Shop עברית

Orlah & Neta Revay

Subscribe to our Newsletter

Picking and picking up pomegranates in a public area

Rabbi Moshe Bloom

I have a strange question… we were at a public park that had tons of pomegranate trees in RBS. They were big so there is no doubt in my mind that they are old enough… is it halachically allowed to take pomegranates from a public park if they’ve already fallen to the ground? 

Picking herbs growing on the roadside

Rabbi Moshe Bloom

Am I allowed to take cuttings from overgrown wild sage or rosemary at the side of the road in public areas? A few people I know have said that you’re allowed because they grow back and it’s actually good for the trees to take cuttings… but is there an issue of stealing? What about terumot and ma'aserot?

Is hyssop obligated in orlah?

Dr. Mordechai Shomron, agronomist | 24 Tammuz 5785

What is the halachic status of hyssop (a.k.a. za'atar) vis-a-vis orlah?

Is natal plum subject to orlah?

Dr. Mordechai Shomron, agronomist; addition by Rabbi Moshe Bloom | Av 5785

Hello, is Carissa macrocarpa (Natal plum) considered a tree subject to the laws of orlah?

Orlah count when transplanting trees into the ground vs. into pots sitting on concrete outside Israel

Rabbi Moshe Bloom
Our shul in Whashington D.C. has recently planted a garden with blueberry bushes and apple and fig trees. I am trying to determine if there would be orlah concerns. The bushes and trees were planted in a mature, fruit bearing stage - I assume they are several years old, but am wondering if there are additional questions I should ask. Does the "clock" go back to zero every time the trees are planted or not if the roots remain entangled in dirt?
And one follow-up question:
The fig trees are in a large earthenware pot which rests on the cement steps of the shul - they are disconnected from the ground. Would that be a reason for their orlah count to restart?

Air layering with root balling and orlah count

Rabbi Moshe Bloom

Good morning. I have a question regarding the propagation of saplings by the method in the YouTube link. Is the fruit still the subject of orlah? https://youtu.be/mqYJBPsflQg?si=CfRqhUweVq49ifCu

Status of fruit from a tree planted anywhere between September 2020-December 2021

Rabbi Bloom
My neighbour's orange tree hangs over our wall and has a lot of fruit on it. They are not religious and they did not plant the tree so they don't know how old it is. 
I have photos of the area from December 2021 and I can see the tree in it so it is at least 3 years old. It definitely wasn't there in September 2020, which is the only earlier photo I could find. It could have been planted any time between September 2020 and December 2021.
My question is can I pick and eat the fruit? 

Rootballing, germinating from seed, and bonsais in pots to replant later in the ground

Rabbi Moshe Bloom

1.       I saw a technique called rootballing, where you peel off the bark of a tree around a branch and cover it with soil and it sends out roots. Then you disconnect if from the tree and plant it. This also allows it to produce fruit more quickly. Is this allowed halachically?

2.       My plan is to plant the branch with roots in a pot and make it a bonsai, and place it on my porch. I also am planning to take seeds of various fruits and germinate them, like avocados – also to prepare bonsais. Perhaps eventually, if I move and have a bigger garden, I might transplant it into the ground and it will grow bigger. Is it ok halachically to grow a tree as a bonsai?

Continuing the orlah count: Mature fruit trees outside Israel transplanted into the ground and trees sitting in earthenware pots on a concrete surface

Rabbi Moshe Bloom
Rav Moshe, our shul has recently planted a garden with blueberry bushes and apple and fig trees. I am trying to determine if there would be orlah concerns. The bushes and trees were planted in a mature, fruit bearing stage - I assume they are several years old, but am wondering if there are additional questions I should ask. Does the "clock" go back to zero every time the trees are planted or not if the roots remain entangled in dirt?
And one follow up question:
The fig trees are in a large earthenware pot which rests on the cement steps of the shul - they are disconnected from the ground. Would that be a reason for their orlah count to restart?

Orlah for passionfruit planted as a living fence and for fruit

Rabbi Moshe Bloom

I planted a few passionfruit vines on my railings, with the intention both to use them as a privacy hedge and to eat their fruit. Do I need to wait 3 years for orlah to eat them under Ashkenazi halachic custom? They are thick and do effectively block the view from the street, which was our goal. They're in pots and have been planted at my apartment for almost 2 years now.