three years for the first fruits. Is this permissible to do this lechatchilah? And what about grafting a sweetie (pomelit) onto a pomelo tree? A sweetie onto a grapefruit tree? A mandarin or clementine onto an orange tree?
I see that you divided citruses into three different halachic species (lemon; orange, mandarin, and clementine; and pomelo, sweetie and grapefruit). Would it therefore be permissible if I use a scion and rootstock pair from the same family?
Bringing lemons through the window
We picked lemons from our neighbor's tree with their permission. Some of the lemons were taken from the neighbors' garden and entered our house through the door. Another part was brought directly from their garden to our house through the window. The lemons are mixed together, so it is impossible to know which lemon was brought in through the door, and are obligated in tithes, and which lemons were brought in through the window and are not obligated. How should we separate terumot and ma'aserot now: Should we tithe each and every fruit, or can we take them all out of the house and bring them back in through the door?
Terumot and Ma'aserot from Myrtle Berry Liqueur
There are people who prepare liqueur from the small fruits that grow on myrtle bushes (hadas) during this season of the year (hereinafter: "myrtle berries"). Is it necessary to separate terumot and ma'aserot from them?
Fruit from a neighbor's tree extending into my yard
My neighbor has a tree whose branches extend into my property. Am I allowed to pick the fruit without requesting permission?
Separating terumot and ma'aserot from home hydroponically grown produce
I recently bought a hydroponics kit for my porch. Do fruits/vegetables that grow have the same halachot for shemitah, terumot, ma'aserot, neta revay, orlah? Also, which berachot would be said? Still ha’eitz or ha’adamah or shehakol?