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Part III - The Seven Species (Shevat HaMinim)
This month marks the 50th birthday of the modern State of Israel. In honor of this occasion, we will take a look at the seven species of agricultural
produce that symbolize the fertility of Israel. These seven species are wheat, barley, grapevines, figs, pomegranates, olives and honey (from dates).
Take a look at a few of the special characteristics of each of these. I would like to thank Ellen Frankel and Betsy Platkin Teutsch for their excellent work in compiling The Encyclopedia of Jewish Symbols (Jason Aronson, Inc., 1992) from which I culled the following information.
Wheat is called chitah in Hebrew and has done more for the development of humankind than any other plant.
For thousands and thousands of years, wheat was a main crop throughout Israel, Egypt and parts of Mesopotamia. Wheat flour has been the source of our challah dough for over 2,000 years. So important did the rabbis consider flour that they said, Where there is no flour, there is no Torah. Where there is no Torah, there is no flour. (Pirke Avot 3:21)
Barley is called se'orah in Hebrew and is the first grain to ripen in Israel. Because of this, it is barley that marked the start of the spring harvest season and the counting of the omer (a measure of
barley), connecting the holiday of Passover to the holiday of Shavuot.
In Biblical times, people ate bread made from barley. In Talmudic times, wheat replaced barley as the flour of choice. Today, barley mostly is used in the preparation of soup.
Grapes are called
anavim in Hebrew and are the first cultivated plant mentioned in the Bible (Noah grew them).
In the Book of Numbers (13:23), the Torah describes how the spies Moses sent into the Land of Israel, returned with grapes so large that the cluster had to be carried on a pole suspended between two men. Most people associate grapevines with grapes and grapes with the wine we use to celebrate Shabbat and other Jewish holidays. Grapevines are also a source of pure water (when cut open) and make an excellent building material for shelters. No doubt our ancient ancestors used the vines in the building of their sukkot.
The fig is called t'anah in Hebrew and is first mentioned in the Torah in early chapters of Genesis when Adam and Eve covered their nakedness with fig leaves.
In ancient Israel, fig trees were planted in gardens throughout the country. If you have yet to eat a fig picked fresh from the tree, you are missing out on one of the finer taste treats of this world.
Pomegranates are called rimmonim in Hebrew and are another one of the seven species the spies brought back with them to show how fertile the land was.
According to Middrash, there are exactly 613 seeds in a pomegranate (corresponding with the 6`3 mitzvot found n the Torah. Pomegranates are frequently pictured in Jewish art works as well as the design for the decorative tops places of the two Torah rollers. Not only is this fruit delicious to eat but its juice makes an excellent, natural red dye.
An olive is called a zayit in Hebrew and is one of the oldest and most valued trees in the Middle East. Olive oil was the fuel source for the great menorah lit in the Temple and played an important
role in the diet of our ancient Israeli ancestors.
Olive trees can live to be over 1,000 years old and still produce fruit. What you may not know is that black and green olives are harvested from the same tree. They do not come from different species of olive trees. To this day in the State of Israel, olive trees are so valued that it is against the law to cut them down if they are still living.
Honey is called d'vash in Hebrew and Israel is called the "land that flows with milk and honey." The type of honey meant here is date or fix honey, not bee honey.
Israel has never had enough of a bee population to make it possible to produce bee honey in any large quantities. Date honey was made by placing dates in a pot of boiling water and scooping the fruit sugar off that bubbled to the surface.
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